Blogs from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India, Asia - page 2

If you want to make a difference to at least a few of the people of India, stay here in the Kalakar Colony of Jaisalmer. My hotel, The Silk Route, you see, is not only built in its midst but a percentage of its profits goes towards supporting a community of gipsy musicians on its doorstep. My time last year was devoted to the tourist sights of this city – the imposing hilltop fort, the lake at Gadisar, the dunes of the Thar Desert. The hotel, then only a couple of years old, was a comfortable, inexpensive and convenient place to stay. I didn’t really choose it for anything else. It was while staying here that I learned about it having been constructed partly to provide the basis for permanent settlement of gipsy families in the ... read more

New Delhi, 10:00 at night. I take my first step onto Indian streets and hordes of food carts and tuk-tuks (the infamous three-wheeled Indian rickshaws) are gathered at the metro station entrance. My foot hurts a bit and I figure it might not be best to find my way at night on streets—indeed in a country—I am completely unfamiliar with, so I wade tentatively into the sea of tuk-tuks. It is not long before I am approached. The man seems to recognize the name of my hostel and proceeds to hook me up with a tuk-tuk who is to bring me there—for the reasonable price of 30 rupees (the hostel website estimated it would be this much—about 4 RMB, or fifty cents). I agree. We drive through dark though still bustling streets as the driver banters ... read more

It was Diwali Vacation in November, 2015. We three Assistant Professor’s from three different colleges, of course past and present friends from our college time decided to visit somewhere in Rajasthan. And here again planning job was given to me. Googling a long I ended up to Jaisalmer and Jodhpur for three day trip. Searching on make my trip, I got one contact of an owner of a small hotel named Karan Palace. Because of heavy rush in Diwali vacation, most of the hotels were full. So I booked with this hotelier for Jaisalmer. He provided us a day package in non AC Bolero; local sightseeing for 300 per person and a package for desert safari for 1500 per person in Sam dunes, which is considered a real desert in Jaisalmer. Room stay cost was 500 ... read more

It was with considerable reluctance that I left behind the Demoiselle Cranes and drove another couple of hours west into the Thar Desert. The ancient 'Golden City' of Jaisalmer is about as far west as you can go in India - unless you're in the country's armed forces. This dry and dusty part of Rajasthan lies close to the border with Pakistan to the west & south-west. Main roads just half-an-hour from the city centre are reserved for military use and there's a significant air force station on the outskirts. Jet engines occasionally roar loudly across the town, after-burners like bright flames on take-off disappearing suddenly as fighter aircraft climb into inky night-time skies. Yet it's a peaceful enough place, dominated by a massive sandcastle of a 12th-century fort and, although it’s a bit out ... read more

I looked up at my camel towering over me with its long legs, knobbly knees and giant teeth and before I could object I was being hoisted up and over the saddle. Will and I began our camel trek, accompanied by two locals, into the Thar desert near the Pakistani border. Once I'd adjusted to the height - the ride was surprisingly comfortable until my guide let go of the reigns and my camel started wandering off in its own direction leaving only me to guide it! We stopped to set up camp in the desert. As our guide lit a fire and began cooking, we sat and watched our camels munch on seed with their huge jaws; white foamy saliva emerging from their mouths with every chew. As darkness fell, the main guide left to ... read more