Rajasthan last leg of the trip

It has been a long time since my last entry. Having a travel partner makes it more difficult to write. I could lie and say that Jessica sucked out my creative juices like marrow from a stewed goat bone, but the reality is we have been busy. My previous time in India was filled with long bouts of down-time and periods of routine. It is much more conducive to reflection. Since Jess only had 20 days in India I figured traveling and sight-seeing would be a good option. For better or for worse our time has been filled with a lot of busy travel. The trade-off is that we have got to see a lot of awesome sights and extensively explore the largest state in India. Rajasthan, or the 'Land of Kings', is a diverse ancient land filled with majestic forts and picturesque palaces.
After an abysmal few days in Delhi we moved on to Rathambore national park. This despicably touristy location, with bad food and over-priced accommodations, is home to a beautiful national park. Rathambore is popular for giving visitors a very high chance of a tiger sighting. Its 40 feline residents are not in a caged zoo, but truly wild, roaming the 400 square kilometers of protected land. Our early morning jeep safari was at first freezing but in between my hoarse coughs we got up close and personal with a large female tiger. It was truly majestic. We also had a great time feeding wild monkeys, admiring the numerous peacocks, and watching the tigers big-eyed prey. A variety of deer and antelopes dotted the landscape and a plethora of birds and owls sat perched on exotic trees. One particular plant is called the walking tree and has tentacle like roots extending in all directions. Over the trees life-time it is capable of moving the multiple roots in order to better access sunlight or groundwater.
Our next stop was Udaipur and our first glimpse at a real Indian palace. Rajasthan is the land of fairytale India. I expected Aladin and his Genie around every corner. We stayed at a 300 year-old water front Haveli. The large many floored building was home to an old maharaja or perhaps a rich English Ambassador during the Raj. The roof-top restaurant served minauture portions but had a massive view of Udaipurs iconic 'Lake Palace'. The colossal white structure glimmers as it floats in the middle of Lake Pichola. Only accessible by boat, the royal families former summer home, is now one of India's most famous hotels. Boasting 800 dollar a night rooms you are promised the royal treatment, literally. Over the water to the east, lies the main city. A twisitng jumbles of hilly streets weaves around ancient temples and old Havelis. The main attraction is the royal families home, simple deemed 'City Palace'. The present family is the seventy-sixth generation of Mewar rulers and the longest unbroken chain of Royalty in Rajasthan. Part of the palace is now an elaboate museum showcasing Rajasthans royal artifacts and life-style. Of course the sickness from Rathambore progressed to constipation and a flu like lethargy. Thankfully prescription drugs are cheap and don't require a prescription. One and a half days of bed rest set me straight and I was back on the filthy streets of India.
On to the next city.
Jessica has tantrum number 2
O sorry I forgot to mention tantrum number 1.
We where on a short train ride leaving Delhi when the prospect of not sitting next to me, in a horrendously dirty train mind you, moved her to tears. Luckily the other passengers took pity and let us sit together in ridiculously cramped seats.
Number 2 was less tears and more anger. We paid for a late night sleeper train to the desert city of Jaislmer. Promised individual lay-down sleeper seats we where forced to share seats on a overnight train. If this wasn't bad enough the seats where sticky with tobacco juice and we weren't even sitting together. I cowered in fear as Jessica's face reddened and steam escaped her ears. Lucky for everyone the train conductor found a few empty beds and we where able to get a little shut eye before our 5 am arrival. Jess was pissed but who can blame her. She is now adamant "NO MORE TRAINS!"

Jaislmer was probably our best stop. The city is not too small or too big. A awesome crumbling fort juts out of the sand and looks like a giant turreted hill from far away. We where able to relax. It probably helped that Jessica booked a room a the nicest hotel in the city. A 5 star resort called Fort Rajwada. It still only cost 100 dollars a night which was more than worth it after last nights fiasco. We took it easy and leisurely explored the city and the intricately carved Jain temples. We even extended our stay in Jaislmer to go on a Camel Safari.
After a 6:30 am pick-up (we have grown accustomed to early morning and even earlier nights) we where thrust into a beat up jeep and started the 60 km drive straight into the desert. Clutching onto our shawls we watched the sun rise in the distant horizon. It looked like half of a pink/orange neon orb hovering daintily above the ground. A reddish haze hangs in the morning air and reflects off the wispy clouds. The jeep bumps and rocks as it moves from pavement to rolling sand. Deeper and deeper we go until we spot some camels and rugged looking Indians crouching over a smile fire. They make us some chai and introduce us to our camels.
Camels are interesting creatures. They regurgitate and re-chew their food like a cow. They can be stubborn as a mule. Yet you can ride it like a horse. Well sort of. If a horse had a sharp ridge for a back, was twice the size, and lurched forward in awkward bumpy steps, then maybe it would be like a horse. They do have some positives. For one, they remind me of one of my best friends (not a insult), also the hundreds of flies swarming around their head means they are not swarming around my head. I guess the putrefied green mess of regurgitated brambles, which are foaming at the camels mouth, is attractive to flies. Okay, I am overstating how bad the camels where but a little dramatic effect never hurt. When I wasn't concentrating on how bad my ass hurt it was pretty fun roaming around the desert. Long expanses of sand where punctuated by scraggly trees and sharp bramble bushes. The intimate excursion consisted of just Jessica, myself, and the solo camel driver, Kareem. He knows the desert like the back of his hand and guided us through the arid landscape and various desert villages. At each village the children swarmed, hoping for sweets or toys, and clamored for their pictures to be taken. The small multi-roomed huts where made with mud mixed with dung and topped with layered straw. The skin of the desert people where as leathered as the saddles. Years of sun turned their complexions dark and their skin hard. Wrinkles formed early and betrayed their true age.
For lunch and dinner we stopped to set up camp. The camel driver doubled as the cook and made pots of delicious chai as we basked on the rolling sand dunes. While the sun set over the wind-rippled dunes the smell of hot subzi (mixed vegetables) rose from Kareem's make-shift wood fire kitchen. He usually had a little desert boy running around collecting wood and cleaning dishes. He used sand to clean out the dirty dishes, and a tiny remnant of grit was always left over in the food. It didn't bother us much as the desert dry kindling made the food hot and delicious. The deep rusty orange sun was half engulfed in wispy clouds and night fell quickly. Kareem rolled out comfy makeshift mattresses and blankets . We went to sleep around 8 under a sky filled with stars.
We are now in Jaipur and will be moving on to Delhi then home.
I will be back in January. Call me.