Poo-ed my pants...
Well, it had to happen sooner or later... Ladies and Gentlemen, I have EVIL delhi Belly. More on that in due course.
How are you all today? Ive just arrived in Jaisalmer, the most Westernmost point of my Rajisthani roundup - a superb city built of cream coloured sandstone in the midst of one of Indias greatest deserts - the Thar desert. The city floats above a massive expanse of sand and scrub almost like a ship on the sea. Once again, this city is capped with a fort of some beauty - and is also very famous for being the place where people take camel and jeep safari's into the desert. Seeing as Im now an ace camel rider (after my experiences in Tunisia...hahahaha) I may well indulge - but Ill see....
The last entry was at the beginning of my stay in Jodhpur wasnt it...well since then...what a lot has happened. After I finished typing to you, I found a lovely roof top restaurant, and chowed down on a Thali and a lassi whilst watching the activities on the other rooftops of Jodhpur. Just opposite me was a fabric factory on top of which the workers were drying big looms of fabric - they were leaping from roof to roof and throwing these big rolls of material as they lept - quite a show! Then one of the cute Indian squirrels decided to join me on my table, and proceeded to squeek and squark for about 30 minutes! He looked like he was going to bust with excitement! When I didnt understand him he went away.
My hotel was run by three lovely ladies - who - unusually for India are independant women running a business - so of course, the rooms were SPOTLESS and gorgeous and cheap! Thier 11 kids also lived with them in thier house over the road from the hotel - so I had a ready made play team! Each night was spent sitting in the road or on the rooftop messing about with the kids - what a joy they are! At about 7 they speak fluent english, and they have SUCH energy for naughtyness and play. I wished I could have stayed longer (I ended up staying 6 nights as was!)
On the second day, I hired a rickshaw man for the day and "did" the sights of Jodhpur - including the Umaid Bhawan Palace, which is a huge monolithic palace built opposite the fort in Jod originally for the Maharaja and his family, but now converted into a 5 star hotel. Impressive building, but very annoying acess options - you cannot stand in front of the hotel to take a photo without one of the military style guys peeping a whistle at you and making you go back to the tourist area. I must say I got away with creeping round the perimeter fence without them noticing!!
After the palace, we went to a beautiful garden within which I was the only tourist- which was very nice - and only a few people came up to talk to me. One of whom was a lovely lady who cant of been much older than me, who asked me how many children I have (of course because im OLD I am assumed to have kids) so I say 3 and she laughes and indicates that she has 8 - I must have looked shocked because she gave me a huge cackle and a betel nut stained grin, and then a high five! Then wandered off cackling to herself. As you know kids=prestige in India.
Also in the park was a huge colony of grey monkeys - delightful.
After that, I asked the driver if he would stop at a cafe for me to eat - he took me straight to one which was very "authentic" Indian (not touristy) and to be fair, I did have the best curry ive tasted her so far. BUT...........
Afterwards, the rickshaw drove me to Jaswant Thada which is a wonderful hill temple next to the fort. As I was looking around, I had a couple of rumbles in the jungle, and then towards the end, I thought....im going to have to make a dash.... So in a sweaty shaky state I DASHED to the loos - and thank god there was a western style loo - amazingly quite clean. BOY OH BOY. One minor problem...no loo roll, no tissues and no hope!! SO I put some creative use to the tourist leaflet I had been given earlier in the day!! SAY NO MORE :) (that was about all it was useful for!)
The with further pain and trouble, I manfully completed my circuit for the day which ended in Mehrangarh Fort at the top of the hill over my hotel. I even walked down back to the hotel without falling down (its super steep) The fort was well worth it though - spectacular views over the whole of Jodhpur, which is painted mostly in blue- so a very special sight.
Yesterday was pretty much a day of chilling, I went with a Kiwi friend to do some shopping and wandered the streets all day. I thought I was cured, and so had another Thali for lunch/dinner, but realised that it was a bad move just as I was walking up the hill back to the hotel. To say I climbed the hill in double time would be an underestimation!!
My last night in Jod was spent with my mate and with the kids -really lovely! I was very sorry to leave. But there was a train to catch this morning (early) to Jaisalmer. As I rickshawed through the city at 6am with its cows lounging in the streets and people just getting up to go to the mosques - which were blaring out thier prayers on loudspeakers, I felt sad and queezy! I did cheer up though when I spotted a hotel called "Hotel DOOM" and also a gents trouser shop called "Bum Chums!!!!!!!"
Today was the first time I have been on a sleeper trian - and it was quite an interesting one. I was in quite a posh class (second) and even so, I had to fold myself and my two HUGE bags into one small top bunk. I only managed to severly kick the poor slight Japanese girl in the lower bunk once....in the eye......oops
Anyway, after MUCH shuffling and huffing I managed to get into some semblance of comfort and promptly fell asleep. Woke up in Jaisalmer, got a rickshaw to the hotel and then here I am. Touch wood stomach is a bit better (Ive just had a big lunch, and its still inside me!!)
The hotel which I randomly chose from the book for its novelty name (HOTEL PLEASURE) os actually far from it (but then, I have been spoilt the last week) I am going to see how it goes then maybe move tomorrow or the next day. Looking forward to exploring.
Talk to you soon
How are you all today? Ive just arrived in Jaisalmer, the most Westernmost point of my Rajisthani roundup - a superb city built of cream coloured sandstone in the midst of one of Indias greatest deserts - the Thar desert. The city floats above a massive expanse of sand and scrub almost like a ship on the sea. Once again, this city is capped with a fort of some beauty - and is also very famous for being the place where people take camel and jeep safari's into the desert. Seeing as Im now an ace camel rider (after my experiences in Tunisia...hahahaha) I may well indulge - but Ill see....
The last entry was at the beginning of my stay in Jodhpur wasnt it...well since then...what a lot has happened. After I finished typing to you, I found a lovely roof top restaurant, and chowed down on a Thali and a lassi whilst watching the activities on the other rooftops of Jodhpur. Just opposite me was a fabric factory on top of which the workers were drying big looms of fabric - they were leaping from roof to roof and throwing these big rolls of material as they lept - quite a show! Then one of the cute Indian squirrels decided to join me on my table, and proceeded to squeek and squark for about 30 minutes! He looked like he was going to bust with excitement! When I didnt understand him he went away.
My hotel was run by three lovely ladies - who - unusually for India are independant women running a business - so of course, the rooms were SPOTLESS and gorgeous and cheap! Thier 11 kids also lived with them in thier house over the road from the hotel - so I had a ready made play team! Each night was spent sitting in the road or on the rooftop messing about with the kids - what a joy they are! At about 7 they speak fluent english, and they have SUCH energy for naughtyness and play. I wished I could have stayed longer (I ended up staying 6 nights as was!)
On the second day, I hired a rickshaw man for the day and "did" the sights of Jodhpur - including the Umaid Bhawan Palace, which is a huge monolithic palace built opposite the fort in Jod originally for the Maharaja and his family, but now converted into a 5 star hotel. Impressive building, but very annoying acess options - you cannot stand in front of the hotel to take a photo without one of the military style guys peeping a whistle at you and making you go back to the tourist area. I must say I got away with creeping round the perimeter fence without them noticing!!
After the palace, we went to a beautiful garden within which I was the only tourist- which was very nice - and only a few people came up to talk to me. One of whom was a lovely lady who cant of been much older than me, who asked me how many children I have (of course because im OLD I am assumed to have kids) so I say 3 and she laughes and indicates that she has 8 - I must have looked shocked because she gave me a huge cackle and a betel nut stained grin, and then a high five! Then wandered off cackling to herself. As you know kids=prestige in India.
Also in the park was a huge colony of grey monkeys - delightful.
After that, I asked the driver if he would stop at a cafe for me to eat - he took me straight to one which was very "authentic" Indian (not touristy) and to be fair, I did have the best curry ive tasted her so far. BUT...........
Afterwards, the rickshaw drove me to Jaswant Thada which is a wonderful hill temple next to the fort. As I was looking around, I had a couple of rumbles in the jungle, and then towards the end, I thought....im going to have to make a dash.... So in a sweaty shaky state I DASHED to the loos - and thank god there was a western style loo - amazingly quite clean. BOY OH BOY. One minor problem...no loo roll, no tissues and no hope!! SO I put some creative use to the tourist leaflet I had been given earlier in the day!! SAY NO MORE :) (that was about all it was useful for!)
The with further pain and trouble, I manfully completed my circuit for the day which ended in Mehrangarh Fort at the top of the hill over my hotel. I even walked down back to the hotel without falling down (its super steep) The fort was well worth it though - spectacular views over the whole of Jodhpur, which is painted mostly in blue- so a very special sight.
Yesterday was pretty much a day of chilling, I went with a Kiwi friend to do some shopping and wandered the streets all day. I thought I was cured, and so had another Thali for lunch/dinner, but realised that it was a bad move just as I was walking up the hill back to the hotel. To say I climbed the hill in double time would be an underestimation!!
My last night in Jod was spent with my mate and with the kids -really lovely! I was very sorry to leave. But there was a train to catch this morning (early) to Jaisalmer. As I rickshawed through the city at 6am with its cows lounging in the streets and people just getting up to go to the mosques - which were blaring out thier prayers on loudspeakers, I felt sad and queezy! I did cheer up though when I spotted a hotel called "Hotel DOOM" and also a gents trouser shop called "Bum Chums!!!!!!!"
Today was the first time I have been on a sleeper trian - and it was quite an interesting one. I was in quite a posh class (second) and even so, I had to fold myself and my two HUGE bags into one small top bunk. I only managed to severly kick the poor slight Japanese girl in the lower bunk once....in the eye......oops
Anyway, after MUCH shuffling and huffing I managed to get into some semblance of comfort and promptly fell asleep. Woke up in Jaisalmer, got a rickshaw to the hotel and then here I am. Touch wood stomach is a bit better (Ive just had a big lunch, and its still inside me!!)
The hotel which I randomly chose from the book for its novelty name (HOTEL PLEASURE) os actually far from it (but then, I have been spoilt the last week) I am going to see how it goes then maybe move tomorrow or the next day. Looking forward to exploring.
Talk to you soon
posted by Abster at 10:35 am
2 Comments:
LOVE your blog! And am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo jealous its unbelievable...apart from the poo part but that's inevitable. Loads of love P. xxx
Thanks chiddy. love to you too...pls email me on abster_travels@hotmail.co.uk ive lost your email
x x x x
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