The road from Bikaner was really good for most of the way, but relatively dull without much change in the scenery. But experience has taught me that if you keep your eyes open in India you are sure to see something. I have always found some of the old desert trees interesting.....
.... and who doesn't like seeing the beautiful peacocks on the side of the road. We laughed at the fox who ran across the road, getting totally freaked out when she saw the cars and not knowing where to run. Seeing an elephant on the back of a truck was also a bit different for me, and of course there's always the camels.
Traffic was stopped at one point for several army vehicles to pass, another indication of the huge military presence in these areas close to the borders.
Chaos reigns at railway crossings as the vehicles, and people and animals, all crowd up to the barriers on both sides of the road so that when the train eventually passes it takes some time for everyone to manoeuvre through.
Counting the carriages fills in the waiting time... the record so far is 60.... that is a very long train!
I have learnt that, in India, you can't always count on good roads for ever so the end part of the journey slowed down a bit as Tarun had to dodge all the potholes on the road. It can be a bit shake, rattle and roll on some of these roads.
We knew when we were at Mandawa when we started to see some of the beautiful old Havalis with every inch of them covered with paintings. This town is often used for the filming of Bollywood movies.
The hotel we are in is just stunning.
Even the rooms are covered with paintings that would probably be considered garish in any other setting but just add to the atmosphere and character of this place.
No elevators in these old places and lots of steps to climb... not just for us but for the staff too. I looked twice when I saw a bucket on a rope transporting stuff from the top floor to the bottom.
We have stayed in so many hotels and they've varied so much in so many ways.Some have been expensive (by Indian standards) and others unbelievably cheap. In some cases even the best hotel in town has been pretty basic. Some have been in the middle of a large noisy city and others in a beautiful out of town area. Some have been old, some new, some just stark functional buildings and others spread out with lovely gardens and swimming pools. Some small and some large. My favourites have been the ones where I wake up in the morning knowing that I'm in India. Sometimes you have to compromise on bathroom facilities in these ones but it's worth it. In terms of character tonight's must be the best.
Lunch on the balcony and then a walk around town where we were followed by guys keen to sell their services as a guide, but we just wanted to wander. Tarun's long hair got the better of him so we popped in to get his haircut.
A TV set in the corner was replaying the very end of the World Cup Cricket match between NZ and Australia... not that I really needed to see that. When they hear I'm from NZ the Indians all tell me they wanted NZ to win... Wonder if they tell the Aussies the same story!
Here is Tarun with the new haircut. Still looks pretty long to me :-)
The town was quietish and interesting. Very few of the old buildings have been restored and some are in quite a bad state unfortunately.
Lots of people saying hello... and in turn we said hello to the camel outside our hotel.
As well as the Havalis and a fort there is a large water reservoir here with a huge well.
Even the buses are decorative here.
The sheer number of historic buildings and structures in this country is unbelievable and unknown to most of the world. Every town seems to have something!
Come sunset it was time to go up to the rooftop restaurant......
... and wait.
Sitting up on the rooftop looking down on the town gave me a real look into the lives of the people. Kids chasing each other, young men walking down the road hand in hand as they do in India, a couple of men sitting on the roof top playing a board game, women walking along carrying whatever on their heads, the sound of the Muslim prayer carrying through the whole town, the vegetable cart going slowly down the road, the endless stream of motorbikes, the man hopefully watering his square of grass, the sound of a peacock and a monkey, the cow aimlessly wandering down the street as if he owned it, I am going to miss this place very much.
This is my second to last night in India . Tomorrow morning it's an early start to get back to Delhi in time for a few chores before I leave early the next morning.
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