'Arabian Nights'

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Arriving into another country at midnight, this arrival could have felt the same as the rest. However it was our first loss of the trip. Duncan, our fourth man set his final sail back home to the West Country, Bristol. Leaving three behind. Our final city infamous in our title B2B; 'Bombay' now know as Mumbai had finally been reached.

The mood was different with the regular fire of adventure not burning as brightly with our hearts and minds feeling the realisation of home being only 1 month away and the fairy tale journey almost at an end.

It was until a sweaty midday rising that gave us the needed fuel to throw onto the fires of adventure with a look at our new city. Bombay has a fantastic mix of historical buildings and a modern new age feel. The archway monument standing tall at the front of the harbour signifying the landing and the founding trading spot of the East Trading Company with the sub-continent some 200 years ago was a good starting point.

The buildings around the centre are a mix of British Raj palaces, tropical vines and new shops that cater for the modern citizen. The setting looks something out of the Jumanji movie and gave us the feeling that we should prepare ourselves to run from a pack of lions just waiting around the next corner.

Our first encounter was from something mega, not lions, but Bollywood! And where Hollywood missed out the Asian giant didn't..... Scooping Sam and I up from the main high street, we had been asked to star in a feature length Bollywood Blockbuster! No Auditions. They knew talent!

The movie was a new sleek and sexy tale of love, passion, heartbreak, desire and fashion!

Whisked away the following day to the studio set along with 18 other 'western' travellers who fitted the bill. Directed straight to the dressing room, where I imagined being transformed into something colourful and outrageous.
Watching the Northface clothed tourists being turned from traveller to glitz and glamour; suits, waist coats and cocktail dresses all round. Except ME.

Being first in I was transformed into something from a John Travolta disco fever film. Turquoise sparkled shirt (open) with white flairs. Disco Fever!?
"There must be some mistake!" I shouted nervously as, Sam, the final traveller to be transformed comes out from behind the curtain wearing a very sharpe pin stripe suit.
They agreed and gave me a suit. The same colour turquoise.
"What? It goes with your eyes." the designer insisted.
''What Eva!"

The day was great pretending to be a high list celebrity enjoying cocktails and each others company, whilst the camera filmed the 'juicy stuff' on stage. Eight hours of very demanding work flew by and we were returned to reality by private bus back to our cheap hostels in the Colaba district of the city.

Rubbing the stardust from our eyes it was time to enjoy India and see what it had in offer for the next month, next stop Rajasthan.....

Rajasthan

The lure of Rajasthan with it's Rajput lancers with stories of death before honour, and silk robed maharajas, it's tiger hunts and royal elephants that display the kaleidoscope of coloured kings and queens in turbins and saris, and it's dream-like sand castle forts that appear from the dessert plains like a mirage. Rajasthan an Arabian Nights Tale.....

Udaipur; the romantic city of Raj. Set around a lake with tall buildings that back up the hill to get the superb view of the floating palace and royal kingdom encircling the lake. At night the city turns to candle light and with the warm breeze. Romance is in the air. Lovers sitting at lake top view restaurants or hand in hand at the waters edge this were no place for two single men, especially with Pauline and Sam re-united.

The city is also known for it's setting for the Bond film 'Octopussy'. Probably the worst movie of all the Bond's and if it weren't for the 'spotting scene' enjoyment the movie offered it would have been turned off very early on.

A local Rajput family let us sample the life of a Rajasthani with home cooked cuisine and a look at the religion, culture and beliefs at first hand. Planned marriages was an interesting topic of conversation and also trying to get to grips with the Hindu religion. To the point of writing this blog I still don't understand who's who in the faith. A religion full of various animals; the monkey, the elephant and many more all signify various historical events and times to look to them for guidance.
Trips to the lake with the son's of the Soni family to swim in the supposed crocodile infested waters was a great way to cool off from the sweltering heat of pre monsoon Udaipur.

Jodhpur

Moving north we visited the 'Blue City' of Jodhpur. Every building coloured blue to help repel the swarms of mosquito's that inhabit the nearby watering hole.

The only building that is not blue is the towering fort that forms from the sands and is till home to the royal air to the thrown of Jodhpur. Overlooking the city the fort has an impressive view for sun set and also for the young children who bring out their kites and do battle in the swirling winds.

The fort tells tales of wild parties and heroic battles, where elephant markings still remain on the gates of the outer entrance. The old princes of Rajasthan had lives that prince William and Harry would both envy. These princes would spend more time shooting and playing then administering a district.

A story of a past prince who had created a silver train network at his dining table to create a more interesting dinner service. He would control the speed and destination of the peas, carrots and also second helpers. Unfortunately one evening the train network had a malfunction and covered his other sultans and distinguished guests in their food. Never trust the trains!

After the fort we went to have dinner and finish off the day in a special way. The magic of the Rajputs had rubbed off on us. Waiting for dinner the talk at the table was about the delights of India and how the travelling stories of 'Delhi Belly' or stressful dealings had not been encountered. Yet.
Waiting nearly 2 hours for dinner it finally arrived for Jona and Pauline. Demanding to speak to the manager and hear what he had to say, his explanation was (in a sorrowful tone):

"I have been terribly ill today. I'm very sorry. I've been to the toilet all day (indicates diarrhea with his hands). Making dinner has been hard. I'm Ill. Food then Toilet. Again and Again"

Stunned. India had hit us with one of its great health and safety stories that would lose man/women his job in the U.K. We left shortly after he gave us that news.

Jaisalmer

The terrains of the world had all been conquered on the trip except the dessert. The train journey indicated that there is lots of sand in the region. An over night train journey with the windows open meant that upon arrival every inch of our bodies and bags were covered in sand.

In Jaisalmer the west of Rajasthan, the final city before the start of the great Thar dessert which meets Pakistan some 70km away to the north and some 800km away to the west the middle east. Where better to do a camel safari we thought?

The days were hot and by noon the four of us were found half dead hiding under a tree, trying to keep cool. The heat reached 45 degrees in the peak hours of the day and very little was done until 4 p.m. Once the sun hand calmed from its blistering perch we were given a second lease of life to experience the dunes and delights of the sand world on camel back.

The moody, humpy, hairy beasts were great fun and lived up to their reputation of being exceptionally smelly. In particular, Jona's camel. The most un-lady like camel. Burps constantly. flatulence uncontrollable. This lady was not the favourite of the bunch. Moments in the dessert where everything is quiet and your mind starts to reflect.
'What is life all about?' How......FFAARRRTT!!! Ruined.

The most exciting part of the camel trek was the chance to do some camel racing. Camels move very differently to horses and you most certainly bounce higher when riding on one. Pauline's camel had the nose difference at the finish line of the 4 furlong dessert classic. Surprising as her camel had to be the laziest of the group, but give it a whip and it's like a rocket!

If it weren't for the guides that trip we would have probably finished our gap year in the dessert and are very greatful for their help in the heat.

That was an end to our Arabian tale and retreating from the heat, like all Indians do in the summer. We headed north to the holiday hill stations of the Himalayas......

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Photos

Kite Running
Sun set over the hills of Udaipur