Jaisalmer - Days Two and Three

Lets first start by saying that Day 3 in Jaisalmer was completely wasted by long periods of sleeping in the sun on the rooftop terrace. Why? Easy... I finally got ill. My own fault really; I tempted fate and ate some VERY spicy Rajasthani food and my stomach was not prepared for it at all. Needless to say, without the details, I spent a very miserable night between days 2 and 3 and really needed the rest and rehydration on day three.

Day 2 though, that was incredible! I did a combo jeep and camel safari into the dunes of the Thar Desert. We also went and saw other heritage sights (by jeep), like Bada Bagh, the royal cenotaphs for dead Maharajas. I'll be completely honest, when it comes to describing what the desert was like, I am, uncharacteristically, lost for words. It was simply breath-takingly beautiful. The transition from desert scrubland to dunes was amazing - you could almost sense the eons old war between the two terrains - a constant struggle for life over death. Yet, life there was, and in abundance. I even saw some dung beetles, although they weren't rolling shit balls. Apparently, it isn't the right time of year for that - but then, is there ever a right time to play with someone else's shit?

The camel I rode, Rocket, was really gentle and provided a smooth right. The sore balls I anticipated did not happen, for which I will be eternally grateful! And yes, I did in fact get lots of photos. At sunset, we camped out and prepared a desert meal (the one that made me ill). The aroma was mouth-wateringly awesome! The taste, even more so... its a shame my western stomach was just unprepared for the spicy factor. Illness or no, it didn't take away from my experience - it really was a once in a lifetime thing; something to remember always.

I even managed to do a time lapsed video shot of the sun setting over the dunes. I thought about doing the shot from on top of the dunes and seeing the sun set into the horizon, but then everyone does that. So, I opted to do it from the bottom of the dunes... maybe not as spectacular a shot as I could have gotten, but it was exactly what I wanted - and in the end, thats all that matters.

Today is Bhang Lassi day! Fuck, I hope I'm ready for this - cannabis laced yogurt drinks that make you very happy. Yeah, I'm ready! LoL!

Bada Bagh

Me, on Rocket, trying to be a desert nomad! LoL!

Dung Beetle - minus the dung

Sand dunes of the Thar Desert

Rocket!

Sun down over the dunes

Another safari heading to Jaisalmer after sundown

The infamous meal that nearly killed me!

Today, I'm off to explore the neighbourhoods of Jaisalmer and the markets. I want to try to find a rooftop where I can get a shot of the whole fort, so you can see the size of the place in relation to the very small section where I am staying. Take care all... tomorrow I leave for Bikaner and Deshnok. Not sure if I'll be online for a few days after that until I reach Jodhpur or Udaipur. Until then...