Wow! I can't describe how fully Davey and I are into the adventure now! We're fully rested and soaking in every beautiful minute! We did the massive train ride from Amritsar to Delhi, Delhi to
Jaisalmer, both by 2nd class Air Conditioned... we enjoyed it far more than the 1st class as we got to interact a bit more with how India is! The compartments were more open and we had chai wallah's and food vendores coming through constantly selling their wares. In first class we were more insulated and cocooned in our cozy little room. We arrived in New Delhi after an eight hour ride, we had less than an hour to catch the metro train... there were no signs and we made pretty good guess-timates to where the metro train was. After the hussle and bustle of New Delhi station we made our way down a subway entrance and wre amazed by the difference! It was like being in a Sydney train system with air conditioning and automated toll booths. The trains were modern as well, which is a good sign that India is catching up and getting ready for the Commonwealth Games.
We were lost when getting out of the metro and again guessed our way to Old Delhi station, after fumbling around from platform to platform we made our train with five minutes to spare... when will the Kustic's ever learn to be on time! (yes, I hear you Soumaya!)
We shared our eighteen hour train ride with tourists from Norway, Spain and S. Korea... amazingly we've run into no Aussies yet! It's been fantastic and comforting to share our experiences and our bamboozlement over the whole adventure. We were amazed as our train made it's way into Jaisalmer.
Jaisalmer is a honey-gold fortress in the middle of the Thar desert... it's architecture dates from the Rajputs (I think? if I'm wrong, just pretend to go along with me, I like to pretend I know what I'm talking about). The hotel we're staying in (Shahi Palace) is just amazing. It has to be the best place we've ever experienced! We have a marble carved bed against sandstone walls and marble bathrooms with intricate Indian carved furniture... Davey being a tiler is absolutely inspired, so next time you come to visit our home, expect to see a Jaisalmer renovated house!
We then walked around Jaisalmer fort which has incredible little walkways an back alleys to which to view the city from. It's like being tranported back in time. I've got to run as the sun is setting and the city is at it's best at this time and enjoy a lime juice with salt! We've got our camel safari tomorrow (hopefully my camel hasn't had too many baked beans for brekky!) so will type more when we get back.
