Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

Jaipur, the enchanting Pink City of India's Rajasthan state, is a remarkable place to be in December. Wedding season is underway and processions of revelers parade down the city's wide thoroughfares, flanked by painted elephants and horses in gilded costumes, all grooving to a soundtrack of traditional Rajasthani folk music and the occasional burst of fireworks. On a recent visit, I seriously contemplated jumping out of my rickshaw and joining them. For a change of perspective, I asked the driver to take me to the outskirts of the city and the hilltop Amber Fort, where the expansive courtyards and desert vistas mitigated the somewhat nervewracking effects of being among so many people. I like that everyone in this photo is literally on the go. What better way to capture India?