We decided to take a bajaj/motor rickshaw/tuk tuk up the hill to the Nahargarh Fort. Here the guide books tell us we can get amazing views of the city. We were at the lake so we needed a vehicle to get the 10km up the hill.
None of the drivers we booked on Uber would go there because it wasn’t worth the money. In the end we got a bajaj driver who would take us there, wait and then bring us back to the lake for 600 rupees.
We were only used to paying about £1 for a taxi so we had a debate whether it was worth the £6.
The fort itself is really beautiful and all the internal walls and ceilings were painted with floral frescoes. There were views of course but the vista was restricted by the pollution which threw a thick blanket over the city.
We have all been affected by pollution since we’ve been here – I have been hacking and coughing and others have stinging eyes. We all feel the dirt and grime on our skin at the end of the day.
Much like Nanjing, Jaipur is surrounded by hills making it difficult for polluted air to escape.
In fact, everywhere we’ve been and want to go are terribly polluted. It’s not just the air pollution but the noise pollution makes it uncomfortable. I’m just glad I don’t have to live here – that I can choose to leave and live somewhere cleaner – but most don’t have this choice. They have to live with foul air polluting their bodies and the air full of car horns.