Tuesday, February 22
Internet is harder to come by than expected, and a lot has happened since visiting the small desert city of Jodhpur. After Jodhpur we took a five-hour drive to a different desert city called Jaisalmer. Even when out of the city, driving is insane. The only difference is now we are traveling at 60 MPH rather than 25. When we weren’t closing our eyes, sure of imminent death as we played chicken with trucks on a one lane road full of pot holes, we could not help but notice that there was no area not inhabited by people. We were literally in the middle of nowhere, in a waterless desert, but still, we could not find a square mile of unpopulated land.
When we arrived to our tent camp, which was located on the outskirts of the city, it was just getting dark. We put our things down and got ready for dinner, which consisted of the usual, yet very tasty, buffet of vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries, along with some naan and rice. By nine o’clock we were exhausted from our drive and fell asleep the moment we hit the bed.
The next day we woke up and walked around the picturesque Sam Sand Dunes that surrounded our camp. By mid-day we were in the car to be dropped off at Jaisalmer’s fort, which was yet another beautiful piece of work. The only difference was that this time the fort was occupied by the people of the city and was full of different food stands, shops, homes, and hotels.
It was probably around this day that I began to become immune to the constant trash and crowds. I found myself no longer focusing on the vast amounts of trash that always surrounded us, or wishing for some peace and quiet. I began to admire the strangest form of recycling I’d ever seen. The trash that was everywhere in the country was being eaten and scavenged by the many cows. The cows would then supply patties to be dried and fuel fires. It doesn’t seem like this would make any sense, but not once have I seen a cow grazing on anything but the heaps of trash strewn across the cities.
The next day we hopped back in our car, and lived through another long drive to the town of Bera. On the drive we slowly noticed the environment change from desert to chaparral-like rocky foothills. We stayed in a nice hotel were we went out with the owner multiple times on leopard safaris. Though we found no leopards, we had a wonderful experience testing the abilities of jeeps as we rock hopped huge granite boulders scattered throughout the land. In the morning we visited the dam that kept in enough water to keep the land irrigated year round and house around 150 crocodiles. That afternoon we took the time to explore the small settlement, and get a feel for how towns differ from cities.
Bera was probably a square mile within the walls of the city, and had a population of about 4000. Uniformed students crowded the streets, along with cattle and stray dogs. There were well pumps placed randomly throughout the town, free for anyone to use. Stands selling snacks and “mouth fresheners” (minty anis seeds) also popped up frequently.
The life style of the town people was pretty similar to that of a city. They lived in little houses and apartments, and worked in tiny shops. It was the life style of those that lived in the area surrounding the town that I liked most. These shepherds live a very relaxed life, guiding their herds in the morning to nearby water holes and then bringing them back at night. During the day they sit under trees and have picnics with fellow shepherds. Sitting in the shade of a tree all day and guiding their flocks to and from home each day; it is easy to see why these people have a very Zen way about them. Although, I must say, I do not know what to think when I see the men sitting and drinking tea all day while I drive down the roads and see only women doing road work; looking like a chain gang in colorful saris rather than striped prison outfits.
One thing that was not different from the city was the trash, heaps and heaps of trash. The ditches throughout the town were clogged with wrappers and tin foil making the waist water pool all around in the streets. There were alleyways where you could not see the ground, it was just a heap of trash, like an in-town garbage dump. I’ve found that I have begun only to notice when I do not see trash, rather than when I do.
Soon enough we left Bera and took another life threatening drive to Udaipur, also known as the “Venice of India.” This city was really cool. It surrounds a lake, giving it the watery feel of Venice, and is full of tall older buildings with tiny streets just wide enough for a compact car to squeeze through. We went through the main palace of the city, which was yet again just as awe inspiring as all the other forts and palaces we have already seen. Next, we walked through the streets, dodging cars and watching cows direct traffic as they usually do in Indian cities. That night we sat at a rooftop restaurant and looked over the beautiful lake filled with man-made “floating palaces.”
The next day we took a flight to Jaipur, known as the pink city, to quickly visit a famous solid marble temple, and then continue on our way with a 3 hour drive to Ranthanbore National Park. The park was beautiful, but small; a mere 150 square miles, which is just a little more than 12 miles by 12 miles. The next morning we went on a tiger safari, since the park is well known for the amount of tigers it has. Though we spotted no tigers, we got a solid lay of the land. The best way to describe the land is a sort of arid jungle, which is no doubt an oxymoron. The vegetation looked very jungle-y, but was brown and dry in many areas, most likely just because it was not rainy season. During the rainy season the park would probably fill up with marshes, and become a beautiful lush jungle.
We also went up to the ruined fort that overlooks the forest. Although the architecture and many small temples and such were impressive, the most fun part was watching the many monkeys fly around the fort and play with each other. Yet again it seemed as if we could not get away from the trash, even in the monument of a national park.
Now it is time to take a train ride to New Delhi
Next Stop: New Delhi, Darjeeling, Calcutta, and Chennai!
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