Blogs from Rajasthan, India, Asia - page 371

Michelle decided to head to a bird sanctuary, while Kristen and I headed to Ranthambore to see Tigers. We stayed there for a while as I nursed Kristen back to health, and then we went into the park and saw a Tiger very close up many times and also a Leopard - which I had forgotton existed in that park! It was excellent fun. ... read more

spent the morning wasting timeas had to check out at 09:00- emailed a few people and went on lonely planet site. Had lunch at usual!!( refreshing point!) bought snacks for the journey. Rang parents- top to speak to them; Rs 300 for approx 9 minutes. To train station for 14:45- took bloody ages to find our carriage.... and when we did , it wasn't long before we heard "problems.... no carriage.... get off!!" Spoke to staion master who told us to "sit anywhere"; sat next to a swiss lad, the carriage was full of soldiers. Eventually the conductor arrived "you must change to another carriage!!" 2 hours later when the train eventually stopped we got off ( nightmare stairs to negotiate to get off the train; Bri nearly decked it) We were led into a carriage ... read more

Up early (ish!)as had to go and sort train ticket out- we did not realise that half of the indian army had the same idea......... well at least 100!! What a nightmare- gave up in the end and asked our hotel to sort - which they did in less than 3 hours (baksheesh works wonders!!) Picked up our photos- very good and had lunch in the refreshing point (just for a change!!) Set off at 15:00 via a jeep and a bloke (machundra) . First stop was Bada Bagh- royal burial place and econdly to a jain temple at amar sagar. We then went on to Khuri to get our transport for the next hour- camels!!It was really not too bad although mine was a bit flighty!! watched sunset over the khuri dunes with a couple ... read more

Got up at 05:00 for our deluxe bus to Jodphur.....NOT!!! We were the only westerners which was cool, however we stopped for everyone on the highway. We even made stops that were not on the way so that selling and buying could go on!! Loads of people sat on the roof and in the aisle- absoloutley boiling. Took over 5 hours. Rickshaw blokes at the bus station were an absoloute nuisance. We decided to stay at the hotel which we stayed at last time (rickshaw bloke had no idea were he was going ) and there was a march for BJP going on right through town which exacerbated the situation. Eventually got to the "Royal Palace"- not quite a palace but it is clean and we knew that they sell beers!. Wanted Rs 1,500 for a ... read more

Up early - deluxe bus to ajmer at 10:00. Had brekkie (banana cornflakes) and set off. It only 2 and a half hours to ajmer and then we got on a local bus to pushkar for Rs 7 each! Went to pushkar last year and wrote heaps in my journal then... so when I finish this one (in about 2009!!), I will write that one. Did not stay in a particularly nice guest house this time (Won't put the name incase it has changed now) . There were lovely bed bugs, a strange owner and the electricity was turned off all the time, so it was boiling!) Went to see were we stayed last time (lake palace) ; loads of building work going on. Sat at sunset cafe for a while before heading back to bed ... read more