Author: Sergey Guryakov

Riding in the rickshaw – our most frequently used method of transport in India – to the train station.

A visit to the Amber fort, formerly the royal residence of the Jaipur kings. All of it is all the more fascinating for Jenia, who is currently reading A Princess Remembers by Gayatri Devi, who was married to the last Maharaja of Jaipur.

Couchsurfing in Amer, right outside of Jaipur. Day 1.

Visiting the Nahargarh Fort overlooking Jaipur. Unfortunately we have pretty dismal views from the Durg cafe. Oh well, at least they have beer.

Visiting the Taj Mahal, the COOLEST THING EVER! Its probably just the hype around it, but it really is an unbelievable feeling to be standing right there.

Talking about this and that – getting scammed, you know the usual. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were under massive culture shock in Delhi, India.

A statue to Leo Tolstoy, one of Russia’s greatest authors, in New Delhi. Also some dirt, and a government run emporium for crafts (read: rugs) and such.

Our first proper day in New Delhi! We navigated (bravely!) the streets of Old Delhi to see the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque. We’ve seen plenty of mosques, but this one allows anyone to climb up the minaret (for a fee of course) — which was kind of amazing, its quite…

We landed in New Delhi! First impressions — literary, as our flight got in at 15:40.