Liv's latest adventure around the globe

About 3 weeks of being in India, yet seeing only Agra and the Taj Mahal once made me want to discover more the vastness of the lands of India. It’s not a small country to begin with, so deciding the next 8 days of chill out time was tough to imagine even if it was about enough time. I had all kinds of options, going to the Himalayas and do mountain climbing, or enjoying the nice islands and seaside of Goa, or simply living a deserted life in Jaisalmer. I chose the latter part considering that in the places that I have lived, the desert seem to be the least that I got exposed to. I can even say that I probably won’t have another chance to be in a desert if I decide to live back in the Philippines or in Europe.

So the journey begins from Jaipur, with a 12 hour bus ride to Jaisalmer. It was definitely not an easy ride getting there, as I took the “deluxe” bus which means I have comfortable seats but non-airconditioned bus. To add some thrill in this journey, I decided to just travel on my own given the fact that the rest of the people also had their different itineraries. Then I discovered that traveling in India would just bring you in touch with other backpackers and travelers around with whom you can just learn from their previous experiences as well. In that bus ride was a French girl named Morgan, who was spending a month in India during her summer break. She’s told me all about her previous journeys in other cities of India and where her future destinations would be.

Then we reached the destination, Jaisalmer, where a couple of staff from different hotels were waiting and giving their offer. Luckily, Morgan had some recommendation from her previous hotel in Jaipur which only cost around 1.2 euros per night for a room. We were definitely not the only travelers in that hotel and found myself with more people to interact with and share the stories of their discoveries in India. Only then I realized how lucky I was to be traveling alone, otherwise I wouldn’t have ventured out in joining different groups to learn more not only about the country but also the way they have been traveling India. Some just had 1 month, some had a couple of weeks while there were people who have been traveling for 3 months. Indeed you can choose your own adventure and pace of traveling and still gain the similar level of satisfaction of having experienced India as a whole.

What was initially planned to be a 1 day camel safari ride, sounded more exciting to spend 3 days and 2 nights in the desert. I was with 6 other people: a couple from London & 4 friends from Ireland(1 originally coming from Germany & 1 from Poland)- very international indeed. It started at 8am with a jeepney ride that brought us to some temples and cenotaphs to just get a feel of the life around the desert. Very interesting to be seeing some windmills opposite the cenotaphs, such contrast.

Came the most awaited moment of riding the camel in the desert. We all had to wear a turban to protect ourselves from the strong rays of the sun. The camel drivers patiently joined our journey through walking along with the camels. Ali, this young boy who was responsible for one of the camels, joyously sang songs for us throughout the ride. It can get tough after a few hours, especially on the thighs. The only thing I can think of was that at the end of the ride would be a great meal that the camel drivers themselves would be preparing for us: fresh rotti, spicy vegetables and dal. It was interesting to figure out which direction we would be going, and the guides always knew which way we were heading through the sun- which goes to east, west, north, south. An average of 5km/hour was our record, appreciating the direct heat of the sun at the same time the beauty of the desert.

Our destination always at the end of the day was to be at the sand dunes where we would enjoy the sunset and a wonderful meal. After the sunset was a peaceful bedroom, as wide as your eyes can see with no aircondition needed since it can get cold at night. The moon was so bright you don’t need to be scared of sleeping in the dark cold night, but it definitely gives a good reflection of the sand dunes at night. The following day simply starts as soon as the sun is up, and you don’t even need an alarm clock for it.

After 3 days, you just get used to the ride and the simple lifestyle that you can have. Toilets would be everywhere the bushes would be, bathing would be in any body of water that you find, you hop on and hop off the camel to get to each and every destination and take a rest for a well prepared meal. I got so much used to the lifestyle, that with the rest of the group still putting some sunscreen all the time to avoid getting burnt, I just kept myself exposed into the sun. Ofcourse not realizing that indeed I can still get browner than what I already am, that the first time I looked at the mirror after 4 days, I was so surprised with the tan that I got. J So for those who won’t be able to recognize me in the photos, just understand that I was in the desert for quite awhile.

India is definitely an interesting country and I know that what I’ve seen is just a small percentage of what it can really bring. At the same time, it was a fulfilling experience to be able to live and reflect in the desert for a few days.

For the photos during my trip in India, please check this link: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AcN2TJizbNWM7