India-Tordi Sagar to Pushkar
Jaipur to Tordi Sagar was the biggest change we've had yet. A small village on the way to our next stop, Pushkar, it was quiet and peaceful: the complete opposite of the bustling cities we've had so far, no horns, no yelling, just the occasional tractor blaring Hindi hip hop out of their speakers (clearly pimp my ride has made its way to India). We had a 3 hour jeep ride to the village, stopping off at a service station on the way, where 2 local buses had also stopped. They quickly became our fan club: they were waving, dancing and singing, a performance apparently for us! It was a sea of colourful saris in a cloud of dust from the sand.
Our fan club on the way to Tordi Sagar
​As we set back off, you could tell we were heading into a more rural part of India, not just because the roads were only tarmacced about a metre wide, but because of the smaller and less frequent towns we passed through. The hotel we stayed in used to be the home of the families of the king of Jaipur, essentially the dukes and duchesses; they would collect taxes in their village and give shares to the king in exchange of power over a small amount of land and people. Expecting squalor in such a small village, we were presented in a palace which had kept its beauty over time. Mosaics and colourful glass covered the windows, and the doors were the originals, well kept over time. They were, however, only about 5 and a half foot, made so that people that entered the royals house had to respectfully bow as they came in.
The view from the hotel
After a lunch cooked for us we went for a jeep safari around the local area, we saw a step well, and shrines to honour ancestors of the 'dukes' including one dedicated to women who burned themselves alive after their husbands died, out of respect. Back in the jeeps, we drove to a beautiful lake. You could see for miles from where we stopped and the sun was just setting as we arrived. Tranquil and picturesque we were all in awe. Group photos taken, it was time to move on. Dispersing a game of football the local children were playing we pulled up at the sand dunes. Climbing up was as tiring as it was hilarious, feet slipping backwards in the sand 3 steps for every one you take, but the view was worth it to catch te end of the sunset. We drunk chai tea and listened to the Jackels howl, and headed back to the hotel for dinner and a couple of G+T's!
Jeep selfie
The sand dunes at sunset
Walking through the village the next morning was an eye opener. Personally I thought that there would be more poverty in the villages, but I think people lead better lives here. From what I could tell, no one was sleeping on the streets, or on the roofs like they do in the city. Although some homes were clearly nicer than others, everyone had somewhere for their family to live. We learnt about arranged marriages, and the class system in India, and how much astrology plays a huge part in their lives.
One of the local girls wearing my sunglasses
Back in the jeeps to Pushkar.
Arriving in Pushkar yesterday was another big change. It is a pilgrimage site for devout Hindus, being one of the only places to worship Brahma, one of their gods, in a temple. It also hosts a stunning lake in which people bathe as part of their rituals. It is believed that the lake came about when petals from the lotus flower that Brahma traditionally carries fell here and blessed the area with a lake, and that it would protect it from demons. However the current town that surrounds it is touristic and full of hippies. Alcohol and meat is completely banned, but there is a big drug culture here, not only for the travellers but also with the locals, as opium is smoked here.
Pushkar Lake at sunset
It rained today which was a welcome surprise, we had even done a 'rain dance' (flailing our arms about a bit) in hopes of it diluting the heat. This is my least favourite place so far, but tomorrow we venture into the desert, and hey: we have a pool!