Monday 05 March 08.00 We are out of bed early after good night’s sleep. Breakfast is as yesterday and head off into the street. Not so much wind or dust this morning so a pleasant walk towards town. I stop at an internet shop to blog and buy a train ticket for my journey to Jodhpur on Tuesday evening. I sort some mobile phone time as well. I walk round the road below the fort and take some photos of the local circle and a Spanish tourist takes my photo. I spend the morning walking all over the fort. These days it’s a commercial centre with all kinds of shops but still a wonder in its own way. I stop for lunch and have a salt lassi and a masala chat sandwich all very nice. Then ... read more

Saturday 03 March 22.00 I walk across the road to the railway station and see my train on the electronic board platform 2, over the footbridge we go no madness of Old Delhi here a small station. The train is on the platform a porter shows me the carriage in return for a photo. The ticket inspector stamps my ticket and into the carriage we go. I knew 1st class was too good to be true. 1St Class maybe but in 1985 the carriage is filthy with an inch of sandy dust everywhere. I check the other berths all as bad if not more than the one I have selected. Not many people here A Chinese girl and some Indians. I go back to my berth!!!!! At least the very noisy ac is working there as ... read more

Saturday 03 March We are up at 06.00 as the hotel has a 24 hour check in/out policy.I take my bags down on time but as when I arrived everyone is asleep on the floor. I pay my 500 rups and leave my ruck with the hotel and lady luck. This morning I am off to the Karni Mata temple at Deshnok one of the more unusual temples in India. Its also known as the Rat Temple The Cheran cast of musicians believe that the incarnations of the goddess Dura appear to them one of whom is Karni Mata. As the legend goes one of the followers had a ill son, but by the time KM arrives he had died. KM went to Yama the god of the underworld to ask for him back but Yama ... read more

So it's out of the Cottage Yes Please to head off for the train to Bikaner. I walk for the last time down the bazaar and over to the station. Delhi has more then one station and Paul is at the wrong one. After scanning the info board i realise that I should be at Old Delhi (DLI)station not New Delhi station (NDLS). I go outside to take a taxi or ricky to Old Delhi time is short due to a earlier problem now sorted. The taxi driver asked me when is your train can't tell him that, the price will shoot up and he already wants 450 rups, i will take a bicycle rick I say - the game commences. The price falls to 350 but I have 1 hour to catch the train but ... read more