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Published: August 25th 2006
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City
From the roof of the guesthouse So, I'm no longer in Udaipur, even though I said I'd write again from there. Turns out we pretty much did nothing in the city of Octopussy but drink beer and watch the rain. After Udaipur, Pushkar, which I will write on now even though I'm currently in Jodhpur and leaving tonight again for Delhi.
All of this corresponding has been delayed by the fact that I have been crazy ill for the last 4 or 5 days. It all started with a very cold, very long, very wet busride that gave both of us what looked like the beginnings of bronchitis. For me, this cleared in a few wheezy days, but was replaced with a wicked stomach something or other, which has left me in bed for pretty much our entire stay in Jodhpur. Jason is still wheezy, though thankfully not vomiting.
Gross.
So anyway. Pushkar was as wonderful as Bundi, as far as I can tell. The weather was a little dismal, but I'm learning that this is something you accept when you travel in any country with a monsoon season. As I said, we mostly relaxed. Our hotel looked directly over Pushkar Lake, a very
Puskar Hills
Mountains and buildings (or what's left) surrounding the lake. holy Hindu epicenter where thousands of pilgrams come to bathe and perform puja year round on one of the many ghats. So the combination of religious importance and a wonderful ambiance made Pushkar a very busy place, full of Indian and Western tourists alike.
We arrived, after the aforentioned wet overnight bus, to Ajmer, where we had to transfer buses even though the guy who booked our tickets promised we would go directly to Pushkar. No dice. We rode a tiny, scary, public bus fit for 30 but with about 60 people on it up the sharp switchbacks of the mountain and down towards the city. When we arrived, just outside of the main part of town, at 6.30 am mind you, we were absoloutely mobbed by folks trying to get us into their respective hotel/guesthouse/cafe. Ben, a guy from England (who, I might add, is moving to Bristol when he gets home) who came with us from Udaipur devised a brilliant plan to get rid of them... If you say "I will not even consider looking at your guesthouse if you say so much as another word to me," they scatter, leaving a trail of business cards behind them. It's amazing. Anyway...
Pushkar rests in a valley, separated from the surrounding towns by sharply peaked green mountains, some of which have temples on top that light up at night. One in particular also has an illuminated staircase, so when the sky and mountains are dark it looks like a path through the air to a temple on the horizon. Pretty neat. The first day we were there, it rained while we were at lunch, and when the clouds cleared three huge perfectly formed rainbows arched across the entire city. Fantastic.
We did the same old same old- ran through the markets, trying our bartering skills for some pants and an anklet of bells (with which I intend on driving Jason crazy) and a bag to replace the backpack that travel rendered completely useless. We looked at people, buzzed around on a motorcycle through the mud, made friends with a wonderful family on the outskirts of town, drank tea and bhang lassies (for details on this endeavor, enquire in person) and listened to some american girls with shaved heads play the guitar and sing good ol' folk music on our roof. The sky at night was perfectly clear, and the constellations are all upsidedown from what we're used to. That might not actually be true, but it sure seemed that way. I saw a shooting star and was so happy just being there that the idea of travelling elsewhere was very unappealing.
Turns out I should have stuck with my gut instinct. We came to Jodhpur with Ben, who left for Agra this morning. All we've done here is be sick and bitch at eachother. We wanted to avoid having to travel through Delhi to get back north, but the trains were all on a four day waiting list to Amritsar, and there were no busses running anywhere due to the heavy flooding due to the heaviest monsoon season that India has seen in 15 years. We sure can pick 'em.
So off to Delhi, where we're hoping to stay long enough to catch the bus to Dharamsala. You will hear from me again once I get there.
Until then, keep writing.
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Corie
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I was worried
When we got into Denver last week Mum and I read your blog (because we didn't have cable yet to watch Project Runway.. but don't worry, cable came yesterday so I will be ready for next Wednesday.. good season so far). And since then whenever I could steal internet from across the street (because of the same Comcast situation) I would go online and look to see if you've written again. And I was starting to get worried cause you hadn't, infact last night I said something to my roommate, Niki, about how you hadn't written and something must be wrong. Glad you were only puking and not dead. Or eaten by an elephant. But I have to start TAing in 45 minutes so I will cut my comment short. Feel better. (My mail box works now so maybe I will get a postcard soon?) - Cor