Adventures in the Thar Desert

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The final leg of our journey together took us to the desert town of Jaisalmer, in far northwest Rajasthan, not far from the border with Pakistan (something we were very aware of in the current political climate). It didn't get off to a great start... we were hassled by aggressive touts at the train station in searing heat, then Mozza and I came down with stomach cramps and other common traveller illnesses which saw me confined to my bed all afternoon and Mozza taking it easy.

The next day, however, we were back to fighting strength and decided to tackle Jaisalmer on foot by walking down to Gandi Sagar, a public reservoir adorned with several ornate houses, pavillions and a gateway. The gateway was built by a clever (and clearly very successful) prostitute, against the wishes of the maharaja, and she ensured its survival by building a temple on the upper floor. The tank is a strange place... dry and desolate yet splendid, and bizzarely filled with catfish, who were being fed by Indian tourists as they wriggled and squirmed at the edge of the water. The heat sapped our energy, so after an hour or so we returned to the hotel and decided to indulge ourselves with a couple of hours by the pool... though not the small, dingy affair at our establishment. Instead, we hopped in a rickshaw and went to a proper hotel, paying a few hundred rupees to bask at the side of a large, clean pool filled with blissfully cool water... paradise.

Our afternoons activity would take us out of Jaisalmer and into the Thar desert. Camel safaris are one of the staples of this part of India, and we decided that we wanted to sample camel life without camping in the desert overnight due to our short time in Jaisalmer. So, we opted for a sunset camel safari, and insisted that cold beers needed to be part of the experience. We were driven out of Jaisalmer in a jeep, and rendezvoused with our guide, Belal, and his two camels - Paku and Rabu. Belal strapped our cold beers and a block of ice to Rabus back, and held Paku while Mozza and Em climbed aboard. Sensing his impending trip, Rabu stood up before I had time to mount... so Belal suggested that I grab that camel!, which I dutifully did, and walked him a few paces so I could take up position on his back. Realising that all of this was being watched from afar by a group of Indian tourists, we did our best to maintain composure as we set off... Paku being held by me as Belal led Rabu.

Em wasn too keen to begin with, and Mozza was a bit perturbed by the numerous snake trails in the sand, despite Belals assurances that they only come out after about 1am. When we stopped for a break, we saw why Em had been a bit shaky on the inclines... her saddle was within an inch of falling off Pakus back, so Paku was unable to sit with them onboard. Mozzas inflexible legs failed him, leaving Em to scramble off Paku first... their combined dismount remains a highlight of my trip! My re-mount was nearly made catastrophic by two startled deer, who made Rabu stand up just as my right leg was cocked over his saddle... luckily I had my wits about me and withdrew just in time. A little later on, next to the sand dunes, we stopped for our beer, which was indeed cold. Sadly, Belal hadn't brought a bottle opener (doh!), so we had to improvise with our hotel room key... a bit rough but thankfully it did the trick (could you imagine the pain of being in the desert with a cold beer you couldn't open?!). Sitting in peace (aside from the occassional song belted out by Belal), we watched the sun set, then rode our steeds back to the roadside, where we returned to Jaisalmer by jeep... calmed by the quiet of the desert, but glad wed only had to spend an hour or so in the saddle!

Our last day in Jaisalmer was spent exploring the towns main attraction - Jaisalmer Fort. The fort is a charming and chaotic place, lived in by hundreds (maybe thousands?) of people, containing temples, a palace and dozens of restaurants, hotels and curio shops. Sadly, this ancient, ramshackle building is not being looked after well, and can't really cope with the pressure put upon it by residents and tourists. The infrastructure is creaking, and we saw for ourselves the huge tips of rubbish littering its 99 impressive bastions. It is therefore now on a list of endangered monuments, and I'd like to urge the Indian people and government to take a bit more care of this amazing place. We wandered around its maze of streets and walls, and explored the beautifully ornate palace... a unique experience and unlike anywhere else Ive been. We (especially Em - shame on you!) also delighted in watching a bull's repeated (failed) attempts to mount a female cow slap bang in the middle of the main square, to his dismay and at frequent risk to the passing tourists and rickshaws. How embarrassing.

Leaving the huge honey-coloured fort (and mating cows) behind, we returned to our hotel to prepare for our train journey back to Jodhpur (for me) and Delhi (for Mozza and Em). After cracking the Indian Railways waiting list system for a second time, we said our goodbyes on the platform at Jodhpur (can't believe it will be another 8 months!), amid the bangs and crackles of Diwali fireworks, and I headed off on my own once more. Thankfully, the next leg of my journey will be with Mum and Dad, who are flying out to meet me at Ranthambhore National Park, where we hope to see some of those extremely rare, orange and white striped beasties that purportedly lurk in the Indian jungle...

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Photos

Photo 13
Belal leads Rabu into the desert

Photo 4
A troubled dismount

Photo 10
Just a few of the fort's 99 bastions

Photo 18
The palace within Jaisalmer Fort

Comments

[anonymous]

hi
really pretty snaps..

[SmithyWorldWide]

thanks
Thanks!