The highway is actually in pretty good shape, but has only 2 lanes and many crazy trucks driving North-South. Clean toilets and safe food are often few and far between - but on this trip none of us got sick and we had pleasant weather (Rajasthan can start to get really hot during the day in March). We found some really great places to stay. All of the hotels were mid-range in cost and are recommended by Lonely Planet.
In Jaipur we stayed 3 nights in all at Madhuban. A converted "Haveli," or mansion. The staff were a little grouchy on our last night , but it is run by a lovely family and is very charming. Great garden for tea some snacks and a good book to read. Madhuban has a simple menu for dinner. The kids enjoyed pasta and toasted cheese sandwiches. We enjoyed their veg and non-veg Indian dishes. Audrey has fallen in love with the banana "Lassi," a traditional sweet indian yogurt drink. (more about these later).
Next we were off to Pushkar for 2 nights. It is a small - somewhat hippie town that is famous for its Brahma Temple - the only one of its kind in India.
There are many Indians who pilgrimage here each year to see this unusual temple. Westerners - Israelis, Europeans, Australians and a few Americans hang out here for the peaceful atmosphere, clothing and craft shops and the really great food. Our hotel, was by far the best place we have stayed in India - "Seventh Heaven." Also a converted Haveli. Attentive friendly staff, reasonable prices for food and lodging and the rooftop restaurant, "Sixth Sense" is fantastic.
Our kids really enjoyed the manager of the restaurant who joked and played games with them. We all enjoyed the western/continental dishes for a few nights respite from Indian cuisine. And yes, Audrey loved the banana Lassis - I think she had one with every meal.
Because the restaurant is on top floor and the kitchen on the ground floor the hotel uses a dumb waiter on a pulley system to deliver your food.Our final destination was Udaipur - my personal favorite city on this trip. Although it is a city of 700,000 it has a very small feel to it. Not crowded or crazy like many of India's more urban areas. Narrow winding streets lined with shops and temples. 
Udaipur is most famous for its "Lake Palace - a large palace that looks as though it is floating on the water. Our hotel here was also lovely - the Mahendra Prakash Hotel. Built in the 1950s it was spotless, traditionally decorated and was reasonably priced. Best of all the Mahendra Parkash has a large, crystal-clear pool! We all swam in this everyday - especially nice in the hot afternoon sun of Rajasthan! And yes, Audrey enjoyed her banana lassi by the pool (Evan had fresh, cold Chocolate milk shakes)! We really like Rajasthan.
Udaipur is most famous for its "Lake Palace - a large palace that looks as though it is floating on the water. Our hotel here was also lovely - the Mahendra Prakash Hotel. Built in the 1950s it was spotless, traditionally decorated and was reasonably priced. Best of all the Mahendra Parkash has a large, crystal-clear pool! We all swam in this everyday - especially nice in the hot afternoon sun of Rajasthan! And yes, Audrey enjoyed her banana lassi by the pool (Evan had fresh, cold Chocolate milk shakes)! We really like Rajasthan.
Stanley is from Mrs. Stanfield's Kindergarten class at Lee Elementary School in Austin. His friend (and our neighbor from home), Mazzy, aged 6, encouraged him to make the Journey.
He is learning a lot about life here in India during his short stay. Be sure and check out the kids' blog for more details on his adventures in Noida...
My complaint about all this necessary activity (aside from the dust) is what seems to be a general lack of empathy for the neighborhoods in which these projects occur. Job sites are really disorganized here. Beautiful roads are being built or resurfaced before water lines are completed, before sewers are installed. And once each construction project has been "completed" the refuse never seems to be hauled off. 
The construction-waste remains piled on the side of the road for months and sometimes years. Piles of broken sewer pipes, dirt, concrete, and unused bricks can be seen everywhere. Beautifully constructed roads never seem fully finished because of all the mess that is left behind.
People "play" 
We "played" 
We wound up going to a restaurant known as "Rodeo." It is on the inner-most circle of Connaught Place. Rodeo is famous for its Tex-Mex menu (with a dose of Indian masala).
When the real salsa, cheese nachos and tacos were placed on our table the kids were in hog heaven! 
It was a great night of cowgirls, cowboys, and Indians - a little taste of Texas (sort of) all right in the middle of New Delhi.
We stayed in a place called the Sariska Palace - it had beautiful brochures and a very beautiful website. Sadly, it is not what it seems . Bad food, overpriced rooms with bad service. The Palace itself could be politely described as "faded glory." I got sick from the food the night before our Safari. Not a good way to prep for a bouncey 3 hour jeep ride in the woods.
The Jeep Safari is the reason to come to Sariska. Jeeps (Maruti "Gypsy") are rented right at the park entrance which opens as early as 6:30 am. The fees are reasonable and our jeep driver was very good and spoke some English. Our driver, Chauhan came with us so we had no need for the extra guide the park offers (for an additional fee).
Lesa and I really love the Kingfishers. You can easily see both the common and larger varieties here. Crocodiles, Peacocks, Samber (very large deer the size of an elk!) spotted deer 
and even the occasional stray water Buffalo. Both Audrey and Evan are good animal spotters! 
In the photo above you can see how close it is to the road. The engine is a narrow-gauge train. The mystery, though, is that there are no railroad tracks anywhere in this part of Noida. 
This is a very heavy machine - we have no idea who got the engine to its current location or how it was moved! 
We met villagers along the way who were harvesting and cleaning vegetables (radishes, onions, tomatoes, cauliflower and flowers).
This odd contraption - its owner taking a nap - is seen around town hauling everything from lumber to produce. It is a homemade hybrid. Part motor-scooter and part bicycle-rickshaw. 
Although we never found the owner of the train, everyone we met was very friendly, helpful - and a little curious about us. It was a beautiful day for a hike - right here in our own Noida!