3rd March - Jaisalmer to Jodhpur - More temples and forts to see today but as we were having some 'fort fatigue' we went to the local bazaar instead. Got ourselves a couple of t-shirts as amoury for the 'Holi' festival 4 days later - 85p for both. Stayed in a house that was more like an 'olde' English hunting lodge than a place of rest but it was great and we had some wonderful local food - free internet use too.
Too long a story to go into detail but we've been getting a bit peeved with the agent we booked our 'taxi trip' with. We've been in touch with our Visa company to get some money back! 4th March - Jodphur to Ranakpur - Went to a nice quiet mountain location today. Taxi driver dropped as at a local temple ('better than the Taj Mahal' someone said) but unfortunately for us he didn't mention we needed long trousers, etc. so we couldn't go in!Walked back on road to hotel only to find out later that hungry crocodiles and tigers have been seen roaming the local countryside and lakes from time to time!
5t March - Ranakpur to Udaipur - Awoke to the sounds of birds (lots of beautiful green parrotts) singing today rather than LOUD train horns and honking cars! Lovely drive through the mountains with first sight of clouds since we got here. Spotted a few ox pulling waterwheels around en route! Got to hotel and went for peaceful dinner only for a local family to turn up and start wailing loudly (they call it singing). A quick retreat to the rooftop terrace confirmed we were not the only people who thought they were brutal! 6th March - Udaipur - Awoken by the pied piper this morning! Went to see who was having breakfast and listening - lo and behold he was alone! Got phone call in room to ask us to turn up for a video shoot in the hotel! Seemingly they are making a film about Rajasthan and it's culture - we got a free bottle of water for our troubles! So watch out we might be on telly soon albeit in India! Nimma our driver wanted us to leave at 4am the next day so that we could avoid trouble from rowdy locals during exhuburant celebrations of the Holi festival. We eventually agreed to leave at 2.30PM as we understood from others we would get no trouble.
7th March - Udaipur to Abu Road - Phonecall at 4am from our driver Nimma asking if we wanted to leave now - needless to say we put the phone down! After watching Ireland beat England at the rugby (Hurray!) and the Grand Prix from Oz we awoke expecting Nimma to be in a bad mood - but he couldn't have been in better form - the Rum and Coke was already flowing! Went down to join the Holi festival where we got covered in coloured flour courtesy of the locals which is traditional for the Holi festival for Hindus. Had Rum and Coke and popadoms for breakfast - as you do! Observed a man asleep on a push bike as his friend pedalled him home from the festival. Nimma was not so happy at 2.30 when we left to catch our train to Bombay - he drove like a nutter most the way and didn't have much rubber left on his tyres when we arrived! Bid Nimma all the best and went for a shower in the train station at Abu Road - a place you would not normally approach never mind take a shower in it.Overnight sleeper train was surprisingly comfortable and sheets, pillows and blankets were all provided.
8th March - Bombay (Mumbai) - Arrived in Bombay at 11.30am - had to change stations to catch our train to Goa. Only because we had to show our tickets when we tried to leave our luggage did we find out we were at the wrong place. Another taxi accross town finally got us where we wanted. Hot and bothered so we went to air-conditioned McDonalds for a McChicken, a paneer (cheese) wrap and ice-cream which never tasted so good - so good Derek had another at 9pm that evening! Locals are taking photographs of us quite regularly - God knows how many there would be if we were good-looking! We could charge for it too maybe! Settled into our sleeping berths on the train to Goa only to be approached by an Indian couple who told us we were in their seats! Turns out our tickets were not confirmed - but booked subject to someone else cancelling - travel agent (again!) conveniently forgot to tell us this.
Sorry no phots this time - technology not good enough here!
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