Pushkar

Pushkar
30-3-12

Really really early morning… A little too early if you ask me, but we had to make the train to Ajmer. Woke up at 4:30 to be ready by 5am to be on a train by 6am. Train was fun. Sat down on parts of the sleeper trains. Two rows of 4 beds in a compartment, adjacent to it was two seats next to the window with bars on it. There was a guy sleeping on the top seat and there was a guy sleeping in front of me on the bottom, but he was moved over so we could sit down. Scanning around I also saw someone sleeping across the luggage rack that was above the two seats next to the window. Couldn’t understand the conversation that was taking place beside me, but occasionally I could tell they were talking about all the foreigners that had sat next to them. Most of the guys that were in the single seats were young late 20s. I saw someone playing with a old school compass and noticed a military insignia on a baseball cap. I later found out that they are in training for the Indian army. My ipod was dead, I didn’t want to read my book and my western companions were all busy sleeping or reading I struck up conversation with my new friends. Sharing music and stories and even playing scribble (game where you scribble a line and someone else has to make something of that line).
We were transferred to Pushkar in a bus that wound through the narrow hilly roads. I saw two buses face off on a sharp corner…man chicken is such an interesting game. Lots of vehicles keep dodging each other to keep moving unhindered. No rules…
We officially made it into Pushkar when we made it past snake mountain. Pushkar is a deeply religious town. And it is the only town in India, which is allowed to worship Brahma.
The story goes (and I know I’m missing a couple of details so this will just give you the gist look up the rest if you want to know more). This town in India was throwing a festival and they invited Brahma and his wife to the festivities. Once the festivities were to partake Brahma was summoned to the village but his wife was not ready yet. She waved him off and said I’ll be down in five minutes. Five minutes later she still hadn’t come down, more later and she still wasn’t there. The villagers were getting anxious and wanted to start the festivities, but Brahma still didn’t have his wife by his side. So the villagers organized a new marriage to a new woman before their festival was going to take place. This way Brahma had a wife present to celebrate this town’s festival. After he was married and once the festivals finally started the original wife came to join Brahma’s side, but on seeing Brahma was wed to another he cased a curse on the village. This would be the only place were Brahma was loved and if any good things happen and the individual doesn’t pray and celebrate Brahma their good fortune would be bad karma for the rest of their lives.
The town Pushkar also has a lake in the middle of it. It is said that somewhere in India they were dealing with demons (also know these details are not sound). And the gods were sending a remedy to cast the demons away. A leaf was going to be thrown to the place that needed the help, but fell on Pushkar by mistake, this leaf is said to have turned into the lake that is now in the middle of Pushkar.

The hotel we are staying at is ok. It’s about a 20min walk into town, there is a pool (never checked it out though) and a restaurant. The food was….not so good. There was wifi though, but only in the lobby. I don’t know if I have mentioned, but it is really hot in Rajasthan! Really hot.
We had an afternoon camel ride. Getting on a sitting down camel is easy, it is when the camel stands up that is the crazy part. To stand the camel must throw its head back and put it’s front feet up one at a time (this throws you backwards, which if you weren’t leaning back before you are now). This part feels like riding a horse that is going down a really steep hill. Then the camel rocks forward to put its back legs up which sends you forward. Once fully up my camel kept throwing its head back like it was meaning to hit my legs with its nose. I didn’t realize how much a camel’s neck could move. Walking forward is more like a exercise in moving your hips from side to side. Or maybe walking like a cowboy who has been riding a horse for a long time and has a very wide stance and is sliding one foot forward then the other foot forward in a straight line. We walked through a local cricket game, over a bridge, through the town, got caught in a traffic (with cars), through part of the desert and stopped to have chai and biscuits.
Dinner was at a place called Sunset café, very delicious everything was good. There was even a fire dance out front of the restaurant (planned? Not likely).









Pushkar
30-3-12

Due to someone’s suggestion (aka the leader) I got up super early and headed up a mountain. The sun rises at 6:40am and I was up getting ready by 4:30am leaving at 5:00am. I was energized though. Ready for any challenge that would come my way. Steve walked with me through the deserted village where cows were wandering and the rare person was preparing a temple. It was quiet, smell of crisp air. It was a good morning. And we were on a mission. Up the mountain we climbed. The stairs started out smooth and sturdy and became dirt and random stones half way up. The footing was slippery, but there wasn’t many around and we were going at our own pace. We stopped a couple of times to take some good photos of the village lights and we made it to the top about half an hour before the sun rose. As it ascended over the hills beyond we witnessed the whole city light up. I think I love sunrises the most. They are something you have to work for you don’t just see because your up and moving about. And to see the sun rise from up high overlooking something commonly taken for granted is a sight to see.
I saw a friend I had acquired in Udaipur, who is also traveling by himself (he has another four months though). Small world. I wandered around the village with him later that day again because I ran into him again. Pushkar is pretty small though so that wasn’t too odd.
I took a nap and got some breakfast at the hotel….which was awful. Thankfully I went to a much better place to get a lassi and hang out and escape the heat for a little longer. Then I got anxious. I realize the trip is ending I’ve really enjoyed traveling with this group and this organization. I’d vouch for Intrepid travelers any day. They pick some interesting places to stay, but I’ve just decided it’s all part of the adventure. I wandered not wanting to bargain or engage in conversation for the rest of the day. If I could have found a nice quiet place next to the water in the shade would have been perfect to sort out my thoughts. Instead I walked back and forth near through the main street. I ran into a couple of people I knew and wandered with them for a while and continued back on my own.
I stuck with a two at the end and got a motorbike ride back to the hotel. And then just wasted time until our group dinner at 6:30pm. When that rolled around we all climbed the epic staircase to have an amazing last dinner together. I got a cashew curry (delicious) with a chocolate ice cream for desert and a lassi for a drink. We all watched Delhi Belly while we waiting for food and ate our dinner. Funny movie. We watch an Indian boy in Delhi who is dealing with marriage and work as well as being caught up in a drug trade he never intended to be in. You should watch it.
We, as a group, thanked Shyaam for the amazing job he did being our leader and headed off to get onto the night train.
The van ride to the train I think was the worst. I got nostalgic for the adventure I shared with these amazing people. Each person on this trip has had such an interesting life and has traveled to amazing places and each has a different outlook on life. I hope I retain the perspective I gained from both traveling with this group as well as with the conversations I held with the individuals. I wish them all safe travels.

The night train was how I imagined it would be. There are small open compartments. Three bunks one on top of the other on one side and three bunks one on top of the other on the other, facing these bunks is two more bunks against the wall of the train. I was on a top! Small space so having my backpack (with all my valuables) close to me the whole time was taking a very large part of that space. I slept. Very tired from the days journey. I woke up a lot and was not well rested when we arrived back in Delhi. When we reached the hotel with the day rooms I was excited to take my hour nap.
We had breakfast as a group and after that everyone started to trickle off to do their own thing. Some going home, some were traveling further through India and some were going to other places close by.