Well I can honestly tell you that the state of Rajasthan is amazing for beautiful cities and colourful albeit hassely folk. The weather is gorgeous (blue skies, hot, but comfortable, though chilly at night). However, my teachings from my meditation retreat on attachment have been tested. Upon leaving Jodhpur, I realised that my lovely beautiful camera had gone (sob). It was lovely. It took nice pictures. It helped me update you guys. Oh yeah, and just in case I am not being clear here, I loved my camera.
Anyway, Buddha taught, nothing is permanent. Attach to nothing, and then suffering will not occur. On a positive note, I had (hours before it had gone) luckily saved all my pics from the memory cards (incidently in the camera case with camera), onto CDs, so all pics to date, I have. Also on another positive note, the nice fellow travellers I am with on this leg of my journey will let me download pics they have taken, which I will try to share on blog soon...
Getting back to my trip, the train to Jaiselmir from Jodhpur, we met with Kaya, a lovely independent minded (of superior race) Polish girl, which made up for the American company that we had to put up with (just kidding Edwin-not hahah). The three of us were touted on the train and giving the tout the benefit of the doubt after telling us he wouldn't push us into any camel trek deals (which everyone advises against). We took up his cheap offer of a room for all three of us at a hundred rupees. The room was fine but we paid the difference in our test of patience at having to put up with (every time on way out of hotel) "we do best cheap trek, we have nice camel trek"
"Okay, thanks, for telling us, we will think about it"
"Really, we do good trek and provide mineral water"
"Okay, we heard the first time, thanks"
AND SO ON.
Patience is a virtue.
Anyway we ended up booking with a recommended guide from the book, a bit more expensive, but the selling point was, earlier start than the others, lux desert beds, our own camel (to ride independently) so we get to learn how to ride a camel for real, and driving 60km away from the city before we even get on the camels to go see the Dunes.
So! We were picked up at 6am the next morning, and on the ride out in the jeep I suddenly wished I hadn't sent all my warm things home. It was FRRRREEEEEEEEEEZING. We were now 1 English/French (me), 1 French, 1 Polish, ! 2 Americans and 1 Australian. (I love the way you met the whole world in India).
Finally we got there, and sat by a nice warm fire and were given toast, jam and Chai (Indian tea which you get everywhere and is always really sweet so be prepared to lose your teeth if you ever come to India and can't give up tea). Our Camels were slowly arriving around us and it suddenly felt very real. I was going to ride a camel across the desert!!
I was then introduced to my Camel, Tony. He was so handsome!!! It was love at first sight(until he poooped).
Then we had to climb on the backs of our camels and my memory flicked back to my last Camel experience a long long time ago in Tunisia on a package holiday sitting on a Camel for a photograph. Hmmm, I felt that perhaps this experience may be somewhat more intense. I was not sitting on this one for a photo, but planning on independently riding him for 2 days. I tried to remember the instructions that we read before hand, and hoped it wouldn't be too different to a horse(stop laughing).
Now a camel has extremelly long legs (double a horse). When he sits down he kind of rocks you completely forward then back as he has to actually fold his hind legs to sit down. And obviously the reverse when he stands up. It is absolutely hysterical.
Also when a camel walks, it is a relatively bumpy rocky experience. Somehow (not quite sure how) the camel I had been chosen to sit on was first in line, so I couldn't just be lame and follow, but had to lead. Tony did most of the work though, and had this habit of trying to walk through trees to scratch himself (the flys were annoying him) without regarding the fact that there was a person on his back(how rude). Also we had to gallop a bit to keep up to our schedule (to make your camel go fast you have to make strange clicking noises, and go HAH! HAH! really loud (I copied the guides). I felt like I was an Arabian Nights movie star, but maybe not so slick.
Anyway, we stopped for lunch and thats when I realised my backside was beginning to hurt a little. Bear in mind we had a day and a half more camel riding to go. Lunch and a few hours later we re-board until we reach the dunes which were kind of in the middle. Most of the 'desert' had actually many trees and wasn't all sandy. The Dunes were a bit more Arabian night like though, and this was where we were to set up camp.
A meal, a sunset and campfire new moon resolutions later, we set up our beds (which were actually pretty comfortable clean and warm (def worth the extra rupees I am sure), tucked in to a backdrop sky display of stars. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I could even see the milkyway, and when everyone stopped talking, the silence was absolutely stunning. I was in heaven. Waking up to an orange sunset was pretty amazing too.
A day of camel riding later, I realised I couldn't actually walk anymore and was extremely thankful that we had only booked a 2 day trek.
