Jaisalmer - the city in the sand

It was an early morning start to catch the 06:00 train to Jaisalmer, which was surprisingly on time. We boarded our 3-tier carriage and found our seats and waited with anticipation for departure.  We soon realized that nothing can actually run on schedule for long and we waited as the train sat on the tracks.  Eventually we take off on our journey, only 30 minutes behind schedule, and kick back for the ride.

Not to be bored on the journey, Andrew took to spotting and then attempting to kill the cockroaches that roamed the walls, seats, and floors of our
carriage.  Add to that the other joys of riding on the last leg of the Delhi-Jaisalmer Express in a 3-tier carriage…people all around, the questionable
stains on the seats and floors, plus the array of characters and it made for an interesting trip.  How I miss the trains in the EU…

We arrive in Jaisalmer and quickly make our way through the touts to the young man holding up the Shahi Palace Hotel sign.  We climb into the car with the other Western tourist who are LP guide or trip-advisory fans and off we go to the hotel.  I have to admit the Shahi Palace is one of my favorites so far. It has nice rooms, it is clean, the staff is helpful, it has a great little rooftop restaurant with a great view of the fort, and it is very reasonably priced.

On the train ride Andrew had been questioning the idea of a camel safari, but I talk him into it and we decide to go ahead and take it in that afternoon, just in case there is recovery required.

On this particular sunset safari it is just us and another couple. We are driven out to a desert village, only about 50 km from Pakistan, and meet our camel wallahs.  We take a quick tour of the village and the Aussie lady with us comments on the fact it looks staged for the tourist. I have to agree, though I’m thinking with only the camel wallahs, the one lady we meet, and the crowds of small children the town also might serve as a day care for those in the area to drop of their kids.

Anyway, we mount our trusty steeds and begin our “safari”. I have to admit it was kinda like a horse trail ride on a horse that has been on the same trip a thousand times.  The saddles were reasonably comfortable and the camels loped along in a line slowly following a path. It was relaxing and enjoyable…I was even able to take photos while riding.

We stopped at the sand dunes and surprisingly we really were the only tourist there.  We were able to walk around a bit and then we enjoyed the sunset in Thar Desert. After the sunset it was a short jaunt back on the camels to our jeep and then back to the hotel.  We had an interesting conversation with the other couple on the ride back, it turns out the lady though we looked alike and asked if we were siblings…you should read Andrew’s comments on this…

Yesterday, we took in the Jaisalmer Fort…the living sand castle. Unlike all the other forts we visited this one is still in use.  It has restaurants, shops, homes,
hotels, and as a result all the problems that come with living in a fort.  Sadly, it is deteriorating and the wear on the fort and the buildings is easy to see…to bad
many of the people that live there do not seem to see how their daily lives are in essence destroying their home and what draws people to the city.

Yet, I must admit I did enjoy the experience and loved seeing a fort that is more than a museum. The Jain temples in the fort were pretty amazing inside with their intricate carvings and interesting sculptures. Perhaps the most entertaining of the day were the shopkeepers in the fort. You can tell they deal with tourists day in and day out, so many instead of just asking you in the shop have some good lines…my favorite was the young guy who laughingly said…“come visit my shop, I promise to only rip you off once.” At least he was honest.

The afternoon and evening was pretty lazy as we just sat at the rooftop restaurant enjoying the changing light on the fort wall and the delicious food.

We took a early morning walk in town today and got to see the big wholesale fruit and veggie market in action.  Trucks were lined up filled with fresh
potatoes, onions, garlic, and countless other fruits and veggies…while local vendors filled their carts.  Of course, the dogs and cows were milling around ready
to gobble up anything that landed on the ground, one cow got a little bold and began eating off a vendors cart which didn’t make the vendor very happy. Evidently it is OK to hit a cow if it steals from you.

Returning to the hotel we checked out and have spent the past few hours just enjoying a lovely day at the rooftop restaurant, catching up on emails and filling
our bellies before we catch our train to Delhi.  This will be the beginning of our journey towards home, which includes time in Delhi and London.

More to come in, Reflections on India…

Posted on February 05, 2009 at 1:43 AM

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Although I have not been to Jaisalmer,I can imagine how peaceful and charming sunset safari.

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I have been there once.The journey was amazing.I had a good time with my friends there.It is worth sharing here.

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It seems that you had a pleasant journey there.Last time I was not so lucky as you.I felt so depressed.

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We take a quick tour of the village and the Aussie lady with us comments on the fact it looks staged for the tourist.

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Hi,
Jaisalmer tours with Rajasthan Holiday reveals an imperial land that flourished in a waterless desert. Tours to Sam sand dunes inspire in you a feeling that worships all that is great, conquerable, magnificent and exalted.

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