JASELMERE

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Leaving in the late evening from Udaipur we took one very long bus journey across Rajestan to Jaselmere only a short distance from the Pakistan border. We had several ordeals to get there - including a 4am bus change, what we believe was bogus tourist officer collecting a small 'entry tax', a circus of hotel touts where we were delivered and a hotel change after going to 'a bad place'. Eventually and completely exhausted we settled into a great room with a window out the side of the huge and ancient fort city walls. The place had sprung out of the dessert centuries earlier being the trade route with the west and has remained a stronghold to the present day. Now the city is the centre of much of India's military might, where you see the most advanced combat aircraft flying around 'playing with' their unfriendly neighbors. This was all a huge contrast to much of the rest of India where so many of its people still live in poverty and die from very preventable illnesses.

It was still a beautiful city inside the old fortress, almost completely unchanged from its early days. You got a sense of what life might have been like wandering around the narrow and shaded alleys in the old city. Once inside people were very friendly and most of the time it felt like you were inside peoples houses eating on rooftops and visiting the many small shops. Even on the outside of the walls you could see how good the people were at surviving in a very harsh environment. It was a wonder to us how some of the finest ancient homes and palaces could come about in such an inhospitable place.

One adventure that most tourist take part in - including us, was a camel safari. After choosing (we believe wisely) to take only a short trip rather than going out for a number of days, we headed out into the furthest reaches of India. Along with a nice spanish couple, we began in a small village on the edges of the Sahara-like dessert separating India and Pakistan, we mounted our steeds! Guided by a lovely old man and a number of his grandchildren we rode for a few hours into the dunes, before settling down to watch the sun set. Afterwards we quickly made our way back while there was still some light and before if got too cold! Even after only three or four hours on the camel we had sore butts for a few days and wondered how people could go for three or four solid days!

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Photos

Cow in prayer
All the streets offered great scenes like this

A cow off its head
It really was eating the chillies!

The women dont have it so easy
Just before sunset all the towns women collecting water

The nights entertainment
I think it was actually us!

Overlooking the city
From the royal palace