Surviving India!

I have now been in India for almost a week - what an experience! I arrived in Delhi last Friday night and was very glad that I had organised an airport pick up for the first time in my life. It saved me from the grabbing masses, and meant that I didn't have to deal with the "sorry mam, your hotel is closed for reservations type scams". I spent my first two days adjusting to the maddening pace, the heat and the constant call outs before my tour started. I managed to get to a couple of the sights using subway and rickshaw, and was lucky enough to escape with my life when the rickshaw I was driving in nearly slammed into the side of another that had gone through a life. The 3 inches between the rickshaws was just a little close for my liking!

The first real India moment though was definitely the public bus ride with our tour guide to get into Old Delhi. All 12 of us had to get into a bus that was basically spewing its passengers onto the road already. Our precise military plan had half of us taking the front door and half the back. I charged onto the front steps and basically let myself be pushed onto the bus by the human tide behind me. Once on I was pushed towards the middle, standing with absolutely no personal space. and nothing to hold on to. Obviously being a white women in this situation it was an open option for some one to cope a feel, which one charming young man clearly felt it was his obligation to do - with out much enthusiasm. Binu our guide was so concerned about pick pockets and keeping an eye on us, that he didn't realise when he had his phone swipped from a pocket!

Old Delhi was exactly the noisy, bustling, smelly, fascinating place you would expect. I bought chai masala tea from the spice markets, and haggled over the prices of nuts to take on the train journey. I'd try and upload the photos of the rickshaw traffic jam which can only be described in pictures, but the internet speed is so slow it would take all day.

From Old Delhi we headed to the train station for a 19 hour trip to Jaisalmer. After eating fried pakora on the railway station we headed off into the desert. We had sleeper trains and managed to kill the time to bed with cards and getting to know the group. Sleep was a little more tricky courtesy of the snoring, farting Indian gentleman that was close to Fiona and I. The next morning spirits were high, however as the 19 hours dragged on to 24 patience started to wain. Once we got off I was again reminded of the wisdom of doing a tour in India, as I watched the other white faces being engulfed in a sea of pushing and shouting rickshaw drivers. The long trip was worth it however from the moment the fort in Jaisalmer appeared.

Jaisalmer is a forted city that was built in 1100AD. For the last two nights I have slept in one of the turrets on the outside wall of the fort, and have spent many lazy hours sitting on the roof top watching the world go by with a cold beer or chai tea in my hand. Wandering around the crooked alleys of the inner fort is amazing, and dangerous. Cows wander the streets with carefree abandon, and before you start thinking of sweet cows with lovely brown eyes let me correct you. These cows are big, with big horns and big attitudes. My first day I was head butted by one and then slipped over as I tried to get out of its way and stood in a cow pat that sent me skidding - I swear I could hear the cow laughing! The rest of my group definitely was! There are lots of amazing little shops selling all sorts of bits and bobs, although I have been remarkably controlled so far - probably because I already have many of the things from my trips to Sri Lanka and Nepal. I do however have a new sari and am looking forward to wearing it out to the nightclub we have been promised in Kolkata.

Tonight we head out on an overnight camel safari. I have very romantic notions of music and dance under the stars. I'll let you know what it is really like next time!