what a fab place!

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Up at 06:45 due to our favourite illness - delhi belly!!! Immodiumed up and off to meet our rickshaw driver at 07:45. Went to Bombay motors for our "deluxe bus"aka the "busiest bus in bloody india, with hindi music at loud volume to entertain us! 5 hours and 2 touts later, we face the masses at our destination , Jaisalmer "come and see our hotel... my rickshaw for Rs 10" Eventually got in a jeep for Rs 10 with an unbeknown tout, managed to ignore him and got a cheap ride. Hiked up mount everest ... well up the steep hill to the fort and found our haven " hotel paradise"- fantastic room, overlooking the desert for Rs 450 ( should have been Rs 850)- sat reading, looking over the desert before going to lunch at the 8th July (had our usual a fantastic veg burger)We came to Jaisalmer last year and Jaisalmer is worth coming to just for its restraunts!
Went to Ristorante Italiano la purezza for evening meal in the fort- very good italliam food- Bri even had a cappucino!!! and you could get tiramasou!
1.10.02
Did not have brekkie until 11:00. Went into the market and saw the infamous "bull in a china shop scenario", only it was a huge pregnant cow in the middle of the market! She was not a happy moo- our first scary experience with the sacred one!! We managed to survive, couretesy of well appointed stairs!! Some people were not quite so lucky - she sent some of the many soldiers in Jaisalmer flying
After all the excitement we got on with the usual back packing activities; cashing travellers cheques and emailem my parents. We exchanged some books for extortinate prices - equivalent of £3 . Had a top lunch at refreshment point- I had a "foot long" which is a foot long piece of bread, smothered with tomatos/ cheese and onions. Bri had the british favourite of scrambled eggs, baked beans and cheese on toast!!!
Sat reading from 4pm... at 18:30 ish we saw 100s of bats leave the fort and head into the desert- amazing scene. Went to trio for evening meal- food okay, but felt shit again (? mozzie tablets) There was live music being played, which was nice, until one of them ran across the market after us demanding "baksheesh"(tip)
- "no" was the answer- we are baksheeshed out!
Had a late night (12:30) watching a johnny depp film ( Bri had 2 bottles of "bullet!!")
2.10.02
Designated shopping day and shop we did !
4 cushion covers for Rs 400
4 cushion covers (patchwork) and a welcome door to signify you are married for Rs 1,200
1 antique welcome door Rs 1,000
Met some cool people whilst shopping; spent 3 hours with one bloke called pappu, whom introduced us to a man who sells unique rings (all hand crafted with tiny carvings of gods, places , animals. The lad who does it (oshio)is one of eight brothers and is the only one who can make them . We have decided as a wedding present to ourselves to have 2 identical rings made from silver- we are having karen and brian (in hindi), aum and ganesh- it will take him 4 days to do (non stop) and it is costing us Rs 4, 800- equivalent of £64 for 2 rings- cannot wait to see them. In the last shop we met a bloke who spent a year in australia taming/ training wild camels- had a cup of chai with him. Went to refreshing point for lunch (bloody huge enchilada!) . Put a film in to be developed and e-mailed all our mates. Had evening meal in little tibet- probably our best meal yet, although far too much!

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Photos

room with a view
our view from our window seat in our room in hotel paradise

jaisalmer fort from a distance
a magnificent structure- I want to live in a fort....

gentleman playing music in the desert