So the dodgiest accomodation of our trip in India was a the little town of Pushkar. Described by Lonely Planet as a haven for "hippies and mystics experimenting with spirituality and drugs", it wasn't far wrong. We felt like ultra-conservatives with no dreadlocks, no body piercings, almost clean clothes and no discernable body odours trailing behind us long after we walked past!
Add wild pigs and piglets to the list of things on the road.
Pushkar is a sacred place in Hinduism, centered around a holy lake (which, annoyingly, you cannot wear shoes within 15 metres of. Because the town is right beside the lake, this leads to very dirty feet, very quickly!) We got up at 5.30 am to trek for an hour up a mountain to see the sunrise and an early morning hindu prayer ceremony at Shavitri's temple (the first wife of Brahma). It was just beautiful.
Then went to a 3 hr cooking lesson and we are now able to make delicious indian curries, chappati, malai kofta, saffron rice and gulab jamun. So be prepared for some tasty dinners at our place (whenever it is that we actually have a "place" again!
Had an interesting afternoon browsing the shops (or should I say, shanties) and managed to negotiate the horrific alley of excrement (human, bovine and monkey). It is beyond description and necessitated holding of breath and swift movement through the cows and tuk tuks to avoid retching. Ugh!
Must dash - Bollywood movie awaits! XXX
