Feb. 3/Sunday – Jodhpur to Jaisalmer

The breakfast buffet is plentiful and satisfying, and we have our usual omelettes and coffee. We are not starving on this trip!

At 9:30, we meet Raj -- he is always there and has consistently been responsible, helping to coordinate our guides and taking us to places even when we don't have a guide. I think we'll miss Raj when we leave. He's really been a part of our travels.

We go directly to Jaisalmer, no stops except for a brief one more than halfway there in a “rest stop”. The trip takes about 5 hours, and we drive through a flat, semi-desert stretch for more than half the trip. We passed many cows, water buffalo, goats and sheep everywhere, but also passed camels (I saw a small herd at some point!), peacocks, and pigs, both wild and domesticated.

The first quarter or third of the road was really poor, with bumps and rough patches everywhere. It meant slow going for a while! It was a real welcome when the road smoothed out and Raj could make time on the road.

We arrive in Jaisalmer about 2:30 or 3:00, and are met by the TGS rep in Jaisalmer. We confirm the touring plans for the next few days.

Jaisalmer and the sandstone architecture are beautiful, and the look really is very different than we've seen so far.

After settling into the Garh Jaisal hotel, we have masala chai on the roof. The roof itself is very pretty, and the city view is exciting from this vantage point. I know that there is some ongoing controversy over staying in the fort, but we find it a wonderful place to stay. There is a real feeling of a small town here that exists simultaneously with the tourist world.

And then we ventured out, first within the fort, and then outside the walls. The touts and hawkers here are even more aggressive than any place we've been so far, which is hard to fathom! At one point, there must've been 3 or more,trying to hustle me, and I had to tell them to leave me alone, I'm not ready to buy anything.


We walked around the fort and explored the back streets. Along the fort wall, we met an older couple who wanted to have their pictures with us. The woman had said that she became a Christian after being cured of cancer. She was filled with a sense of joy and gave me a small bauble as a gift. Her happiness and enthusiasm was infectious, and we’re both touched by the interaction.

We met a local, who told us that his family had been important in the village in the past, and invited us in to show us the place. He talked a bit about the history, and then showed us an eclectic assortment of things, both antique and new, that he had for sale. It wasn’t an official haveli, although it was clear that he was trying to raise money to maintain his house. I’m sorry that we didn’t buy anything at the time.

While wandering through the fort, I got accosted by a cow! It was butting my butt and I had to jump up on a large stoop to escape it!

Dinner was next door at the Surya guesthouse, also called the Lakeview restaurant. Excellent meal – another standout! - a vegetarian thali that was really delicious. Inexpensive, too. I think we’ve done well with this particular meal!

After dinner, we returned to the hotel and took it easy. There was a little rain that evening. During the evening there were also wedding celebrations, which included loud drumming and singing below our window. Ear plugs needed!

Garth Jaisalmer is a lovely place, run by several men from Nepal, in a very exotic setting in the fort. The room has is a little window seat that overlooks the city. The room itself was built into the basic structure of the fort. The staff is pleasant and attentive. At first, there seems to be no hot water, but we are told to run 2 buckets of water and it will be hot – and they are right! Other than that, the room has the usual quirks - not enough hooks to hang things on, and no TV!

Monday, Feb 4 - Jaisalmer

After breakfast, our guide joined us, and he began talking about life in the fort. He is a Brahmin and his family goes back many generations here. We walked all around the fort, and he brought us into a few of the Hindu and Jain temples.

The Jain temples were amazing. The Jains were financial advisers to the maharajah. Their temples had been destroyed by the Moghuls so they asked to have a temple inside the fort. The Brahmins objected and a compromise was reached. The temple was to be called a Hindu temple and was adorned with many images of the Hindu gods, but there were also images of the prophets of the Jains, as well as altars to the Jain prophets, and it functioned as a Jain temple. The Jains consider themselves as a sect of Hinduism but the Brahmins, still to this day, do not eat with the Jains.

Our guide shared a lot about his experience growing up in the fort, which made it come to life for us. He invited us into his home and had his wife serve us masala chai. He then took us upstairs to show us the terrace roof views - great views of the top of the temples. We met his family, although it was a bit awkward, as they didn’t seem much interested in us. Overall, though, we found it a very lovely gesture to bring us into his house, and we appreciated the personal interaction.

We walked by the palace although didn't go in; he said it wasn't that unique and we'd seen so many other places by now that were so much more interesting. We both felt that he was both good yet shirked a bit, too-- he really gave us a flavor of life in the fort but didn't spend as much time at the actual sights as we would've expected.

We then left the fort, went to one haveli, and were given a tour/sales pitch by the owner, who is 6th generation in this house and whose forefather 6th generations back was the prime minister of Jaisalmer. Now he sells things to maintain the upkeep. The most interesting thing about the haveli is that 2 architect-brothers designed the haveli, so that while the overall look is symmetric, the design elements do vary from each other.

He later brought us into a lovely textile shop that specialized in patchwork, and I ended up buying something here far bigger than I planned, spending more money than I intended (!). I bargained hard for something I didn’t know I wanted! But I’m now very happy with it and have a beautiful patchwork runner dressing up a large file cabinet.

We also had a samosa and another pastry in the street. That's all we needed today! Not the big lunches we've been having!

At 2:00, we met Raj and drive a short distance to an artificial lake, Gadi Sagar, that was built as a catchment for monsoon rainwater, and was used as a water supply in the past. The most interesting thing there was the gate, built by a courtesan, who built a temple on top to prevent the king from destroying the gate.

Back to town and to the hotel. The sun is shining brightly on the golden sandstone, and we sit on the hotel roof, enjoying the warmth of the day and the beauty of the view. The boys from Nepal welcomed us warmly and gave us a masala chai!

We had dinner at Trio, a restaurant near the city walls. It was a good restaurant, although food seemed very mildly spiced and geared to a tourist palate. After that we walked back to the hotel, where we chatted with several of the vendors in the fort before heading in for the night.

Tues Feb 5/Jaisalmer & the Sam Sand Dunes

Today we are on our own until we get picked up by Raj at 3:00 pm to go out to the Sam Sand Dunes.

Breakfast at the hotel, upstairs but under the awning as it rained the night before. My mission was to go shopping and find some nice things for myself and for gifts.

First we went to the Jaisalmer Maharajah palace -- a small palace, but pleasant to do. We did the audio guide and that was well done-- the most interesting thing we learned was that there is a close connection between Nepal and Jaisalmer, as the Maharani is Nepalese. There is still a maharajah and maharani, who stay in a palace.

A little more shopping, buying some scarves and purses for nieces and grandkids. I've gone on a scarf binge this trip!

We also went to a small museum called the Desert Cultural center, run by a man named Lakshmi, who created it as an act of love. He had an extensive collection of things related to Jaisalmer's history.

We met Raj at 3:00 pm and made several stops on the way to the Sam Sand dune. First, we stopped at the cenotaph of the Jaisalmer royals, a crumbling mess, fascinating and beautiful, although not in particularly good condition or well-sited. I think we're also getting tired don't have it in us to absorb it all.

We then stopped at Khuldara, an abandoned village. The story goes that the maharajah wanted one of the village's women for himself. Then he decided he wanted another one, and the villagers abandoned their town rather than letting another woman be taken.

We were there for a short while. I noticed several women working at the site, carrying rocks from one side of one of the buildings a short distance away. I find the use of women's labor often mind boggling.

An aside: it’s not just that you see women carrying water jugs and piles of wood for long stretches on the road in rural places. Women are also working alongside men on construction sites, often carrying materials on their head. They’re not only doing traditional “women’s work”, but are working alongside men, carrying construction material, too.

Finally, we are off to the Sam Sand dune. Raj warned us of the commercialism, and he wasn't kidding! When we arrived after a long drive, we were really struck by the carnival atmosphere. There were people hawking camel rides, camel-cart rides, drinks, and the usual collection of kids, hustling any way they can. Two young women pose with me and we give them Rs10, and they ask for 10 each. We say no. I can’t believe we’re getting tight about Rs10, but the hustle is so constant that it’s just part of the game.

There are so many tourists here that it’s hardly an intimate and peaceful experience in the desert. I knew this but am really amused by it while also finding it somewhat unpleasant.

We decide not to ride the camel here as we will be doing a guided tour tomorrow. We walk through the dunes a bit, but get tired of wandering around, and go back to the car, where Raj drives us to an open air building set up for a music & dance performance, and a buffet dinner. This wasn’t quite what we expected (we were expecting a barbecue and a performance by Manganiyars, traditional Rajasthani musicians. This was a performance that was similar to the one we saw in Udaipur, but with a much heavier touristic flavor. But we are here and make the best of it, and we did enjoy ourselves by not taking it too seriously.

We arrive shortly before a large German tour group, who were getting better service while we were getting ignored. Finally, they left before the dinner so it got a bit more pleasant. We also chatted with an Indian couple who live in Long Island, NY

Got back to the hotel and packed, as we need to get up early the next day. Tomorrow, we are scheduled to go to Hacra, where we will take a camel ride through the desert near Osian.

Hey Progol, AWESOME report!
Thanks for answering about accommodatins, and the warning of the other open shower. Maybe we should all start a list! (-: I know i'm not the only person who prefers a shower that at least has a little divide area, even if it is just a step, and a shower curtain. ( Africa too has the "open showers " in some places.)
A friend from India told me she prefers not being enclosed while showering (no curtain or sliding partition! Guess it depends what you are used to.
i'm like you--i mostly prefer the accommodations at$100/night--for budgetary as well as atmosphere reasons.I'm always surprised when someone wants to "experience the real India" but does it from $300/night accommodations or exclusively Taj or Oberoi hotels
The choices i was surprised by were the ones in Jaipur and Agra., esp'lly the latter. I recall it getting some pretty mixed reviews somewhere--maybe on TA?

Thanks again for a fantastic report!!!!!

Wed Feb 6- Back to Jodhpur by way of Hacra

Up early to go to Jodhpur with several stops in between. After driving for a while, Raj takes us to a town, with a small lake in what seems the middle of nowhere. He tells us that some Siberian bird comes by here every year to this town, but at first, all we find is a small lake with some pigeons. Then he takes us around the town and we finally see them in a small yard. We are directed to go on the roof of the small building beside the yard, and then we see them, hundreds of the Siberian cranes, and I remember reading about them! It's sorta cool especially when they start to fly off.

Michael sleeps for a while, and I enjoy watching the wildlife in the fields as we drive by. The most interesting creature was the tiny deer with the long horns, but I see peacocks, and a wart hog, and an amazing-looking antelope. Very lulling and otherworldly.

We arrive at Hacra, in the Thar desert, and meet Gemar Singh. He and his organization, Hacra.org, are impressive. He is a local desert guide, and describes his approach as ecotourism. He offers private tours of local villages, the desert, rural homestays, and has built a few huts at his home compound where tourists can stay. This is home to Gemar, his wife and son. There is no electricity, save for a solar panel, which charges his battery for his cell phone and his computer. But that’s it.

We arrive around 11:30 and are early for lunch, so we sit and relax.. A few goats are about. While we’re waiting, 2 young Australian women return, by camel, from an overnight in the desert. Now that is impressive!

Soon, we will be going for a shorter tour in the desert on these camels, but first, they are groomed and fed, and allowed to relax for a little while. They are also a riot to watch, especially when the goats try to grab their hay! Hey! No way!

Then, we have a simple, home-cooked meal together, prepared by Germar’s wife. The food is satisfying, and the young women are pleasant company. Then we get ready for our tour through the desert.

The guide leads us through the Thar desert, passing many small villages. Several groups of kids came running out, some shouting thank you, over and over, and the next group yelling tata! We pass a shepherd and his goat herd, too. We see many small deer running by. The desert is like the southwest – dry scrub. It’s a 2-hour walk, and it’s very peaceful, although sitting for 2 hours on a camel is also like sitting on a bumpy rollercoaster!

I sit on the camel behind the guide and my husband. I laugh when I see the guide talking on the cell phone, and tell him that this is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone on a cell phone while riding a camel!

Two hours later, we arrive at the designated spot, and Raj and Gemara are there, as well as a group of men, boys, and young men lined up staring at us. We are the objects of interest!

We have another 1 1/2 hours to get to Jodhpur, and we finally arrive. We are welcomed back as if we are old friends, and it was the one place I made a mistake about the date. Yet they were wonderfully accommodating and found us another room. They had been trying to hold the same room for us, and were apologetic that they couldn't save it for us! They were wonderful, so solicitous.

We had a snack there and later a small dinner. A good place to relax for our last night in Rajasthan.

Thanks, CaliNurse! Much appreciate your comments! I'm on the homestretch now, and hope to finish this shortly!

I'll respond to your recent post in a little a little later, when I can think again!

I'm still struggling with a nasty case of jet lag, and am finding it difficult to sleep past 4am, which makes me very tired by the afternoon!

Thurs Feb 7 – Back to Delhi

Up early, although we are in no rush, as Raj won't be picking us up until 10:45. We have breakfast, pack, and wait. At 10:30,Raj is there so we take off. I'm really sad-- saying goodbye to Raj was hard for me. We really grew fond of him.

The Jodhpur airport is tiny, the flight is on time, and we arrive in Delhi on schedule. By the time we get back to the Colonels Retreat, we are both fairly worn out, though, and my plan for a last dinner at Indian Accent falls by the wayside. We have dinner at the guesthouse, and find it quite good.

This is supposed to be our last night, and I've arranged with Nikhil for a driver for the day. I’ve been keeping an eye out on the weather, though, as I see that a major snowstorm is predicted for the Northeast just as we return.

Friday feb 8th – The departure that didn’t happen

Woke up to the news that our flight was cancelled, so much of the morning was spent trying to sort out what our options were. A friend of the owner, Meera, is managing the guest house while he is away, and she offers her house as an option, as the Colonels Retreat is booked. Later there is a cancellation and we were able to stay.

As for the business of trying to reach United… I tried to rebook on the computer, but that didn't work. I speak to Nikhil, who suggests that we see if there is an office in Delhi. Getting through on the phones is difficult. We had the driver scheduled, so we figured we would try getting to the united airlines office in Delhi.

So with the driver, we drove to Delhi, only to find out that the office had moved to Gurgaon. We then decided to try the airport, only to find out that 1) we couldn't enter the terminal until 5 hours prior to our flight's departure, and 2) United personnel aren't there until the evening. Our driver spoke with Nikhil and said that of course we need to go to Gurgaon, going to the airport is only for departing passengers. So our driver got the address and we drive to Gurgaon, a half built, under construction, industrial city that was as confusing as it gets. We kept going down one road and another till we finally got to the right one. Even going into the building was frustrating, as the elevator didn't stop on our floor. Once there, though, the woman who helped us was terrific, and got us on a Monday night flight. She gave us her number to call the next morning to see if there is any availability sooner.

After taking care of business, we went off to the Khan market. We had wonderful kebabs at khan chacha, which was a great little fast food place, although it wasn’t so fast. I then walked into a small crafts shop on the second floor of one of the building and bought a few more gift items.

After that, we went back to the hotel. We decided not to take a driver the next day, since we expected to be here for a few days, and wanted to explore a little on our own.

We rested for quite a while at the guest house, then went to the market at the Defence colony and had dinner at Swagarth. It was different than any of the other restaurants - very hot food – and very tasty, one of the better restaurants. We had a prawn dish in a coconut sauce and hot garlic noodles - yum! We walked a bit through the market and then back to the hotel.

Saturday, Feb 9 - A day in Delhi and farewell

After breakfast, Michael contacted the airline, and amazingly, we got booked on the flight later today. Now we wanted a car, and, after some confusion, we end up arranging a car through Colonels Retreat. The driver was pleasant, although his English was not as good as the drivers we had with TGS, but he was responsible and did what we asked him to do. He drove us around during the day, dropping us off at the airport in the early evening.

We went to the Gandhi museum, which we really enjoyed. After that, we saw New Delhi, going first to the India Gate, which was delightful with its carnival atmosphere. It was a gorgeous day, around 70 degrees, and many Indian families were there as well as tourists. We then drove the Rajpath to see the President’s house and the gov’t buildings. Very interesting! This really gave us a better understanding of Delhi. It's still a bit confusing, but at least some of the pieces are coming together.

We also went to the National Museum, which we had mixed feelings about. There are some beautiful displays, particularly the collection of paintings, but the audio guide is limited and the labels next to the displays really don’t say very much. It’s unfortunate, because there is a lot there, but it could be presented a lot better than it is.

And then we went to Connaught place, the commercial center. We got stuck in ungodly traffic, and after driving around forever without having any luck with parking, we took off to Khan Market, where we ate again in Khan Chacha. And then I finished my day in Fabindia, which really was fabulous! I only wish I found this store earlier in the trip! My most favorite clothing shop! Nicely styled clothing, good quality, reasonable prices. I could’ve spent a lot more time here, but my husband does not have the shopping gene, and it’s getting time to go.

Off to the airport, got there a little early but were able to go in. I resolve my shopping obsession in the duty free shop and, after several hours, it’s finally time to board. Sad to leave but ready to go home, this was our Most Amazing Trip ever!

CaliNurse,
That's very funny about your friend not liking enclosed showers! I'm not crazy over them, but I learned to tolerate them, as I was otherwise very happy with the hotels.

As far as my choices of hotels, well, most came from here or TripAdvisor. I liked the idea of a homestay in Agra, and truthfully, Garden Villa had been suggested to me, and the reviews on TA looked pretty reasonable. I had very positive exchanges with the owner, but was disappointed with our experience. To be fair, however, it was everything he said -- and the price was Rs 1900 (plus dinner), which is $35. I really expected a warm welcome from a homestay, so the more businesslike demeanor was part of the surprise.

The search for a hotel in Jaipur was different. I put together a list of hotels, and the reviews on TA were excellent. Pearl Palace Heritage sounded fun with its "updated" Heritage style, and, at Rs 2000, was not a bank-breaker, either. It appears, though, that I was there during a period of transition & construction, and the staff were backup, not the regular staff. I wouldn't stay there again, though, because I like having access to the restaurant where I'm staying. I did like the original and more modest Pearl Palace, however, and felt that would be a good place to stay (although I didn't see the rooms). Our room was huge, and really could be comfortable when completed. The decor of that particular room did not appeal (so garish!), but photos I've seen of the other rooms look a little less over-the-top!

By the way, our hotels ranged in price from the $35 for the homestay, to less than $100 for several places, with most in the middle.

My husband just told me that we did meet one of the owners of the Colonels Retreat! We met Meena, the Colonel's wife, during our second stay at the guest house. She was lovely and gracious and as helpful as could be.

I don't know how I misunderstood the relationship, but I did want to pass on this information. I believe it's her son who normally runs the guest house, but he was out of town at the time. Sorry if I passed on misinformation!

Hope you are enjoying the trip report!

Loving this. Your husband sounds similar to Mr. Crosscheck, who meticulously fact checks my trip reports and insists that I publish corrections and retractions.

Thanks, Crosscheck. Glad you're enjoying this. My husband often gets the details better, so I should have him proof my next TR. But I take full responsibility for wanting to correct my mistakes, especially if it conveys a better impression of somewhere we visited or stayed!

Hey Progol--Carry on. Love ALL of this report. Can't wait to use it as a reference when i return to India and see the many places I've missed.

My friend LIKES the un-enclosed showers (easy to miss the word "not" on first reading) because that is what she grew up with, I dont like them. Something about watching that water run around the toilet commode.( IMHO--eww!) And in one place which had one, the floor was linoleum. Very slippery, even with a towel on the floor

Photos are slowly being uploaded; here is a link to the Varanasi photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/paulesu...eat=directlink

Let me know if this works!

Paule

Thanks for your excellently detailed report. I enjoyed reading it.

great pics..

i love the fog ones--you don't see the garbage, etc..

Great report Progol. You had a fantastic trip!

(I like the open showers, mainly because they seem cleaner that the separate shower that is often shoe-horned into a small bathroom.)

Many thanks, dgunbug, bob, lcuy-- your trip reports and advice were very helpful in figuring out my own trip. CaliNurse -- I'm glad that you'll want to use my report as a reference! Call it the "open bathroom" report!,

Bob--- hiding the garbage in Varanasi is quite the challenge! I do love the fog shots as well.

Link to the Aarti ceremony at Varanasi:

https://picasaweb.google.com/paulesu...eat=directlink

i hated that ceremony...

Bob--why (re Aarti ceremony)? Was last in Varanasi 40 plus yrs ago, and it sure sounds different now. Trying to decide if worth a revisit and if so, for how long. Thanks (or just refer me to a TR)

Hi, CaliNurse,
We loved the Aarti ceremony. It's theatrical and flamboyant, but it's also a real ceremony that (as you see) pilgrims to Varanasi as well as tourists attend. For us, it was a great experience to be there. Even though it's a spectacle, it's also a genuine ceremony that has meaning.

Bob, why did you hate it so much?

Paule