Jaisalmer Camel Trek

We arranged our half day trip through the guys at our haveli. We left at 2:00pm in a jeep and made two stops before the camel ride.

The first was at some royal tombs and the second was at a deserted Brahman village. The story goes that the Prime Minister wanted to marry a Brahmin girl but it was not allowed because he was of a lower caste. He tried everything to get them to change their minds but they refused.

As Prime Minister, he raised taxes and prices for goods and made life miserable for the town. So much so that one night the whole town just up and left. The town is mostly just crumpled buildings now but there is a temple and two homes that you can walk through.

Camel treks can be arranged anywhere from 1/2 day - 3 weeks. I think many people go in groups overnight or maybe for up to three days and visit small desert villages. There are a couple popular places where everyone likes to go because of the sand dunes: Sam and Khuri. Luckily our camel ride was not planned for either of these places because tourist bus after tourist bus passed us on their way to one of those places.

We stopped at one of the tent hotels and started our ride from there, just the four of us, the guide and his young son. We had two camels, named Frodo and Sam (named by Alanna and Craig - wonder what books they are reading?). Craig and I went on one and Michael and Alanna on the other. We walked past one little village where the people didn't even have huts, just little fences roped together to stake their claim to a little piece of earth.

The camel ride was an hour through the desert to some nice sand dunes. There were only a handful of tourists here and there on the dunes. The kids ran up and down the dunes and some gypsy ladies with their babies came and sang for us - for one reason only of course - money. And who shows up next but a guy with a bag full of chips and beer. We shooed them away so we could enjoy watching the camels, the dunes and the sunset.

On the way back Alanna and Craig rode together. I went with Michael and this time I got to ride in the front with the stirrups - it was way more comfortable. We got to run quite a bit on the way back and it was so much fun - the kids loved it and giggled the whole time.

Rajasthan - Part 3 Jaisalmer

Caught the 5:00am train from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer...promptly at 6:30am. This time we were in second class A/C which means just the four of us in one open compartment.

Arrived in Jaisalmer at noon and we were met at the train station by Pleasant Haveli staff. This little haveli has character and is run by two super nice guys. It is in a pretty run down, smelly part of town and the rooms are basic. By this time I felt like we were on a backpacking trip! This is a picture of our neighbour across the street feeding her cows. The guys standing on their rooftop are flying kites - a common site throughout Rajasthan.

There's something quirky about Jaisalmer. It's the town furthest west and in the desert. It's not easy to get too, but it was packed with tourists - the lure of the camel trek. It is small and easy to walk about, with tons of little shops. Jaisalmer's Fort is still lived in but is really just a big mall of tourist shops. There is garbage all over and cows and camels and other animals. The fort is crumbling and really is in despair.

The quirky thing is the lure of the shops. Suddenly Alanna had to have a baggy pair of pants that all the tourists wear. Both she and I spent a good half hour (or more) trying on embroidered leather sandals. There are shops full of camel leather goods and before I knew it Michael, Craig and Alanna were all walking around with Indiana Jones hats.

The haggling in Jaisalmer is something else and rather frustrating. So much so that there were many times we just walked away because the prices were so inflated. Glass lanterns are popular all over Rajasthan and one day we asked a shop keeper how much they were. He said 2200 Rp. The next day when we went back and someone else was working and he said they were 3500. So again, even though we really liked them we just walked.

The best things we bought were two Indian blankets/shawls for 200 Rp each ($5Can). We brought these for our camel ride - we weren't sure how cold it would get in the desert once the sun set (more about that on the next blog). They also came in handy for our evening "beer on the rooftop."

Jodhpur - Day 3

New Year's Day we spent walking the streets of Jodhpur. Here are some photo's of the people of Jodhpur:

Rajasthan - Jodhpur Day 2

We spent New Years Eve in Jodhpur and even managed to stay up past midnight.

During the day we got an autorickshaw to the Mehrangarh Fort. Built in the 1400's its walls are massive and there are many rooms and courtyards to see. Rooms are painted, carved, filled with mirror work and stained glass windows.

There is an excellet museum full of well displayed artefacts such as elephant howdahs for the royals to sit upon an elephant, and carved palanquins that royals would be carried around in.

There are interesting displays of armoury, swords, weapons, and paintings also. The kids loved the swords and knives especially one their Aunt and Uncle had told them about - the weapon shaped like scissors would be stabbed into the abdomen. Then, the attacker would open them like scissors to make a second cut inside. Basically the intestines would be ripped to shreads and fall out. Lovely.

There are great views of the blue city from either side of the fort and large cannons on the ramparts. We took the path and walked back to town. Each night in Jodhpur at 6:00pm we would go to the rooftop and have a beer and watch the sunset and the moonrise.

But before sunset we would hear the call-to-prayer over the loudspeaker of every mosque in town. One mosque would start and then another and then everyone of them in the entire city. It was one of those magical sounds that filled the night and we would rush back each night to hear it.

Planned to go to Pal Haveli for dinner but it was packed with tourists so we went to a smaller place next door with equally good views and adequate food. Back at our haveli we watched Mamma Mia on the laptop til just before midnight and then moved up to the rooftop for the countdown.

A beautiful, clear night with an almost full moon. As soon as midnight struck the fireworks started all around us and into the distance. The fort and palace were lit up and the fireworks lasted about twenty minutes. It was a great way to bring in the New Year.

Rajasthan - Part 2 Jodhpur

There are some pretty great things about Jodhpur. One of them being the roof-top views from Heritage Kuchaman Haveli. We went back up to the roof-top restaurant for breakfast and discovered there was yet another set of stairs leading up to higher deck. Our breathe was taken away at the sight of the city - Jodhpur, the blue city.

It is an amazing 360 degree view with the imposing Meherangarh Fort in one direction; the Unmaid Palace another; and Jaswant Thada (a mini Taj Mahal) another. The best part though, was being able to check out the rooftop living going on all around us. The stone homes, two or three levels high, all have flat open decks on top where a lot of people spend their time at this time of year - winter.

For us it is warm and wonderful, for the locals it is cold and the roof is where they go to warm up. Everything happens here. Laundry is hung to dry, children play catch, and ride tricycles. One neighbour makes clay pots and and paints wooden figures. I feel like I am spying on everyone, especially an older couple who are just sitting together. But when the woman sees me with my camera in hand I put it down and wave. She immediately smiles, gets up and points to me to take her photo. Absolutely!

Which leads me to the other great thing about Jodhpur - the people are incredibly friendly and everyone asks me to take their photo. Not only do I feel like a rock star (just because I'm white) but now I feel like a rock star photographer. As soon as we hit the streets everyone from children to adults start posing for me. And as soon as I take one photo, piles more people want theirs taken too. I actually had a rickshaw driver pull over and motion to me to take his photo.

We walked to the clock tower and the market, full of everything from fruit, veggies, and spices to clothing and turbans and bangles. We found a really good rooftop restaurant for lunch: Pal Haveli, and a good little coffee shop next door to sip espresso and watch the people go by.

The narrow streets are full of cows and donkeys and the odd camel. Some homes are colorful and nicely carved on the outside, others are decrepit inside and out. They are all lacking in material goods but full of life.

Back at our haveli for sunset and a beer on the rooftop.