October 10, 2009
Pen?
I met this man in the Rajasthan desert near Jasilmar, India. After a short talk he asked me for a pen. I just happened to have one and gave it to him. He replied with a big smile and never asked me for money.
Jasilmar - Camel Safari
October 6, 2009 - The Jodhpur train station can be quite confusing at 5:45 am when the car numbers don’t fall in sequence and you’re not even sure it’s the right train. I ran up and down asking people but was confused by the answers I got. “Yes, this train is going to Jasilmar but not this train”. What the heck does that mean? I was very confused and stopped to ask a Sikh. He seemed to know what was going on but his answer was as confusing as the others. Finally he just pointed and said, “Go that way”. All the way down to the far end I ran thinking the late train would be taking off any minute. I finally located my correct car but couldn’t figure out why it was on the wrong end? I got on and sat for awhile before we started moving. It was then that I realized the train was being split in two. The same train number was going to two different places in two separate directions. Of course! That makes perfect sense. Luckily I was on the right line.
I arrived in Jasilmar around noon. I was approached by a man on the train who said he had a nice new nice guest house in the city. He handed me a very smart looking brochure and walked off. After I had time to view it I asked him a few questions and agreed to check it out with no obligation. If nothing else it was a free ride into town. He hooked four of us. When we stepped out of the station I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a crowd of guest house and hotel owners with big signs advertising accommodations with desert tours etc. All yelling like a riotous pack of wolves trying to get anyone’s attention. They were all held back by a police line to keep things under control. I wanted to take a picture of the mayhem but the guy who hooked us rushed us past the crowd and to a vehicle like rock stars after a concert. It was me, a Canadian, and two Brits. We were all thinking the same in that we would check out the accommodation and if nothing else take advantage of a free ride. You never know what you’re really getting into in these kind of deals but the place he took us to just happens to be great. It’s a nice old building that’s recently been converted into a guest house and just opened 2 ½ months ago. It’s owned by an Indian/Australian couple. It has everything you need with an awesome rooftop restaurant that offers a fantastic view of Jasilmar Fort. I inquired about doing an overnight camel safari. No problem. They already had a group of 4 leaving tomorrow and I was welcome to join them. I would be provided transportation, camel, food, and guides along with basically everything I need for the two day excursion. I went ahead and booked the trip and paid in advance, as required.
Jasilmar is awesome. I really dig this place. It’s right on the fringe of the Middle East and has a much different feel from the rest of India. The old city is an ancient fortress built upon a hill and people still reside there. Situated in the middle of the desert it's dirty, dusty, and all of the buildings are sand colored. Camels pull large tin containers of water, filled at a designated wells, along the main road in and out of town. It’s a very poor city with tourism a prime source of income. Not seeing many tourists I can understand why the train station was so busy.
Jasilmar and parts of Rajasthan give a traveler a taste of what Middle Eastern culture is like without the dangers of traveling in the Middle East. A lot of the culture is tribal village oriented and many of the people look and dress very similar to the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The nice thing about Muslims in India is that they could care less if you’re an infidel or whatever and don’t walk around with AK47’s. You can hear prays shouted over a city and see men dressed in traditional attire. Muslim culture is very prominently seen in the architecture of many buildings.
I spent my first evening in Jasilmar at the hotel rooftop restaurant with other travelers. At one point a local showed up and entertained us with Bollywood dance demonstrations. Tomorrow I’ll be riding a camel in the Desert.
October 7, 2009 – I began to second guess my choice of camel trip when I thought about the extra 500 rupee’s I was charged for a so called permit. When I rolled into Jasilmar I was tired and relaxed. I had let my guard down and the guy who was selling me the trip was telling me everything I wanted to hear. Needless to say he was doing a good job of it and logistically it was the perfect choice. I still couldn't be totally sure as to what I was getting and afterwords was pretty sure I'd been conned out of 500 rupees for a permit.
Fortunately a trip was arranged and I was joined by 2 the two Brits. The other group of 4 that I was told I’d be joining never materialized. The Brits were a couple of older guys with one of them particularly skeptical about what we were getting. I just figured I’d go with it and sort out any bogus permit charge afterwords.
THE VILLAGE
As promised we would stop a village and a couple of Jain Temples on our way into the desert. Upon arrival at the village it looked quite decrepit with not much to it. One of the Brits was totally unimpressed and didn't even bother to leave the jeep while the other was at least going to walk around a bit. I definitely wanted to check it out and decided to say hi to some of the local people. This was not a guided affair. It was just a village and we were on our own.
I couldn’t tell you their names but the people of the village were super nice and wanted to show me around. No one spoke much English but we were able to communicate enough to interact reasonably well. Two of the men wanted to play me a song and invited me into their home. The home was made of mud and dirt similar to adobe. The entrance way led into a court yard. The open courtyard was surrounded by the rest of the structure which was made up of 3 or 4 rooms. Although everything was built with dirt, mud, and a little wood framing, things were really neat, clean, and orderly. I was taken into a small room and a man brought out a tabala (Indian drum) while the other brought out an ancient harmonium (small hand pumped piano). The keys were broken and chipped with finger formed grooves deeply worn into the wood. Surprisingly it was in reasonably good tune. A thin hand woven traditional carpet was laid upon the dirt floor and I took a seat. Other family members sat as the man at the Harmonium sang, with a big bold voice, a song combining my name and country with the words. Since it was all in Hindi I have no idea what he was singing about but I thought it was pretty cool as the other man played a rhythmic tabala. A younger boy sat next to me and seemed particularly curios and acted as a host. They played one song then another. After a couple of songs I gave the Harmonium player 20 rupees (40 cents) and the tabala player 10 rupees. They accepted it as a gift and were very appreciative. The young curios boy wanted to show me another home.
The home that the boy took me too was similar to the one I had just visited but a little more decorated. One wall was covered with trinkets, art, and shelving for pots and pans. He really wanted to introduce me to what I assume were his siblings and insisted I take photos. I took a number of photos but I had a hard time getting them to smile for the pictures. I was taken into one room and he pointed to what appeared to be a neatly stacked small pile of colorful cloth. He then reached down and with two hands slowly peeled back a thin blanket to reveal a tiny one month old baby neatly wrapped in traditional cloth. I was not expecting to see what I saw and was very surprised to say the least! The baby was so tiny because Indians tend to be small people but the baby looked healthy. It was really an amazing experience.
I could have spent a lot more time in the village but had to get back to the two other guys who were waiting on me. After all, this was just a brief stop on our way to ride camels in the desert. I explained to the young boy that I needed to leave and gave him some rupees. He seemed much more interested in spending time with me than the rupees. Unfortunately I had to go. One of the many pitfalls of an organized tour. Limited flexibility. After the village we visited two Jain temples then drove further into the desert to meet our camel driver.
CAMEL SAFARI
I was told that we would be joining another group of 4 people but that never happened. It was me and the two older Brits. They were nice enough and we got along ok but one proved to be quite the penny pincher and a skeptic about what we were sold and what we were getting. This attitude unfortunately proved to put a damper on the whole affair. What we got was actually pretty good.
The jeep driver dropped us in the middle of the desert. Baba, a 50 year old Rajpu Camel driver and his two young teenage helpers, Allahdin and Saddam, were just arriving with the camels as we drove up. Babu greeted me with a friendly pat on the shoulder and introduced us to the camels as he packed food and supplies. You could tell right off that these guys know the desert and their camels. It wasn't long before we were riding. About 5 minutes into it I was glad I signed up for the overnight trip and not a 3 or 4 day trip. Riding a camel is not particularly comfortable. I think it takes some getting use to but the view while riding is very nice. I was originally told that we would ride for 1 ½ hours then take a lunch break and ride another 1 ½ hours to camp at some sand dunes for the night. After just 10 minutes we took a break so the camels could drink at a well pond. Babu said we should take a walk to the adjoining village. It was there that I met a colorful turban clad individual who asked me for a pen and we talked for awhile. I just happened to have a pen on me so I gave it to him. He was very happy and never asked me for money. Anyway, with the Camels watered we rode on for another 20 minutes and stopped for lunch. The skeptical Brit had me and the other guy wondering just what kind of Camel trip we were getting.
We parked ourselves under a big shady tree for lunch and Baba and the boys quickly got a fire going and made everything from scratch. Curry vegetables and chapatti were prepared with relative ease and quickness. The food, although quite simple, was good and filling. Afterwards the boys washed the dishes with sand and proceeded to take a quick nap. I noticed the camels had wandered off and were nowhere to be seen. Ok, now I was really skeptical.
After a short nap it took Baba and the boys awhile to find the camels but they did. Once they were brought back to the lunch tree they saddled and packed them really quickly and we were on our way once again. This time for real. As promised we rode for quite awhile. I actually got off the camel to walk and give my rear a break. As we rode along I got to know the boys and Baba a bit more and figured we were in good hands. They are all Rajasthan natives that from the very desert were in. We chatted back and forth. Allahdin spoke very good English and said he learned it mainly from people he had met on the tours. I’m not sure if he had ever attended school or not but he's a sharp kid. Saddam was quiet and spoke mostly Hindi with a crackling boy’s voice on the verge of turning into a man’s voice. Baba spoke decent English with a thick heavy accent. The kind of accent that adds to the ambiance of whole experience.
We rode into the afternoon and sure enough we arrived at some sand dunes with a very nice campsite. When we arrived there was a man sitting there with a used burlap bag lined with a plastic type of used rice bag. He said, “I have cold drinks. Coke, orange, beer”. I asked him where he came from. He replied that he walked in from a village 6 km away. I then asked if he really had cold beer and sure enough he produced one from his pack. I was happy to pay him 130 rupees (less than $3 USD) for the large sized bottle of Kingfisher. Packing in cold drinks is how he makes money. The dunes are relatively popular for camel safaris during the cooler seasons so he seemed to have a good little business going.
Baba and the boys fixed up another good meal from scratch and we made up our beds on cots under the stars for the night. As soon as the sun went down everyone pretty much went to sleep but I hiked up the dunes to sit and watch the moon rise.
By early morning the desert had turned cold with a light ground fog but this quickly changed as the sun rose. I got up early a took a hike amidst the dunes and returned in time for a breakfast of chai and toast. I had spotted two other camps and the Brits were interested in visiting them. The penny pinching Brit was curios what the others paid for a similar tour. We had all paid 2,000 rupees ($40 USD) for the whole deal which in my opinion, considering all we were getting, is extremely reasonable. We walked over and talked to a group of Koreans at another camp. They were getting the same kind of tour for 700 rupees, $14 USD! How does anyone make money? Answer, they don’t. The people of the Rajasthan desert are very, very, poor. I came to find out that Baba makes approx. $40 USD a month and his boys make $20 USD a month. I’m talking about good hard working people. Anyway, the penny pinching Brit felt like we were being ripped off and got me and the other guy feeling bad about paying too much. I suggested we needed to be thinking in pounds and dollars and what we were getting was far less expensive than what we would get in other countries. The only thing that really bothered me was the 500 rupees I was charged for a permit that doesn’t exist. That bothered me.
Anyway, we set off for another day of riding which was different from what I was told but really quite nice. I was originally told that we would be visiting bigger and better dunes the second day but we didn't. However, the desert landscape was very interesting and a large part of it seemed to be covered with a volcanic type of gravelly rock. I also got to talk and joke around with Baba and the boys. I really liked them and felt being in their company added value to the trip. When we visited the other two camps in the morning the other camel drivers seemed a little shady and the camps were not as nice. The desert around Jasilmar along with the local culture is a bit like the wild west so I think being in the right company is a good thing. Baba, Allahdin and Saddam are the right kind of company.
We rode camels all morning and stopped for lunch near a remote road. A jeep was scheduled to pick us up at 1pm but before that Baba fixed lunch of curried vegetables and chapatti from scratch. I gave Baba a nice sweater I had bought earlier for the trip to the Himalaya. I also explained to the Brits that we needed to tip Baba and the boys. We came up with a figure and all pitched in. Baba was happy with the tip but he seemed to be happiest with the sweater I gave him. It would have been nice to spend another night in the desert with Baba but my rear was happy to be off the camel. We parted with big hugs and smiles.
Now, what about the bogus 500 rupee permit I paid for? I was ok with paying a relatively higher price for the camel tour (higher by local standards that is) but being outright lied to and ripped off is another story. The Brits were all worked up about paying 2,000 rupees when they could have gotten a tour for 700 rupees but they really should have shopped around before making a decision and didn’t. We returned to the guest house where we booked the trip and immediately found the couple that owned the hotel. They did not set up the tour. One of their employees did. I nicely told the owners right away that I wanted 500 rupees back and explained what happened. He said he would look into it. The penny pinching Brits handled things a little differently and got into a big argument about how they were over charged. I removed myself from the situation. It was getting ugly. The owners had offered me free use of a room and shower before catching a train in the evening so I retreated to the room. I could hear the owners and Brits shouting at each other at this point.
By time I washed up the Brits were gone and I made my way up to the rooftop restaurant because I still had a couple of hours before catching my train. The owners were on the roof and I sat down with them. They had already given me back my 500 rupees and sincerely apologized for what had happened. They were also very appreciative that I had told them about it. Their guest house is only 2 ½ months old and they know better than to get a bad reputation amidst travelers. The owners are both 30 something’s. Ashraf was born and raised in Jasilmar and Penny is an Aussie who has spent many years in London. The name of their guest house is Apollo guest house. The rooms are very nice, clean, and inexpensive. The food is very good and the kitchen very clean. Penny makes sure of it. As far as Camel tours go, you can definitely find less expensive, but I’d say be careful who you choose to venture into the desert with and be perfectly clear about what you’re getting. Anyway, I had a nice visit with the owners, who I feel are sincere and genuine, before catching an overnight train to Jaipur and a flight to Kochi in the southern state of Kerala….. Time to move from the Desert to the Tropics…
I arrived in Jasilmar around noon. I was approached by a man on the train who said he had a nice new nice guest house in the city. He handed me a very smart looking brochure and walked off. After I had time to view it I asked him a few questions and agreed to check it out with no obligation. If nothing else it was a free ride into town. He hooked four of us. When we stepped out of the station I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a crowd of guest house and hotel owners with big signs advertising accommodations with desert tours etc. All yelling like a riotous pack of wolves trying to get anyone’s attention. They were all held back by a police line to keep things under control. I wanted to take a picture of the mayhem but the guy who hooked us rushed us past the crowd and to a vehicle like rock stars after a concert. It was me, a Canadian, and two Brits. We were all thinking the same in that we would check out the accommodation and if nothing else take advantage of a free ride. You never know what you’re really getting into in these kind of deals but the place he took us to just happens to be great. It’s a nice old building that’s recently been converted into a guest house and just opened 2 ½ months ago. It’s owned by an Indian/Australian couple. It has everything you need with an awesome rooftop restaurant that offers a fantastic view of Jasilmar Fort. I inquired about doing an overnight camel safari. No problem. They already had a group of 4 leaving tomorrow and I was welcome to join them. I would be provided transportation, camel, food, and guides along with basically everything I need for the two day excursion. I went ahead and booked the trip and paid in advance, as required.
Jasilmar is awesome. I really dig this place. It’s right on the fringe of the Middle East and has a much different feel from the rest of India. The old city is an ancient fortress built upon a hill and people still reside there. Situated in the middle of the desert it's dirty, dusty, and all of the buildings are sand colored. Camels pull large tin containers of water, filled at a designated wells, along the main road in and out of town. It’s a very poor city with tourism a prime source of income. Not seeing many tourists I can understand why the train station was so busy.
Jasilmar and parts of Rajasthan give a traveler a taste of what Middle Eastern culture is like without the dangers of traveling in the Middle East. A lot of the culture is tribal village oriented and many of the people look and dress very similar to the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The nice thing about Muslims in India is that they could care less if you’re an infidel or whatever and don’t walk around with AK47’s. You can hear prays shouted over a city and see men dressed in traditional attire. Muslim culture is very prominently seen in the architecture of many buildings.
I spent my first evening in Jasilmar at the hotel rooftop restaurant with other travelers. At one point a local showed up and entertained us with Bollywood dance demonstrations. Tomorrow I’ll be riding a camel in the Desert.
October 7, 2009 – I began to second guess my choice of camel trip when I thought about the extra 500 rupee’s I was charged for a so called permit. When I rolled into Jasilmar I was tired and relaxed. I had let my guard down and the guy who was selling me the trip was telling me everything I wanted to hear. Needless to say he was doing a good job of it and logistically it was the perfect choice. I still couldn't be totally sure as to what I was getting and afterwords was pretty sure I'd been conned out of 500 rupees for a permit.
Fortunately a trip was arranged and I was joined by 2 the two Brits. The other group of 4 that I was told I’d be joining never materialized. The Brits were a couple of older guys with one of them particularly skeptical about what we were getting. I just figured I’d go with it and sort out any bogus permit charge afterwords.
THE VILLAGE
As promised we would stop a village and a couple of Jain Temples on our way into the desert. Upon arrival at the village it looked quite decrepit with not much to it. One of the Brits was totally unimpressed and didn't even bother to leave the jeep while the other was at least going to walk around a bit. I definitely wanted to check it out and decided to say hi to some of the local people. This was not a guided affair. It was just a village and we were on our own.
I couldn’t tell you their names but the people of the village were super nice and wanted to show me around. No one spoke much English but we were able to communicate enough to interact reasonably well. Two of the men wanted to play me a song and invited me into their home. The home was made of mud and dirt similar to adobe. The entrance way led into a court yard. The open courtyard was surrounded by the rest of the structure which was made up of 3 or 4 rooms. Although everything was built with dirt, mud, and a little wood framing, things were really neat, clean, and orderly. I was taken into a small room and a man brought out a tabala (Indian drum) while the other brought out an ancient harmonium (small hand pumped piano). The keys were broken and chipped with finger formed grooves deeply worn into the wood. Surprisingly it was in reasonably good tune. A thin hand woven traditional carpet was laid upon the dirt floor and I took a seat. Other family members sat as the man at the Harmonium sang, with a big bold voice, a song combining my name and country with the words. Since it was all in Hindi I have no idea what he was singing about but I thought it was pretty cool as the other man played a rhythmic tabala. A younger boy sat next to me and seemed particularly curios and acted as a host. They played one song then another. After a couple of songs I gave the Harmonium player 20 rupees (40 cents) and the tabala player 10 rupees. They accepted it as a gift and were very appreciative. The young curios boy wanted to show me another home.
The home that the boy took me too was similar to the one I had just visited but a little more decorated. One wall was covered with trinkets, art, and shelving for pots and pans. He really wanted to introduce me to what I assume were his siblings and insisted I take photos. I took a number of photos but I had a hard time getting them to smile for the pictures. I was taken into one room and he pointed to what appeared to be a neatly stacked small pile of colorful cloth. He then reached down and with two hands slowly peeled back a thin blanket to reveal a tiny one month old baby neatly wrapped in traditional cloth. I was not expecting to see what I saw and was very surprised to say the least! The baby was so tiny because Indians tend to be small people but the baby looked healthy. It was really an amazing experience.
I could have spent a lot more time in the village but had to get back to the two other guys who were waiting on me. After all, this was just a brief stop on our way to ride camels in the desert. I explained to the young boy that I needed to leave and gave him some rupees. He seemed much more interested in spending time with me than the rupees. Unfortunately I had to go. One of the many pitfalls of an organized tour. Limited flexibility. After the village we visited two Jain temples then drove further into the desert to meet our camel driver.
CAMEL SAFARI
I was told that we would be joining another group of 4 people but that never happened. It was me and the two older Brits. They were nice enough and we got along ok but one proved to be quite the penny pincher and a skeptic about what we were sold and what we were getting. This attitude unfortunately proved to put a damper on the whole affair. What we got was actually pretty good.
The jeep driver dropped us in the middle of the desert. Baba, a 50 year old Rajpu Camel driver and his two young teenage helpers, Allahdin and Saddam, were just arriving with the camels as we drove up. Babu greeted me with a friendly pat on the shoulder and introduced us to the camels as he packed food and supplies. You could tell right off that these guys know the desert and their camels. It wasn't long before we were riding. About 5 minutes into it I was glad I signed up for the overnight trip and not a 3 or 4 day trip. Riding a camel is not particularly comfortable. I think it takes some getting use to but the view while riding is very nice. I was originally told that we would ride for 1 ½ hours then take a lunch break and ride another 1 ½ hours to camp at some sand dunes for the night. After just 10 minutes we took a break so the camels could drink at a well pond. Babu said we should take a walk to the adjoining village. It was there that I met a colorful turban clad individual who asked me for a pen and we talked for awhile. I just happened to have a pen on me so I gave it to him. He was very happy and never asked me for money. Anyway, with the Camels watered we rode on for another 20 minutes and stopped for lunch. The skeptical Brit had me and the other guy wondering just what kind of Camel trip we were getting.
We parked ourselves under a big shady tree for lunch and Baba and the boys quickly got a fire going and made everything from scratch. Curry vegetables and chapatti were prepared with relative ease and quickness. The food, although quite simple, was good and filling. Afterwards the boys washed the dishes with sand and proceeded to take a quick nap. I noticed the camels had wandered off and were nowhere to be seen. Ok, now I was really skeptical.
After a short nap it took Baba and the boys awhile to find the camels but they did. Once they were brought back to the lunch tree they saddled and packed them really quickly and we were on our way once again. This time for real. As promised we rode for quite awhile. I actually got off the camel to walk and give my rear a break. As we rode along I got to know the boys and Baba a bit more and figured we were in good hands. They are all Rajasthan natives that from the very desert were in. We chatted back and forth. Allahdin spoke very good English and said he learned it mainly from people he had met on the tours. I’m not sure if he had ever attended school or not but he's a sharp kid. Saddam was quiet and spoke mostly Hindi with a crackling boy’s voice on the verge of turning into a man’s voice. Baba spoke decent English with a thick heavy accent. The kind of accent that adds to the ambiance of whole experience.
We rode into the afternoon and sure enough we arrived at some sand dunes with a very nice campsite. When we arrived there was a man sitting there with a used burlap bag lined with a plastic type of used rice bag. He said, “I have cold drinks. Coke, orange, beer”. I asked him where he came from. He replied that he walked in from a village 6 km away. I then asked if he really had cold beer and sure enough he produced one from his pack. I was happy to pay him 130 rupees (less than $3 USD) for the large sized bottle of Kingfisher. Packing in cold drinks is how he makes money. The dunes are relatively popular for camel safaris during the cooler seasons so he seemed to have a good little business going.
Baba and the boys fixed up another good meal from scratch and we made up our beds on cots under the stars for the night. As soon as the sun went down everyone pretty much went to sleep but I hiked up the dunes to sit and watch the moon rise.
By early morning the desert had turned cold with a light ground fog but this quickly changed as the sun rose. I got up early a took a hike amidst the dunes and returned in time for a breakfast of chai and toast. I had spotted two other camps and the Brits were interested in visiting them. The penny pinching Brit was curios what the others paid for a similar tour. We had all paid 2,000 rupees ($40 USD) for the whole deal which in my opinion, considering all we were getting, is extremely reasonable. We walked over and talked to a group of Koreans at another camp. They were getting the same kind of tour for 700 rupees, $14 USD! How does anyone make money? Answer, they don’t. The people of the Rajasthan desert are very, very, poor. I came to find out that Baba makes approx. $40 USD a month and his boys make $20 USD a month. I’m talking about good hard working people. Anyway, the penny pinching Brit felt like we were being ripped off and got me and the other guy feeling bad about paying too much. I suggested we needed to be thinking in pounds and dollars and what we were getting was far less expensive than what we would get in other countries. The only thing that really bothered me was the 500 rupees I was charged for a permit that doesn’t exist. That bothered me.
Anyway, we set off for another day of riding which was different from what I was told but really quite nice. I was originally told that we would be visiting bigger and better dunes the second day but we didn't. However, the desert landscape was very interesting and a large part of it seemed to be covered with a volcanic type of gravelly rock. I also got to talk and joke around with Baba and the boys. I really liked them and felt being in their company added value to the trip. When we visited the other two camps in the morning the other camel drivers seemed a little shady and the camps were not as nice. The desert around Jasilmar along with the local culture is a bit like the wild west so I think being in the right company is a good thing. Baba, Allahdin and Saddam are the right kind of company.
We rode camels all morning and stopped for lunch near a remote road. A jeep was scheduled to pick us up at 1pm but before that Baba fixed lunch of curried vegetables and chapatti from scratch. I gave Baba a nice sweater I had bought earlier for the trip to the Himalaya. I also explained to the Brits that we needed to tip Baba and the boys. We came up with a figure and all pitched in. Baba was happy with the tip but he seemed to be happiest with the sweater I gave him. It would have been nice to spend another night in the desert with Baba but my rear was happy to be off the camel. We parted with big hugs and smiles.
Now, what about the bogus 500 rupee permit I paid for? I was ok with paying a relatively higher price for the camel tour (higher by local standards that is) but being outright lied to and ripped off is another story. The Brits were all worked up about paying 2,000 rupees when they could have gotten a tour for 700 rupees but they really should have shopped around before making a decision and didn’t. We returned to the guest house where we booked the trip and immediately found the couple that owned the hotel. They did not set up the tour. One of their employees did. I nicely told the owners right away that I wanted 500 rupees back and explained what happened. He said he would look into it. The penny pinching Brits handled things a little differently and got into a big argument about how they were over charged. I removed myself from the situation. It was getting ugly. The owners had offered me free use of a room and shower before catching a train in the evening so I retreated to the room. I could hear the owners and Brits shouting at each other at this point.
By time I washed up the Brits were gone and I made my way up to the rooftop restaurant because I still had a couple of hours before catching my train. The owners were on the roof and I sat down with them. They had already given me back my 500 rupees and sincerely apologized for what had happened. They were also very appreciative that I had told them about it. Their guest house is only 2 ½ months old and they know better than to get a bad reputation amidst travelers. The owners are both 30 something’s. Ashraf was born and raised in Jasilmar and Penny is an Aussie who has spent many years in London. The name of their guest house is Apollo guest house. The rooms are very nice, clean, and inexpensive. The food is very good and the kitchen very clean. Penny makes sure of it. As far as Camel tours go, you can definitely find less expensive, but I’d say be careful who you choose to venture into the desert with and be perfectly clear about what you’re getting. Anyway, I had a nice visit with the owners, who I feel are sincere and genuine, before catching an overnight train to Jaipur and a flight to Kochi in the southern state of Kerala….. Time to move from the Desert to the Tropics…
October 5, 2009
The ATM Motorcycle Ride
While traveling one of the most irritating, sometimes scarey, things is not being able to access money when your just about to run out of the local currency. For whatever reason niether my credit card or ATM card was working. I tried several machines but to no avail. The 24 hour redi line for my ATM card doesn’t mean you can talk to a person on the weekend. Likely the 3 withdrawls I’ve made within India signaled a red flag. I always notify bank card companies of my travel itinerary before leaving but this time someone must have overlooked the notes and I was shut out. Before getting too worked up I just dropped the issue and decided to take care of it first thing Monday morning.
After a nice breakfast of porridge and chai I set out to tackle the money issue. I wouldn’t be able to settle the ATM card problem until late in the evening due to the time difference so I located a phone to call my credit card company about a cash advance. The way I travel and the places I stay generally render my credit card useless because everything is on a cash basis. I have yet to stay in a single place that accepts a credit card. Plus, due to security, you have to be very careful about where you use it in places like India. I mainly carry a card for situations like I found myself in, or, for major purchases like airline tickets. Anyway, after the runarround with recorded messages I finally got a live person on the line. He said there was nothing wrong with the card and made some notes on my account. The first step was to find another ATM or head to a good bank and Visa would help me if I had anymore problems. This is when the day got a little more interesting.
Of course the first ATM I went to did not work. It was there that I met a helpful local gentleman that was trying to get cash like me. He suggested another nearby machine. I walked there and met him again. He tried to make a withdrawl but the second machine did not work. He appeared a little frustrated like me and offered to give me a ride on his motorcycle to another place that had a machine. I had a clear cut ok feeling about the guy so I hopped on for a ride through the traffic chaos of Jodhpur. When we arrived at the third place there were two machines. One did not work but the other seemed to be ok. He tried first and had success. I went after him and with the company of a little too curious security guard I tried my luck. Ahhhh, the sweet sound of a machine shuffling money and rapidly spitting it out followed by a sigh of relief. I had forgotton about my motorcycle friend but he reappeared as I left and offered me a ride to the clock tower which is where I wanted to go. Back through the chaos of Jodhpur traffic and straight to the clock tower he took me. When he dropped me off I thanked him and he replied with a circular head motion and a big smile then rode off. I do not know his name and he did not ask me mine, or, even the standard question of, “What country?”. It was good ol’ unconditional help and very refreshing.
The interesting thing about India is how in various times of need, people, trustworthy people, just sort of appear and help steer you the right way. It’s pretty cool and one of the many, many, mysteries of India. When these types of people appear I know instinctively beyond any doubt that they are ok. In a country that can give you just about every impression, good and bad, as to what the people of India are like it’s the simple helpful brief chance mettings that are the most special and leave me feeling really good about the people of India.
Once the money issue was settled I set off to spend time at the Fort and roamed about the narrow old city streets filled wonderful little shops, lots of garbage, loads of dust, open sewars, cows, donkeys, rickshaws, kids playing, men working, motorcycles, loud speaker blarring prayers, sun beating down between shade, store owners trying to lure me in, the odd monkey, dangerously exposed power lines, and everything working absolutely perfectly. Even during the power outages……Just another day in India…
After a nice breakfast of porridge and chai I set out to tackle the money issue. I wouldn’t be able to settle the ATM card problem until late in the evening due to the time difference so I located a phone to call my credit card company about a cash advance. The way I travel and the places I stay generally render my credit card useless because everything is on a cash basis. I have yet to stay in a single place that accepts a credit card. Plus, due to security, you have to be very careful about where you use it in places like India. I mainly carry a card for situations like I found myself in, or, for major purchases like airline tickets. Anyway, after the runarround with recorded messages I finally got a live person on the line. He said there was nothing wrong with the card and made some notes on my account. The first step was to find another ATM or head to a good bank and Visa would help me if I had anymore problems. This is when the day got a little more interesting.
Of course the first ATM I went to did not work. It was there that I met a helpful local gentleman that was trying to get cash like me. He suggested another nearby machine. I walked there and met him again. He tried to make a withdrawl but the second machine did not work. He appeared a little frustrated like me and offered to give me a ride on his motorcycle to another place that had a machine. I had a clear cut ok feeling about the guy so I hopped on for a ride through the traffic chaos of Jodhpur. When we arrived at the third place there were two machines. One did not work but the other seemed to be ok. He tried first and had success. I went after him and with the company of a little too curious security guard I tried my luck. Ahhhh, the sweet sound of a machine shuffling money and rapidly spitting it out followed by a sigh of relief. I had forgotton about my motorcycle friend but he reappeared as I left and offered me a ride to the clock tower which is where I wanted to go. Back through the chaos of Jodhpur traffic and straight to the clock tower he took me. When he dropped me off I thanked him and he replied with a circular head motion and a big smile then rode off. I do not know his name and he did not ask me mine, or, even the standard question of, “What country?”. It was good ol’ unconditional help and very refreshing.
The interesting thing about India is how in various times of need, people, trustworthy people, just sort of appear and help steer you the right way. It’s pretty cool and one of the many, many, mysteries of India. When these types of people appear I know instinctively beyond any doubt that they are ok. In a country that can give you just about every impression, good and bad, as to what the people of India are like it’s the simple helpful brief chance mettings that are the most special and leave me feeling really good about the people of India.
Once the money issue was settled I set off to spend time at the Fort and roamed about the narrow old city streets filled wonderful little shops, lots of garbage, loads of dust, open sewars, cows, donkeys, rickshaws, kids playing, men working, motorcycles, loud speaker blarring prayers, sun beating down between shade, store owners trying to lure me in, the odd monkey, dangerously exposed power lines, and everything working absolutely perfectly. Even during the power outages……Just another day in India…
Jodhpur
October 4, 2009...Had I not stayed in Ranakapur it would have been a long all day trip to Jodhpur. My night there was a great way to break up the trip. After a quick breakfast of vegetable cutlet and chai I set out to catch the 8 am bus. As I was waiting for the bus I talked with several locals that were waiting to go to work. They asked me, “What country” and a host of other questions. These guys were fine and friendly. Indians can be very inquisitive. They asked my age and if I was married. They were shocked to find out that I was 44 and not married. There was a little bit of a language barrier but one of the guys spoke ok English with a heavy accent. I told them that I had never been married and had no kids. They were even more puzzled by that statement and chatted back in for in Hindi until they figured it out. They then told me I was married with kids in my last life and it caused me many problems. They went on to explain in detail but I couldn’t understand. They were very sure of it. Two busses showed up about the same time and they made sure I got on the right bus. Whenever I take a bus it always seems like there’s someone around to make sure I get on the right one. It’s kind of funny. Anyway, my morning was off to a good start and now I know why I’m single in this life.
The bus ride was nice as I stared at the arid countryside and we stopped at villages along the way. At one point we passed some really impressive massive granite domes rising above the flat scrubby desert horizon. One of the domes appears to have a temple on top. The old climber in me reawoke as I contemplated route possibilities and wished I had a car to get me there.
At one point, during the ride on a busy 2 lane highway, I made the mistake of looking forward through the front window to get the drivers view. I’d say near head on collisions were happening at about 1 minute intervals as vehicles passed one another frequently. Totally amazing. Any westerner who has any desire to rent a car and drive around India is absolutely insane. There’s an entirely different method to driving in India. It’s absolutely crazy but works incredibly well. Just don’t try and understand it. It makes no sense.
Jodhpur is a very busy bustling city in a desert environment. It’s hectic, dirty, and dusty but the old town and Fort Meherangarh are very interesting. I took a rickshaw to the train station to get my bearings and went from there. With tips from my guidebook I found my way to a suggested guest house in the old city but wasn’t able to get a room there. I walked a little further and found a better place..
It’s a family run guest house known as a Havelli. It’s constructed of concrete and brick with several floors. Steep steps, thick doors with heavy latches, and fortress like wood shutters give the place a rustic old world feel. The kicker is the rooftop. From the roof you have a front row view of the Fort and the surrounded blue painted buildings. Jodhpur is known as the blue city. The rooms are very nice if not a little luxurious. Since it’s my birthday I booked in for two nights at $24 a night. As always the price includes taxes and/or any other fees.
Staying in a Havelli is a little like staying with a family. They can help with a number of things, fix you food, arrange for a rickshaw etc. The mother and daughter fixed me a nice traditional talli for dinner. In the evening, as I sat on the roof, I listened to Muslim prayers being shouted over loud speakers and bells chiming after prayers as Hindus and Muslims both freely and openly practice their faith at the same time.
October 4, 2009
Ranakpur and the Missing Rupees
October 3. 2009 - “What the hell? Where did I put it?” I thought to myself as I searched my pockets for a little bag of money. “I know I had it 45 minutes ago when I bought those bananas from a street cart through the window of the bus I was riding”. I searched and searched but it was nowhere to be found. Did I carelessly place it loosely in my pocket and lose it, or, was it picked as I got off the bus. Both scenarios are very possible. The bag contained about 750 rupees. It’s a lot of money for the poor people of Rajasthan whom I was sharing the government run bus with. I kicked myself as I selfishly thought how it was enough for a nice hotel room or a rickshaw driver for an entire day. Damn!…… Then I stopped thinking in rupees. In reality I was out $15 USD which is enough for 3 pints of average beer or a parking space at a pro sporting event. Thus began my philosophical thought process on the value of money as I walked around the 600 year old Ranakpur Jain Temple.
I left the white washed rooftop lakeside luxury of Udaipur for a ratty government run bus into the Rajasthan countryside. The arid climate with grassy, sometimes craggy hills, make for a very scenic ride. The driver drove aggressively on narrow winding roads until we came to a regular looking four lane highway divided by a median. At first I was impressed until I noticed it didn’t matter what side or direction a vehicle was heading. Left, right, or whatever. Just choose as you wish. There were a number of sections where the road had been cut into a hill like a giant trough and one side or the other had slid depositing large piles of debris on the road. This just added to the drive however you want mentality. Amazingly, in almost 3 weeks of traveling India I have yet to see a single accident (knock on wood). I’ve seen far more dented cars and wrecks in America. I rarely notice a car that has any kind of real body damage.
I was headed to Ranakpur, a 3 hour bus ride from Udaipur. Ranakpur is home to a lovely Jain Temple. I had never heard of the Jain Faith but its basic religious philosophy is. “Live and let live”. Ranakpur is pretty much in the middle of nowhere and aside of the Temple grounds about the only other buildings are a government run hotel and a roadside shop with a restaurant that also serves as a bus stop. It was while checking into the hotel that I realized that I had lost some money. After checking into my room I walked over to the temple. The grounds are very nice and the temple, although not particularly large, is very prominent. Once inside you can admire over 1,444 hand carved marble pillars supporting the structure. No two pillars are alike. I spent about an hour inside taking photos and sitting in different areas. In the back of my mind I thought about the lost money. It was bugging me.
So, 750 rupees. It’s a lot of money in India but in the USA it’s not. On the bus ride I was very relaxed and lackadaisical which made me think I may have carelessly lost it. That’s what I’m hoping. However, I know I put it in my pocket after buying some bananas and while I was getting off someone could have had a good opportunity to pick it. I never carry too much money in my pockets when I travel. I usually just have enough to do what I want to do. Anyway, as I thought about it I definitely began to feel selfish. Here I am in a very poor country where a hard working man is really doing good to make 300 rupees ($6 USD), if that, after a back breaking day. Many people, especially those in rural areas, make far less. Most of the people in India are truly working just to survive. Here I am, some free spirited guy from the states, traipsing through India and S.E. Asia at my own leisure for 3 months. When it’s over I get to go home to everything I need and more. All this on an income that’s considered to be Very low by United States standards. Boy am I spoiled. I then began to look at the money in a different way. I’m a very lucky man and someone who always has what he needs and often times more. God, the universe, or whatever you want to call it has blessed me greatly. In a sense the money I have is never really mine. Sure, I earn it. I work hard when I’m working. I’m a good money manager. But, so are millions of others living in 3rd world countries. There are greater powers that be that bless me with so much more. My thought process continued. I imagined myself losing the money and seeing the face of whoever found it. Believe me. Everyone else on that bus needs the money far more than I do. Especially being in a rural area. In a country where most people I meet are trying in some way to get money out of me maybe I’m holding on to it a little too tight sometimes. In my defense it’s understandable considering all the scams etc. I’m up against while traveling India. Sometimes it seems like all people want out of me here is my money. Somebody stops me at a tourist site and gives me some info I don’t really care about, they want money etc. etc. And when you don’t give them anything they know how to play the guilt card. It sucks but the truth of the matter is that life in India is tough and people do what they need to do to survive. I’m hoping I lost the money and it was found by the right person and that they’re filled with happiness as if my loss were their blessing. That’s what I want to believe. If it was picked from my pocket, well, I’m sure who ever took it needs it more than I do. I’ll just let Karma sort that one out.
All of this thought process was going on as I visited the Temple but after awhile I made peace with it all and really enjoyed the structure and its grounds. Around 5pm I went to the dining hall where dinner was about to be served. It was an all you can eat vegetarian talli for 25 rupees (50 cents). It was all being traditionally prepare. I asked the host if I could see how they made the food. He replied, “There’s nothing to see”. I peeked through the doors after paying and could see the food being cooked in a primitive but clean looking space. That’s if you blocked out noticing the men on the far right side of the room digging a hole and doing some kind of work. Having noticed how clean the temple and grounds were I didn’t worry about it and sat down for some very authentic Indian food with people of the Jain Faith. It was quite nice and I sat next to a middle aged gentleman from Delhi who explained the food and customs. After dinner I walked the grounds as the sun set and noticed florescent green birds (parrots) flying amidst trees with monkeys. Tomorrow I’ll catch an early bus to Jodhpur and find a nice place to stay for my birthday.
October 2, 2009
India - After 2 1/2 Weeks
I’ve been traveling India now for 2 ½ weeks and I’m thoroughly adjusting. What at first was extremely overwhelming now doesn’t seem so bad. I’ve figured out the trains, buses, what a rickshaw should cost, and have gotten better at shaking the hassles. Crazy doesn’t seem so crazy and I’m actually getting kind of comfortable with it all. Staying in a reasonably nice accommodation and finding a good restaurant for dinner make all the difference. When I’ve had enough for the day I retreat to my hotel, lock the door, wash up and relax. After a good night’s sleep I’m ready for it all again. What’s interesting now is that I’m kind of getting a high out of it. There’s something about the energy and intensity of India and how it heightens and assaults all of the senses that’s now giving me a buzz. Being in a relatively sedate area of Udaipur kind of makes me feel like I’m missing something. It’s not the real India. It’s the white washed India for tourist. I enjoy a lovely rooftop view of Lake Palace but while doing so I’m in the bubble. Life outside of the bubble is what makes traveling India so interesting. As a fellow traveler once told me, “India, you will hate it the first two weeks but after that you will love it”. I can’t say I’m loving it but there’s definitely something I like about it.
Udaipur
September 30 – October 1, 2009 - As I sat across from a middle aged British man in first class AC on a train from Agra to Udaipur I felt like was in France, not India. First Class AC is nice. For my 11+ hour overnight trip to Udaipur it cost around $35 USD. You get a large berth in a compartment shared by four. There’s one compartment on the end that only shares 2. That’s the one I got. The quality of the quarters is every bit European minus service. No food, drinks, or even bottled water. That didn’t matter. I just enjoyed civilized intelligent conversation with a Brit in air conditioned luxury. I felt like I was cheating or something. India just got easy.
Aside of the fact that I’ve really adjusted to travel in India the Indian state of Rajasthan almost feels like different country. The first thing I noticed is how clean the Udaipur City train station is compared to the other stations I’ve been to. Also, when I got off the train I wasn’t immediately hounded by a rickshaw driver. I had met 3 young Chinese women on the train so we decided to get a taxi into town together. Our driver was a very kind Sikh who genuinely wanted to assist with helping us find a good place. He drove us around a bit but I eventually took off on my own to search out options by myself. After touring numerous hotels I found a really nice place for 800 rupees. Approximately $16 a night.
Udaipur is a much more relaxed place. You still get the taunts and some hassles but it’s all delivered with a much softer blow. The attractive part of the city, next to Lake Pichola, almost has a European feel and the local people have a keen understanding of how to give the tourist what they want. After seeing virtually no service with a smile in other parts of India it’s refreshing to see a much different attitude in Udaipur. The traditional friendly greeting of Namaste is frequently used with no strings attached. Well, at least some of the time.
Udaipur is situated next to a lake. It’s most known for a fairytale palace built upon the water. It was constructed by Maharaja Jagat Singh in 1754 as a royal summer palace. It’s now a luxury hotel and was used as a location for James Bond’s “Octopussy” movie. The area itself is more arid and desert like with hills and small mountains. All of the hotels are near the water and boast wonderful rooftop views with many having restaurants. I just arrived this morning and plan to spend a couple of nights here. I think it’s a good place to recharge and relax a bit.
October 2, 2009 – After checking into my hotel in a lovely touristy section of Udaipur next to the lake I went for a short walk and about 10 minutes later was reminded that I’m still in India. The transportation of choice here appears to be the scooter and or motorcycle. Everyone speeds wildly through the winding narrow streets and 4 out of 5 motorbikes visibly spew black exhaust. I am reminded of this as I blow my nose in the evening.
During the day I visited City Palace. It’s an imposing structure built upon a hill by Maharaja Udai Singh II who was the founder of Udaipur. The rest of the time I just wandered around a bit until I met a travel agent I thought I could trust. I think he proved himself worthy as he offered his advice and helped me sort out travel options. India is a big country and I’ve decided to see quite a bit of it. I wound up purchasing 3 more train tickets and one air ticket. I did not want to fly within India but in order to have a chance to really see some of the southern region it made the most sense to take a flight from Jaipur to Kochi in the state of Kerala. I had originally planned to take a very long train but logistically etc. it doesn’t make the most sense. Although train tickets are very inexpensive by western standards my flight south is not cheap at $200 USD.
With the framework for the next 3 weeks of travel sorted out I was ready for dinner. I had checked out several places to eat and was most impressed with the hotel restaurant next to the place I’m staying. It’s located on a rooftop with an outrageous view. The kitchen looked very clean. I also notice the staff to be very friendly and attentive. I had stopped in for lunch and was very pleased so I returned for dinner. As I sipped a Kingfisher beer and watched the sun set over Lake Palace I met a man from France. He turned out to be the chef for the most exclusive resort in Udaipur and was eating there. He commented that the restaurant was the only place he ate in Udaipur and that it was very safe. One of the Chinese women I had met on the train showed up so we joined forces and ordered all kinds of food. It was nice to choose freely from the menu with no worries. The food was excellent and I ate more than I could. When the bill came it totaled up to about $18 USD for two people. Tipping is not customary in India but I always leave something. Considering the affordability of eating out at nice places I see no reason not to. Especially considering health consequences. However, I have gotten a good dinner for as little as $1 USD. Generally $3 – 4 USD is about average.
Today I’ll kick around Udaipur and will likely move on tomorrow morning. My ultimate goal is to ride a camel and the best place to do it is Jaisalmer. Before that I’ll stop in Jodhpur.
Aside of the fact that I’ve really adjusted to travel in India the Indian state of Rajasthan almost feels like different country. The first thing I noticed is how clean the Udaipur City train station is compared to the other stations I’ve been to. Also, when I got off the train I wasn’t immediately hounded by a rickshaw driver. I had met 3 young Chinese women on the train so we decided to get a taxi into town together. Our driver was a very kind Sikh who genuinely wanted to assist with helping us find a good place. He drove us around a bit but I eventually took off on my own to search out options by myself. After touring numerous hotels I found a really nice place for 800 rupees. Approximately $16 a night.
Udaipur is a much more relaxed place. You still get the taunts and some hassles but it’s all delivered with a much softer blow. The attractive part of the city, next to Lake Pichola, almost has a European feel and the local people have a keen understanding of how to give the tourist what they want. After seeing virtually no service with a smile in other parts of India it’s refreshing to see a much different attitude in Udaipur. The traditional friendly greeting of Namaste is frequently used with no strings attached. Well, at least some of the time.
Udaipur is situated next to a lake. It’s most known for a fairytale palace built upon the water. It was constructed by Maharaja Jagat Singh in 1754 as a royal summer palace. It’s now a luxury hotel and was used as a location for James Bond’s “Octopussy” movie. The area itself is more arid and desert like with hills and small mountains. All of the hotels are near the water and boast wonderful rooftop views with many having restaurants. I just arrived this morning and plan to spend a couple of nights here. I think it’s a good place to recharge and relax a bit.
October 2, 2009 – After checking into my hotel in a lovely touristy section of Udaipur next to the lake I went for a short walk and about 10 minutes later was reminded that I’m still in India. The transportation of choice here appears to be the scooter and or motorcycle. Everyone speeds wildly through the winding narrow streets and 4 out of 5 motorbikes visibly spew black exhaust. I am reminded of this as I blow my nose in the evening.
During the day I visited City Palace. It’s an imposing structure built upon a hill by Maharaja Udai Singh II who was the founder of Udaipur. The rest of the time I just wandered around a bit until I met a travel agent I thought I could trust. I think he proved himself worthy as he offered his advice and helped me sort out travel options. India is a big country and I’ve decided to see quite a bit of it. I wound up purchasing 3 more train tickets and one air ticket. I did not want to fly within India but in order to have a chance to really see some of the southern region it made the most sense to take a flight from Jaipur to Kochi in the state of Kerala. I had originally planned to take a very long train but logistically etc. it doesn’t make the most sense. Although train tickets are very inexpensive by western standards my flight south is not cheap at $200 USD.
With the framework for the next 3 weeks of travel sorted out I was ready for dinner. I had checked out several places to eat and was most impressed with the hotel restaurant next to the place I’m staying. It’s located on a rooftop with an outrageous view. The kitchen looked very clean. I also notice the staff to be very friendly and attentive. I had stopped in for lunch and was very pleased so I returned for dinner. As I sipped a Kingfisher beer and watched the sun set over Lake Palace I met a man from France. He turned out to be the chef for the most exclusive resort in Udaipur and was eating there. He commented that the restaurant was the only place he ate in Udaipur and that it was very safe. One of the Chinese women I had met on the train showed up so we joined forces and ordered all kinds of food. It was nice to choose freely from the menu with no worries. The food was excellent and I ate more than I could. When the bill came it totaled up to about $18 USD for two people. Tipping is not customary in India but I always leave something. Considering the affordability of eating out at nice places I see no reason not to. Especially considering health consequences. However, I have gotten a good dinner for as little as $1 USD. Generally $3 – 4 USD is about average.
Today I’ll kick around Udaipur and will likely move on tomorrow morning. My ultimate goal is to ride a camel and the best place to do it is Jaisalmer. Before that I’ll stop in Jodhpur.
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