Jaisalmer

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Jaisalmer

09/02/11 - 11/02/11

Our train took 5 and half hours and we were greeted from the door of our train by loads of touts offering transport to the city. Duncan unfortunately fell for the 20Rs low price scam on the platform. As we exited the station we saw a placard with our hotel name, but at that point we didn't believe it!

The guy who took us to our hotel owned the hotel next door. He was pretty cool about it and gently tried to get us to see his hotel. When we explained we had already paid for Shahi Palace he informed us about his rooftop restaurant and his camel safari. He wasn't really that interested in the 20Rs we agreed with him for the ride!

We met the driver from Shahi Palace unloading the other (obviously more sensible) guests who found him before the touts got in there. Never mind! Our lesson from that is to never agree a price until we get out of the station in future!!

Shahi Palace is lovely. Each room is individually decorated using brightly coloured Rajasthan fabrics. We liked the duvet cover in our room so much we bought it (from their associated shop that is)! The building is a replication of an old haveli but it is done really well with exposed brickwork and our room had a fort view. The rooftop has great views of the surrounding golden fort which is especially nice when it is sunbathed at sunset. The Shahi staff are also really helpful and even took me back to the train station to get a tourist quota train ticket free of charge.

We visited the fort which unlike the others we have seen had many current residences and businesses within. You can literally just walk in from the town. We enjoyed becoming lost in the narrow alleyways filled with small shops containing brightly coloured clothes and other fabrics. Whichever route taken will bring you back eventually to a central courtyard so it's hard to get completely lost in the fort and there are also good views of the town from the edges. There were also a number of cows browsing the shops and it was clear that they were responsible for the chewed corners of some of the hanging fabrics!! 

The only thing about Jaisalmer is the open flowing sewers which more often than not had (the hairiest) pigs basking within! They do stink in places and are an obvious hazard and they could do with covering over!! The people however are much more laid back and friendlier than in other parts of India that we have visited so far.

Jaisaimer is famous for it's camel safaris and one of the reasons why we went there. We booked through our hotel as it was easier being short of time to wonder around. We negotiated a price of 750Rs (from 850) each for a sunset camel safari which is on the expensive side but we trusted our hotel would deliver. Shahi apparently own the camels and they use their own jeep driver so it's all basically organised through them.

There were only 3 other people on our tour and our transport was a large jeep. The tour started off with us visiting a cenotaph area, then maharaja's gardens and Jain temple. All a bit unneccessary, especially as the jeep got a puncture at the cenotaphs! All we wanted to do was to get on the camels!! 

We met our camels and guide who took us on a 1.5-2hour ride through deserted scrub land. After miles of dirt, dry bushes and goats, we eventually reached the sand dunes as promised where we were made chai with snacks and watched the sun go down. The riding was fun, serene but quite hard work especially on the thighs!

Once the sun had set over the dunes behind the camels eating their straw the stars came out. We were allowed to stay until we wanted and had a great view of the southern cross. The stars were amazing and we wished we asked to stay for dinner or even stayed the night! But I was probably a bit too afraid of the possible scorpions or dung beetles!! We were also told the camels like to get a bit frisky at night so it could all get a bit uncomfortable!

Onwards to Mumbai! We took a car back from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur for 2000Rs then a night train to mumbai. Went for 3AC this time as was the only tickets available and it was fine.

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Photos

Cow browsing the shops in the fort
I have a bit of obsession with cow photos now