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Published: December 11th 2008
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So the last day in Pushkar consisted of some more sitting and relaxing. Whilst sitting in the garden, we had a visit from a troop of Monkeys who were keen on the Pomegrante tree and a wedding procession go past the front door.
India is always full of surprises. Nothing quite works as planned. Whilst waiting for the bus we had a Lapkar come up and try his sales pitch for a guesthouse in Jaisalmer. It went something like this...
"you going to Jaisalmer?"
Yes.
"Jaisalmer is India's only remaining Fort which is still inhabited'"
"it is known as the Golden city, and this is because the stones shine like gold in the desert sunset."
"when you sit in the Haveli you fell like a King and Queen in the golden sunset'"
Leith with an air of skeptism said to the guy...
"Why are you talking to us?" Do you have a guesthouse, just tell me and stop talking this garbage!"
On that note we had a dead cheap room in the old fort. On arrival in Jaisalmer we were taken to our guesthouse to live like Kings and Queens. In reality. I think we were in a
former utility closet with a toilet that had a live in Turd. However, cannot complain for a 100 rupees..
Jaisalmer was a fantastic fort town set in the desert like an oasis. First day was spent inside the fort looking at all the Haveli's (basically a flash desert house with lots of rooms for rent). 2nd day was a desert safari. We took the jeep option as we both didn't fancy 2 days on a camel.
The safari was the BEST!! we were the only people on it and went to little desert villages made out of mud, had lunch in the middle of the desert and then camel rode into the dunes to watch the sunset. The desert sunet is so good it is almost poetic. Sitting then watching the sands change colour and pattern as the sun changed from yellow to a deep red, and then followed by stars appearing. Our tranquility only broken by the occassional clown horn from the distant road. It was pretty damn cool.
A hectic bus journey through the Thar desert, we are now in the blue city Jodphur. That is what we will write about next
(Leith's
version of) Jaisalmer
I do not think I said Stop talking this Garbarge", I said "Get to the point man" as Ben was in one of his sleeping upright positions at the time....
After squashing into a baby van (like a little Hi Ace) with a bunch of musicians who had been playing at a wedding in Pushkar, we made it onto a sleeper bus.
Weddings in India are a loud affair. They parade the groom all around the town/city on a white horse with a smashing, crashing band. In front of the groom are plenty of male relative dancers competing at pelvic thrusting and who can do it the best without putting their back out or perhaps dislocating a hip. At the back of the procession follow 2 grinding generators which keep the lights above going so all can see the lucky man. There are flimsy lights strung up around the throng of bodies and you do have to wonder how many fried grooms have arrived to meet their brides.
Anyway, moving on to Jaisalmer. The only living Fort in India. It was fairly squashed in the room - Ben's feet are very big but a
bargain room.
Inside the fort is a jumble of narrow, twisting lanes so we spent a day looking at the Jain Temple (another religion) and getting lost. The second day we went on a Jeep Safari. You remember the cheap room? Well, that's why the room's are cheap....once you're staying the night, they can be rather persistent at asking you on a Safari. A Belgian guy left after the first night because he didn't want to go.
We went on a safari though because we'd planned too and it didn't disappoint.
There are some plusses to being in an area so close to the Pakistani border at the moment. A major one was that we got to go on a Safari all by ourselves. We did everything in our own time, got ridiculously overfed, got to go on camels in the dunes of the Thar Desert all by ourselves. And it was pretty effing romantic peoples. You might think that being in the emptiest place on earth would be very UNromantic but believe me, when you're watching the sunset and the moon rise across undulating dunes ( with your better half) it is very inspiring. No funny business though as
we had our solemn group of Indian men preparing our dinner nearby. How very colonial.
And that was it for Jaisalmer. The bus to Jodphur next morning is definitely a story for another day.
And seriously, there was a turd in the toilet. And whoever did it (it was there when we arrived), must have had severe pain passing it. I have never seen anything like it in my life. 😊
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