Acclimatizing in Jaisalmer

Trip Start Dec 10, 2006

Trip End Jan 07, 2007

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Where I stayed

Hotel Suraj Jaisalmer

(Jaisalmer hotels)

Flag of India Jaisalmer, India
Friday, December 15, 2006

Hello from India! We are acclimatizing well and absolutely loving Jaisalmer, a small quiet (for India) city in the Northwestern part of the country, near the Pakistani border. We're staying a beautiful sandstone carved haveli named Hotel Suraj. Highly recommended. A haveli is a 500+ year old rich merchant's home that is finely cared sandstone and filled with small archways, balconies, and spacious rooms. Our hotel is inside the old fort, which is at the center of the city. The setting is idyllic. For the last two mornings, we have had breakfast at the Sunset restaurant, on top of the roof, so we may see all of Jaisalmer.
Yesterday we took camels out to sand dunes which are 50 km outside of the city to see the sunset. It was the most calming and beautiful excursion we've made yet. Our guides were a man and child from a nearby desert village and we grouped with a very nice German named Alex.
Today we walked around the city and toured a haveli outside the fort

Adam on a Camel in the Thar Desert

. We were entertained by a very old man playing the sitar and a young "magician," both wanting rupees (baksheesh = tip) in exchange for their talents. We obliged because both were wonderful shows. On the way back to the fort we were gently accosted to come into various shops and of course, we bought several gifts and bargained with the vendors.
Tomorrow we leave for Jodhpur, the blue city, via the same train we took into Jaisalmer - just going the opposite direction as Jaisalmer is the last stop before Pakistan. Although it is time to move on, it will be difficult as this city is full of good-natured and welcoming Indians and the atmosphere has been relaxing and unforgettable.
Both of us send our love.