Inken Veins: Back in P-P-Pushkar / You don't know how lucky you are, boy..

And... we're back in crazy ol' Pushkar, which is now so quiet and relaxed. Amazing what a difference a Mela festival/camel fair makes! :) They're digging out the lake now, cleaning up the place with bulldozers and cranes. Yup, the big Pushkar make-over, i guess..

From India Dec/08

Met up again with Bruno and Karolien this morning. Came into town with a direct 'luxury' bus, which of course dropped us (Gerome, very relaxed, amply pierced and tattooed guy from Nancy and me) off at the bus station in Ajmer, but we were supah-doopah lucky in having a bus leave for Pushkar in the next 15 minutes. The roads being pretty deserted at 5 something in the morning, our driver didn't mind showing off his rally driving skills, which were damn fine - though a bit scary when speeding into blind turns, dippers flashing happily.. :)

From India Dec/08

Would have loved to stay a bit longer in Jaisalmer. Brilliant place. Absolutely fascinating to walk around town and to be surrounded by those splendid havelis and to see new houses, hotels and hostels being erected with the same/similar traditional balconies, overhanging canopies and other ornamentation.

From India Dec/08

And just as i was walking up to the bus station i ran into Cam, one of my Australian buddies, who i hadn't been able to reach since they had run outta credit on their mobile. Gonna try and meet up with them in Udaipur in a couple of days..

OK, suppose now is about as good as any time to report some more on what we did in Pushkar 'bout a month ago..

From India Nov/08

Remember having a good time running along with Bruno and meeting up with some of his friends from back when he spend half a year in Pushkar. Also greatly enjoyed having a bit of time to sit, hang around and read (AFTh. 'Advocaat van de hanen' - superieure beschrijvingen, af en toe beetje gezochte/degoutante beeldspraak, maar fascinerend boek, zeer zekerst ;=).

And erm.. Apart from going to the Camel Fair..

From India Nov/08

..and having a general stroll or two, three around town, we only once got up early in the morning to have a look at the procession of pilgrims bathing, brass march band and protesters carrying Hindu inspired political signs all included in the mix.

From India Nov/08

Oh, and on the eve of the full moon, the proper time to have a dip and wash away one's sins, or say, accumulation of bad karma, and to receive blessings outweighing the regular everyday Pushkar dip by a 1000-fold (not bad, ah? :) - on that very moonlit night we did a-mix with pilgrims many and pushy. Verily we did, get slightly trampled, nearly slip and have a dip ourselves, shake many a stranger's hand till the sun arose and away we went heading back to snuggle up nicely in our warm bed shared with big butch Bruno, the rugged outdoor mensch/creature.

From India Nov/08

That evening Radee arrived just as we were getting ready to head for the bus to Agra. The bus, however, was so incredibly uncomfortable that after a couple of hours we all (excepting three utter outdoor nutters ;=) decided to just spend the night in Jaipur and continue our journey in a proper sleeper bus the coming night.

From India Nov/08

Wandered round Jaipur's many bazaars, past it's palaces and the odd grand observatory of old, in an all together enjoyable, though be it a bit short day.

From India Nov/08

The bus for once arriving as scheduled, we had all the time in the world to go and watch the sun rise from the opposite river bank. And after visiting the Taj Mahal (free entrance, but a maddening 750rs for a complimentary water bottle and compulsory shoe protection kit;=) and Agra's Red Fort..

From India Nov/08

..we only needed to board another auto riksha, train, bus (which took forever and was being driven by an absolute madman, who had a ball crashing full throttle into potholes, consequently catapulting the back seat, being us, towards/into the roof) and finally, a mini van (which we managed to fill up as the proverbial sardines) to get to Bruno's and Radee's ashram.