Push over Pushkar - not my day!

---

We arrived in Pushkar after another drive on the coach. We are lucky enough to have our own coach and driver with air conditioning and bottled water that is cold (if the driver can get hold of a block of ice in the morning!). He carries it back to the coach with a piece of cloth then dumps it in with the bottles of water. We have a tally and so far Charlotte and Harriet are winning with Sammy a close second.

I'd had problems with my breakfast arriving really slowing that morning ( way after people who had ordered after me!) so hadn't had time to go to the cash point. Manu assured me that we could try one on the way and that if that failed then there was one in Pushkar for sure. Unfortunately the one on the way didn't work (after I finally got in - Indian's push in a lot - even with a gun touting guard on duty!) then after a long walk in very, very hot sun to Pushkar centre from our hotel, then a long walk all around the tantilising shops with loads of nice stuff in to buy, we finally found the ATM, and it wasn't working!!! AH, no money and loads of lovely stuff to buy. Oh and I forgot to mention - no more cash machines for four days as we were heading off to the dessert! People kindly offered to lend me money but I didn't feel able to go and buy stuff and besides was in a foul mood by then so didn't really feel like it. Pushkar was beginning to get me annoyed.

Luckily there was a lovely lake side restaurant and I gradually started to unwind, my pent up frustrations of the day melting away as the sun began to set across the pretty little lake surrounded by buildings and steps down to the shore. There were some folk musicians playing a kind of string instrument (a rainhatta) and singing songs and later on, when the rest of the group had joined us, Manu asked the guy over to show me how to play the Indian style violin. The hair on the bow had to be twisted round your fingers to tighten it - oh and it had bells on that jingled as you bowed. Then the string - only one - you just rested fingers from your other hand on rather than pressing them onto a fret/board. I managed a passable 'tune' but handed it back before the group starting chucking things at me!!

---