desert storm

When I started writing this I was sheltering in an internet cafe from a sand-storm, come rainstorm, and then the power cut. We have somehow managed to spend over a week in Jaisalmer, when most tourists come in , do a camel tour and leave. But this city - far western Rajastan, the desert forming a border with Pakastan - is quite magical. The old city was used as the backdrop for Arabian nights, and as the Lonely Planet says, it really towers like a giant sandcastle. Majestic, golden. The city is the smallest we have come across - 75,000 people and this change of pace is very welcome. But what is really charming about this place is its richness of colour and vibrance. Music is strong here and performers can be found in streets and in restaurants - we've missed the festivals but I can imagine them being an experience not to be missed. The quilts remind me of my Nana Grace's - thick wool borders surrounding rich and glittering patterns of colour.

And yes we did a camel tour - three days out in the desert. They stop the camel tours in the next couple of weeks because it gets too hot, and even now they recommend only one day... The desert was mainly scrub - like our own desert road, except hot. We breaked under the shade of seldom seen trees between 11:30 and 3:30. And even in the shade the heat was uncomfortable, and only really good for sleeping. Our camel drivers were good-humoured and possessing what I have observed (and taken from reading White Tiger - highly recommended) as the ingrained servant-master mentality, it was not until the second night, that we could convince them to eat with us. We did the Camel trek with a fantastic English couple we met in Jaipur. And I spent my birthday next to a campfire, with them, our camel hosts and John and his guitar sleeping with only a blanket under the stars.