My Desert is Waiting - Jaisalmer

Luckily we have a more sedate driver to take us the 300km from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer and the trip is pleasantly uneventful.  The landscape changes the further west we go with mountains replaced by flat scrub and desert, and cows are replaced by camels often seen resting in large herds by the side of the road.  

Goats still play chicken with the traffic and pose the second biggest threat to safety after the bullying buses.

Entering Jaisalmer we have to transfer to a rickshaw to enter the fort – the streets within the fort are barely able to accommodate a rickshaw and are impassible for cars. 

For the princely sum of 50p we are whisked through the main gate and through the narrow lanes to the Hotel Garh Jaisal. 

We are staying inside the fort in a 300 year-old guest house.  Unusually, our room is built into one of the fort’s bastions and we look down over the main gate and the town below.  

Jaisalmer is called the Golden City because the fort and the buildings are built in a honey-coloured sandstone.  

The fort itself looks like a giant sandcastle and differs significantly from the other forts we’ve seen because it is occupied by shops and houses, palaces and temples and crowds of tourists who cram the streets.

We too wander aimlessly around inside the fort getting lost in the narrow lanes and dead ends.   We enter the small palace and again use the audio tour, which was really informative  whilst the views from the top of the palace give a 360-degree view out to the desert and the town.

The cows roam freely inside the fort and as usual are respected by everyone.  Personally I feel somewhat put out that they always manage to block my path and I don’t feel very comfortable passing them with their big horns and smelly rears.  A small group of three cows completely block my passage at one point and when one cow eye-balled me I dived into a shop and got the shopkeeper to move them on for me.

We both love this magical place and feel privileged to be here although John has put his foot down with a firm hand that under no circumstances will he (a) Go anywhere near a camel or camel safari, and (b) sleep out under the stars.  Probably a wise move as we bump into a couple from our hotel returning from such a trip who appear to be walking a bit funny and have spent a cold, uncomfortable night in the desert – they look rough!

Venturing outside the fort brings some interesting observations.  It’s much less touristy with everyone getting on with their daily living, welding at the side of the street, changing wheels or using the ATM.

Whilst queuing to use the ATM, I take some comfort from the stout guard at the door brandishing a splendid Jimmy Edward’s set of facial hair (Dan look it up) and holding a rifle.  

Then I realize that the man in the queue in front of us is also toting a rifle – this might be the most polite bank job yet.  In pigeon English and mime it turns out that he is a bodyguard for a chap drawing out money from the bank –

 Kevin Costner he isn’t although he’s pleased as punch to show me his weapon which he seems keen on discharging until Jimmy Edwards suggests otherwise.

We’re surprised when a small pink pick-up truck heads toward us through the narrow lanes music blaring from a couple of loud speakers.  Whatever it’s carrying has got those behind the vehicle staring in awe.  Maybe it’s another holy man or some minor political rally? No, its much better – it’s a cow with two arses and a calf’s leg sticking out of a third orifice. 

A woman is asking the crowd for money for viewing this amazing spectacle and John happily parts with 5 rupees exclaiming that the sight was well worth the money.  

Back inside the wall we run the gauntlet of the peacock feather seller – peacock feathers are lucky but not for him as we don’t buy, the jewellery girls and  the unmissable blanket sellers.  

The hand-made blankets are famous in this area and the walls are covered with colourful designs and patterns – I vow to stay strong but the sellers are persuasive – and I buy two.  

Later, whilst I’m shopping for shirts, a shop-keeper tries to persuade John to buy a turban in the Jaisalmer style.  Winding the turban on John’s head the only thing proven is that John does not have a head for hats!

This one Partick Thistle - available in other team colours

In the afternoon we take a rickshaw for a short city tour.  Lake Gadi Sagar used to provide the City’s drinking water and is resident to thousands of catfish that writhe and squirm at the water’s edge to feed on bread thrown by visitors.  The fish are huge and I am glad they don’t have teeth or you could easily loose a limb as they clamour to suck the bread into their gaping mouths. 

From there we visit some fine Havelis, one of which has been turned into a fine museum displaying relics from the past including the time of the British rule.  British memorabilia in the form of telephones and gramophones are displayed next to the old Indian relics which is a strange contrast.

We finish off the day watching the sun go down over the fort and Jaisalmer with a cool beer in hand.

Can't say fairer than that!

We are sad to leave the excellent Garh Jaisal and our wonderful host Turon.  It’s been a real treat and I can now say that I have slept in a fort.