4 August 2000

After a 13 hr night bus I am now in Jaisalmer. In Jaipor went to the "city palace" which had a museum that seemed to be mostly in Hindi. Then a bicycle rickshaw driver volunteered to take me around to a "monkey temple" and "water palace" for 20 rupees (50 cents). I am always up for a monkey temple cause so far there had always been monkeys, but this one was an unimpressive small new one with no monkeys except some Hindu god with a monkey head. He took me to another unimpressive place that was dumpy that was also close by and finally to a water palace, an old palace in the middle of a lake worth a picture or two. He would say things like, "You Indian, not tourist" and when I took a photo or two of passing camels pulling carts or elephants walking down the street and when the drivers would ask for rupees the rickshaw driver would say no and ride off. He then stopped and bought me a small flower lei and put it around my neck. He would also say, "you’re my friend, not tourist". Normally I would have to pay 10 or more rupees to take a picture of a snake charmer, but my driver only paid him five. Of course, all this was well orchestrated. The fun part of the day was riding a rather large elephant by the water palace, and then I reluctantly agreed to go with my driver to a factory shop where he would get a commission if I bought anything. I didn't, but was glad to run into the two British girls, Michelle and Shavon, that I met on the bus. I went with them elephant riding, and they happened to be going to Jaisalmer as well.

Jaissomer is close to Pakistan and on the old camel trading routes in the desert. It has a cool sandstone Fort which our hotel is in, and many buildings and temples with a lot of intricate designs in the sandstone. It does look like something out of Arabia. There are a lot more camels around here. I thought it would be blistering hot but actually seems cooler than the other places I've been, and it hasn't rained once. We went on a Camel Safari and camped overnight next to some sand dunes. Each of us had our own camels and the camels were great, funny and adorable animals. The downside was that we ate the same thing three meals on the trip and it wasn't that tasty and often had sand in it. Of course, there was a lot of sand and you felt sandy. After we were there the entertainment was provided by dung beetles which seemed to be everywhere, and they would fight aggressively and try to roll away with a piece of camel dung. Tomorrow I plan to go to Jodipur. I think the two British girls think I am following them.

These Indians seem to ask the same 20 or so questions where ever you go. "Rupee, Rupee? Where you from? Which hotel you stay? Hello, Hello, I give you good price, how much you want to pay? Photo, Photo? (they want rupees) What your name? How long you in India? and if you’re a woman -- are you married? You have boyfriend?

all the best,

later

Duane 

6 August 2000

I arrived in Udiapor this morning. yesterday I saw the fort at Jodiapor, which was actually quite impressive and had a nice museum. I heard Clinton stopped there when he visited. Then I went by night bus to Udiapor (7 hours). In the past they haven't been too bad, but this one's seat didn't recline so I couldn't sleep despite feeling exhausted. I was the only tourist on the bus. Then when I got here at 5 am the hotel I wanted was full so I decided to wait until someone checked out and watch the sunrise and take some pictures of the lake palace. While waiting on a ghat wall, I see this Indian guy, who had obviously just taken a dump, waddling with his pants at his ankles and he wipes his butt with his bare hand and lake water. I could have gone my whole life and been happy not to see that. It was quite disgusting and partially explained some of the smell. Not too long later and not 20 ft from where the guy wiped his butt, a very bony sickly looking guy goes for a swim. Another guy that had been hounding me to see his hotel says to me this other guy is doing it for his health and that he himself swims in the lake twice a day for the same. I really want to go swimming, but I am not going in that lake. I am certain there is all types of human and cow excrement floating around. That very ghat where I was at is where a bunch of Indians go to do their laundry and bathe.

I somehow caught a cold in this heat so haven't been doing much today. Luckily I haven't got sicker on my trip so far.

hasta,

Duane