Living Large in Jaipur

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Deepti and Nitin were, as usual, unusually amazing hosts. Being young wealthy Indians, they showed us a side of India we hadn't really seen, maybe had just glimpsed with Shai in Mumbai. They took us to a sharp looking bar at a five star hotel. We eyed our dusty boots with shame. Their friend who runs a high end restaurant delivered us a feast of some of the most delicious and fiery hot Indian food I've ever eaten. In the morning they drove us all around the city, to two of Jaipur's spectacular forts and for a tour and dinner at the City Palace. All with their compliments, no matter how strenuously I objected. It was a tiny taste of the good life that we hadn't had for some time, and when they offered, almost insisted, that we stay with them for Christmas we were incredibly tempted. We were only in Jaipur to get to Ram's though, he was the whole reason for our massive redirection. Visiting him was the only reason I was still carrying around my turban. So on Christmas eve, against our better judgement, we boarded a local bus for the four hour ride to Ram's little town of Kekri.