The Scenic Life

Chapter 8

                         •°•

I woke up quite early today, had an hour long bath in the glass bathtub, did my skincare and makeup and had breakfast in the balcony of my hotel room. All of it done before nine in the morning.

This was very impressive because on weekends, I slept at three in the morning alone.
I also got a text from vihaan last night, telling me that we needed to get out of the hotel and on our way to work at nine-thirty dot. Not a minute later, he had warned.

As usual, I had left him on seen.

I could feel his glares from the next room through the walls, but I was in an exceptionally good mood, so I just played my sleep playlist and went to sleep on the royal bed.

Today's plan includes a visit to 4 forts, and the work there for me is to take photographs of all the places that fit the aesthetic and the theme of the project, as well as writing a report on the following. Vihaan will be shooting everything and editing it to enhance the theme. 

I hear three rapt knocks on my door, which makes me realise that this hotel hasn't embraced the concept of doorbells yet, my guess is that they want to keep the royal theme up.

I pull the door open, Vihaan stands outside with his backpack on his shoulders and a cap on his head, looking like a boy ready for a picnic.

“You ready? The driver is here.”

I pull up my duffel bag from the corner and pick up my camera from the table top, hanging it around my neck. Lastly, I pick up the room key and keep it inside my pocket.

“Yep, let's go.”

Our mutual dislike for each other graciously kept aside, we set off.

                         °•°



Our first destination is Amber palace, which is quite far away from our hotel. Our hire car is already in the driveway, waiting for us. I'm getting kinda jittery at the prospect of photographing all day today, I guess that says something about me.

After we get in the car, me in the passenger seat and Vihaan in the backseat, the driver greets us in traditional Marwari and I return the greeting in the same enthusiastic manner. The driver beams at me and Vihaan scoffs from behind. I look back and give him a stink eye.  He sticks his tongue back at me. I roll my eyes and get comfortable in my seat, gearing up my camera so that I can photograph some scenery on the way.

After clicking some photographs of the interior of the car, I turn towards the driver,

“What's your name uncle? And how long till our destination?”

“My name is Ram, and we will reach Amer palace in about an hour. What is your name, didi?”

"My name is Sara, we're here to click photographs of various forts around Jaipur. Also, uncle, where do you suggest we eat? Like I want proper authentic Rajasthani food, where can we get that?”

Vihaan cranes his head a bit forward,

“Yeah, can you tell us any place which is closer to the forts we are visiting?”

"There are a lot places, you don’t need to worry. I know the best place for lunch.”

Vihaan nods, and I ask another question,

“Which fort is your  favourite?”

He lets out a laugh, “I don’t know much about these forts, to be honest, but my favourite will always be Amber palace, because that’s where I met my wife.”

I smile at him, he looks so happy talking about his wife, I prod him to tell me more about how he met her.

“Well, I was seventeen and she was eighteen, I used to be a guide at the palace at that time, she used to sell hats there. We got talking and then things happened, I guess. Now we've been married for 15 years.”