Our next exciting venture was further west towards Jaisalmer and the desert, the journey became more and more exciting as the landscape changed from arid land to dry sandy desert.




En route we also saw a change in the structure of village houses. Many were built of sandstone slabs in a circular formation to enable the wind to flow around them.


We arrived at the dream city and rode up into the fort on the hill through winding narrow lanes where we would find our guesthouse.



A cow that we spotted in a narrow lane within the fort (they go everywhere, they climb steps and go into houses...) it still had colour from the Holi celebrations (nothing escaped the celebration) :-) You can also see an example of one of the beautiful doors that are on many buildings within the fort.


Looking down from the fort at the rest of Jaisalmer city which was situated down the hill outside the protective walls. Notice the *lack* of blue colour - every other Rajasthani city we have visited is painted some form of blue or at least whitewashed!


A view of the picturesque lake...


Next, on to the exciting camel safari :-) :-) :-)

This is Tara when we first encountered him. If you think he looks like he has a bit of attitude...just wait until you meet Pepsi - Tara is a sweetheart :-)


The camels were saddled and loaded up and we were soon on our way into the wilderness.


K and Pepsi - even though K is strong we thought it best that she should ride the camel as opposed to the other way around :-) Just a note...a camel can carry a 500 kg load on it's back (not that K is that heavy!) or pull a cart carrying 800 kgs - they are truly the workhorses of the desert!


Tara and I, building a lasting relationship :-)



K was able to jump straight up onto Pepsi with no problem, I on the other hand needed much help from Sarjan who lifted me up onto the saddle, particularly after I ended up hanging upside from Tara's side. Riding the camel was OK too but dismounting took some getting used to as the camel would drop it's front legs first thus thrusting you forward with an abrupt movement. (K loves this photo - it makes her giggle everytime she sees it) :-)


En route we encountered some kids that had lost their mother. Sarjan carried one whilst K carried the other on the camel, it was so cute. We eventually found the mother as well as the herdsmen in the nearby village. We were rewarded for our efforts with some lumps of soft brown sugar :-)


We soon joined up with a convoy of other people who were on a camel safari with Ganesh Travels, there was much laughter due to the behaviour of the camels toward one another.


Soon we encountered our first great sand dunes.



K's view from aboard Pepsi :-)


We stopped early evening and set up camp. K and I went for a wander around the dunes intrigued by the shifting shape of the sand formations.


K was surprised to spot this mushroom growing.


I was amazed and so happy to be in the wilderness, I just stood on the sand dunes and stared out for quite some time until the light became low :-)


It was great to watch the sand blow over the tops of the ridges.


Some of the ridges looked like spines of the desert.


It did not take long to get used to the large number of dung beetles roaming the desert. They would come and join us in drinking chai as well as in our beds at night! At night you could hear them scratching around or a tap as their tough shell would hit something solid :-)


We had a great meal that night, afterwards we all sat around the campfire and were treated to some audio entertainment by our hosts :-)


The next morning we said goodbye to everyone else - K, Sarjan and I were now on our own. This is camelman Singh before he left (he's not looking very awake :-)


Soon we were on our way after helping Sarjan load up the camels, we were not pushed for time like the others who had just left. We spent the day travelling jeep tracks from village to village and visiting tubewells en route.


We sat up our lunch camp and Pepsi and Tara had some lunch while...


...Sarjan cooked another great meal :-)


After our nap we were back on the camels for another hour and a half, arriving at the next set of dunes where we stopped for dinner and the overnight. We went for another walk and saw amongst the sand:

Shells, evidence of the life that lived here in a time before humans walked the earth.


Some remains of animals that would have lost their lives in the drought a few years previous (we saw lots of more of this sort of thing while were were riding - even some camel bones). All that was left would be scattered bones and skulls which had been picked clean by birds of prey as well as foxes and jackals.



While we were wandering around and collecting firewood Pepsi and Tara got to feed in the trees and shrubs in preparations for....the camelsutra!


It was great to watch the sun go down in the desert.


Sarjan cooked our evening meal and made my desert birthday cake. He always provided K with as many chapatis as she could eat :-) We spent the rest of the evening talking and sipping on a beer each.


It was pretty cold that night and when I awoke on my birthday morning it took a lot of work to get me out from under the camel blankets and woollen shawls that K had covered me with :-)


Back on the camels for an early departure, we spent the day riding again with a break at lunchtime to rest and sit in the shade for three hours or so. I spent some time listening to the birds in the trees as well as the flies buzzing around. The camels also got to snooze...


When it was time to move on again to go and meet the jeep, Sarjan sent us to fetch the camels who had wandered off to eat more shrubs. We both got to ride the camels back to camp bareback, sitting behind the hump. It was quite an experience! :-)


Our last moment with Sarjan, Tara and Pepsi before we boarded the jeep.


We had an amazing time, it was an experience that neither of us will ever forget :-) :-) Thanks for looking!