We have affectionately named our chauffeur Parker, Ill let you figure it out. His real name is Raj and he has been in the industry for 20 years. It seems that during his long career as a chauffeur he has managed to make friends with every hotel, restaurant and tourist attraction owner in Rajasthan. He loves to send us shopping for cheap tat to gain a bit commission and has already told us what he expects as a minimum tip. But he does have his benefits, he knows a lot about the area and has recommended places we would have otherwise not considered. So far he has come up trumps with 2 places in particular.
Fatehpur Sikri, the old capital of the Mongul empire. The site here is far less frequented by tourists than places such as the Red fort in Delhi so it offers a much more personal experience. There was a mist around that morning which added an eerie feel and was brilliant for the photos.
Ranthambhore National Park, one of the last places in the world you can spot wild tigers. The park covers 365 square kilometres and we were warned before the safari started that our chances of seeing a tiger were pretty slim as there is said to only be around 35 in the entire park. The safari lasted 3 and a half hours in the back of an uncomfortable open top truck and we saw a host of animals including a tiny crocodile, deer, wild boar and various birds but sadly no tigers.
Pretty disappointed, I headed back to safari HQ moaning the whole way to Rory about paying the entry fee. Then, while heading down a tiny dirt track a huge tiger appeared in the road. It sat down, had a yawn and a stretch then casually strolled past within 5 meters of the truck. It was a pretty special sight and one I don't think ill ever get a chance to see again. The man at the hotel said we were extremely lucky as sometimes people come for 3 to 4 days and don't see any at all. And we managed to bag one first time!
