The blue city

---

Hello all!
We have now reached the blue city of Jodhpur having been to Jaipur and Pushkar.
Jaipur (nicknamed the pink city) is the renowned shopping district of Rajasthan but suprisingly I managed to resist, mainly due to the fact I get so confused during the haggling process I dont end up with what I thought I was getting - doh! After the elephant ride of the first day walking about in the streets was a good change, although crossing the road is an adventure in itself. After waiting about 10 minutes to cross one road in particuar we spotted some men carrying huge blocks of material on their heads creating a kind of canopy as they walked together. Because the material was so large and so heavy they had to walk slowly and couldn't turn their heads form side to side, so, whilst they were crossing the road we sneaked in between their loads and scuttled across leaving some very confused men when we appeared from nowhere infront of them!

It is beginning to freak me out now, as Fran and I are continually asked to pose for photographs with complete strangers. I thought it was maybe because the indian women wanted to make themselves look more beautiful in their saris next to our green and brown combos but even men are asking now. It is strange to think we will be in peoples photo albums all over India!

Pushkar was a much more relaxed town based around the holy lake. It consisted of lots of stalls and bazaars selling clothes, hundreds of gaudy temples, and a healthy spattering of drugged up travellers sporting large amunts of either facial hair or dreadlocks. ("it's just so spiritual - man" a favourite phrase) However our experience of the holy lake was perhaps not as serene as it could have been. Unfortunately we ended up at one of the ghats where thre were 'priests' happy to help you in your prayer for Karma. These priests whisked us to the side of the lake and proceeded to make us dunk our body parts in the water and then tip some on our heads. We were then given a plate of flowers and a prayer to recite wishing for good parents, husbands, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so on. So far, so good. The point at which he drew on my head with dye and made me wish for good karma whilst holding a coconut, was not, to say the least a terribly emotional or spiritual moment for me despite being in one of the holiest places in India (thank goodness I could see Fran in a similar coconut holding predicament. After being made to feel like a bit of a plonker he went in for the kill: " We must now make donation for good karma and happinesss of you and your family" hmmm well, I didnt really mind giving a donation to charity for my Karma but I was beginning to sense it might be expensive if it was calculated on a per head basis! So, I must apologise Joe and Tim if Ive ruined your Karma forever, but I denied you as my brothers to keep the karma costs to a minimum!

The countyside has slowly changed to more desert-like scrub land with the occasional field of bright red chillies drying in the sun. It seems that the more barren the land gets the brighter the saris become; bright pinks, vivid greens and scarlet reds.

We are now in Jodhpur, home of those oh so fetching trousers and have been to another fort, this one with beautiful views of the blue city. Unfotunately this city still smells as bad as the last and Im thinking of getting a nose peg. The tendency of men to use the streets as a public urinal makes our boys look very civilised, even after a night out!

On that note, I will say goodbye - hope you are all well and happy,

Much love Sarah x

---