Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Over the last few days we have gradually made the transition from Tourists to Travellers... we have embarked on numerous long distance train journeys including one all-nighter, which lasted for 15 hours! Despite the fact that we were travelling in one of the higher-class carriages, Vish was still highly disturbed by the whole overnight train experience, but I think he is finally coming round to the idea, as we have a fair few more to do! We have also been on some death defying bus journeys & we are finally getting used to living out of a bag.
I've also started dressing more like a Traveller (although no tie-dye as yet) after realising that 95% of the contents of my rucksack were highly inappropriate for this country! In a moment of insanity, I packed 5 pairs of shoes, yet left my Lonely Planet behind as it was too heavy! What was I thinking?! I have now purchased 2 pairs of Rajasthani trousers, so I'm gradually working the backpacker-chic, I fear that its only a matter of time before I succumb to the lure of the dreadlocks!
We have also involved ourselves in some customary backpacker traditions & sampled the Rajasthani 'Special' Lassi (a drink laced with Bhang) this was a highly amusing experience which led to us getting completely lost in the winding streets of Jaisalmer Fort. Bhang is a legal derivative of Marijuana, that is used by Brahmins for spiritual purposes, Jaisalmer has an official Government approved shop, so we decided to sample the goods, for spiritual purposes of course! We then went into the Fort & stopped in a shop to buy some T-Shirts, being on a spiritual high is obviously not the best frame of mind to be shopping for clothes especially since India has the most complicated size system ever. Not only do they have Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, but they have sizes within sizes & categories within categories such as Big Medium, Medium Medium, Small Medium! We totally ransacked this poor guys shop, looking for the right sizes in the right design & colours, it was hysterical! We finally left the shop an hour later with a Medium, Big Medium T-Shirt and a Medium Big Small T-Shirt and tears rolling down our cheeks. Having written all of this, I now realise that this is probably one of those 'you had to be there' stories, but it was very funny regardless!
We are now in Pushkar which is a hot spot on the Backpacker circuit - its also the Bhang capital of Rajasthan, but I'm not sure we will be participating in any more 'religious' experiences whilst we are here! We just arrived this evening, so will write more once we've had chance to explore!
Goodnight
- comments