Rajasthan, India

A 40 hour bus trip saw us travel north from Goa, back through Mumbai, and into the desert region of India - Rajasthan. This is the land of the Maharaja, home to the turban, outrageously bright saris, ancient forts and classically moustachioed men. It is truly a step back in time.

Our first stop was the town of Udaipur, where that great 007 film, 'Octopussy' was shot in the 80's. Every guesthouse in town screens the film nightly at 8. We, of course, did not manage to escape the tentacles of this legacy! Udaipur is situated on a marvelously picturesque lake, which has a spectacular palace and museum on its shore, and a 5 star hotel built in the middle of the lake itself (This was Octopussy's lair). It was a really pretty, laid back town which we enjoyed visiting.

Next on the list was Mount Abu, a hill station in the south west of Rajasthan. At an altitude of 1200 metres, it provided us with a nice escape from the heat, and is a popular holiday spot for Indians. Mt Abu is famous for its 'Dilwarra' Jain Temples. These temples have been hand carved out of marble and were one of the most exquisitely hand crafted sights we'd ever laid eyes on. Unfortunately, photography was banned, so check out this website if you're interested. Hopefully it will give you some sense of the grandeur and intricacy:

http://www.indiantemples.com/abu.html

The wildlife around Mt Abu was plentiful. Apparently there are bears, leopards, deer, but we were constantly amused with the antics of the local monkeys doing naughty monkey things. Dennis finally found like-minded souls! We also watched the first polo match played in Mt Abu in 75 years. The historic occasion was overseen by the Maharaja of Jodhpur - Smashing!!! The highlight of the game was the pitch invasion by a family of wild pigs!





Next stop, Jodhpur, saw us exploring the amazing 500 year old fortress "Meharangah" the Citadel of the Sun. It was an awe inspiring feat of construction that has never been taken by an enemy. The Jodhpur market bazaar was like a scene straight from 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves', and the (would-be) thieves were plentiful and miniature in size: street kids. They pulled, proked and prodded use from every direction wherever we went. We expected to see a turban-clad scimitar weilding strong-man coming out of the crowd at any minute. It was an extraordinary experience that we thoroughly enjoyed and hated at the same time.

We have just arrived in the sleepy town of Jaisalmer, Western Rajasthan in the Thar Desert. We will be exploring the town and the 850 year old fort tomorrow. Sorry for the long post, but electricty cut-outs, travel and tiredness have impeded our updates.


Happy Birthday Martin!!!