The golden city

I checked out from my Jodhpur hotel after breakfast and was presented with a minor bill shock by the hotel.  I had booked online, a single room at INR500 (NZD15) per night.  I had thought the room was far too nice for that price.  The very nice owners claimed it was double that but would give me a small discount.  I didn’t feel cheated, strangely, and accepted the charge.

I took a rickshaw to the bus station and paid INR10 to put my luggage in the rear hold, with no receipt.  The bus was a smaller one with 2+1 seating and more seating or lying area above.  I didn’t think the area above would have been spacious enough for a proper lie down.

The journey to Jaisalmer took about 6h including 40 min rest break about two-thirds of the way through.

As we approached Jaisalmer, I rang Chimmi from Suraj Guesthouse where I had booked.  Upon arrival there were lots of people pretending to be from Suraj and impersonating as Chimmi.  Yes, this India.

I followed Chimmi’s instructions and took a rickshaw to the fort area where Chimmi met me and took me by motorbike.  It was a short walk from there to the old mansion set in the narrow lanes in which vehicles were prohibited.

The haveli (mansion) entrance drew an “oh oh” first impression from me.  Once inside it was basic but full of atmosphere.  I had a long bedroom, dining table seat and toilet/bathroom.  The atmosphere of being in a 500 year old intricately-decorated mansion was very special.

The haveli and the neighbouring ones were all built from golden sandstone, which has given rise to Jaisalmer’s nickname “The Golden City”.

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I went across the road to Sunset Restaurant for a simple meal of chowmein.  It was nice but a little oily.  I explored Jaisalmer by foot afterwards both within the fort and outside afterwards.  At around 1900 the shops here were starting to take their wares indoors.  I took a dessert of apple pie and ice-cream before returning to the haveli.

I attempted to have an early night but buzzing mosquitoes kept me awake.  I was getting bitten but fortunately they didn’t get itchy the next day.  The light cold that I had caught in Dehradun was starting to have complications with lots of yellow gobs coming out from my chest.  Perhaps it was the copious desert dust that I have been inhaling as well.  I gave up and took half a sleeping pill to get the rest that I needed.