A different India

We have found the north of India much different from the south. Maybe it is because there are many more tourists up here. The roads, transport, accommodation, sites and even the harrassment (or lack of it) is much better here.

We arrived off the night train into Jaisalmer at 6am. The town is a little dirty, with lots of hassle, but we settled into our hotel on the ourskirts of town and met up with our Johdphur friends.

The proceeds from the Artist Hotel's rooms and restaurant go to the local community, a village steeped in traditional music. Every night there has been a concert by the locals. One night we even had a Sufi come and play. There is always singing and music being played in and around the hotel (it is in the centre of the small village) and the manager really looks after the families.

Jaisalmer fort is an amazing maze of small streets lined with shops, hotels, restaurants and houses. Sam got headbutted by a cow and has developed a deep dislike for the 'holy' creature. This doubled when she stepped in some cow sh** which occurs every ten steps or so!

We set off on a camel safari with our guide Raju and Ozzie Nicole on very dull morning. The weather however was fine and we were excited about spending the night in the desert. All was great until we stopped for lunch and the wind picked up and the rain started to fall. And it kept falling and falling and falling... Sam and Nicola were very wet, cold and miserable by this time and told Raju that they wanted to go home. Reluctantly he packed up the camels and we trotted back to the Artists Hotel. By the time we got there we were sodden and even Raju was pleased to be back.