Pushkar

In Udaipur, after travelling up to and down from Sunset Point in a cable-car, we had the best rickshaw driver ever who played us pumping Shakira and Beyonce tunes complete with party lighting... but then found ourselves stuck in the middle of a huge muslim festival with 4-storey tall floats of model temple/mosques. We decided it would be impossible to make it to our hotel through the crowds, so we stood on the side of the road and watched a couple of the floats pass.

We got pulled right out of the way by women and girls who feared for our safety. After realising that the festival celebrations would probably go for another couple of hours, we decided brave the crowd in search for somewhere to eat. After about 50 metres, many not-so-sly taps on the bum and women trying to ‘rescue’ us by pulling us aside, we sought refuge with some other westerners in the Jagdish temple, on the balcony where we could watch the frivolities and laugh at the other silly westerners caught in the crowd. After a while, bored by the repetitiveness of the drumming, dancing and tall floats, we decided to brave the crowd again to get out.

After being advised by the police to go back up and wait on the temple balcony, Hye Jin took the lead, Kate and I followed, as did another poor Asian girl who just wanted to go back to her hotel. We managed to find a hotel with a rooftop restaurant (the owner of which had, the night before, told us to come up to watch the festival) and we ate dinner with an amazing view over the lake, with our backs to the crazy festival. Making it safely back to our hotel, I curled up in the foetal position to try to appease my cranky stomach for eating too much.  

We’d heard amazing things about Pushkar, but unfortunately we haven’t had much chance to experience it. Still too full to eat anything when we got on the train to Ajmer, I slept for a few hours before my stomach produced an amazing ‘safety yellow’ colour that it forcefully ejected via my mouth into a squat toilet. Feeling heaps better, I had a butterscotch-type lolly and continued the journey. Minutes before we stopped in Ajmer, I was standing outside the bathroom deciding whether or not to throw up again... As we were at the stop, I had to postpone for half an hour, when the taxi stopped in Pushkar. Brilliant colours again flew from my mouth into the mud at the foot of a Hindu shrine (bad karma??) We found a hotel and I stayed in bed there too afraid to eat or drink anything until this morning. Kate and Hye Jin had tummy problems of their own so we all had a very lazy day pretty much in bed. Waking up this morning, I felt fine, but not hungry so I just had a butter-menthol (they fix everything) and went for a walk with Hye Jin to explore. Having ‘sucker’ tattooed on my forehead, I was convinced by a Brahmin (priest) to get myself some good karma at the Ghats. I actually probably wouldn’y say convinced because I had very little idea what I was doing... Mum, Dad, Ash and Sam: I’m very sorry if bad stuff happens because I think I prayed for your good fortune, but I’m not entirely sure... I know I said “Om” a few times.  Sticking a red dot of paint and some rice to my forehead, he asked me to donate money on a holy coconut to appease the gods... apparently I only paid enough to feed 2 out of 5 of them so I’m not sure what happens now.. He said that next time I come back, I must bring my husband (that I will have because he prayed for one for me) and children (ditto) and pay more money. Ha. Leaving there with the red dot actually screaming ‘sucker’ on my forehead, I made sure I said no to everyone else who came along.

Exhausted, I came back for a lie down after scouting the marketplace for bargains and bartering with a kid for cheaper bottled water. I woke up and went up to the roof for a chai and a plain chapati (with vegemite) and decided to go exploring again. I was too tired so I had another lie down. It’s now 4pm and both the other girls are asleep. I’m feeling alright, and when my computer battery has charged, I’m going to find a wireless cafe to post this and check my emails.

I’m going to WANGARATTA next year semester 2 and semester 1 in 2012! Yay J

We’ve only got a week left in India, before Kate and I arrive in Cambodia on the 27^th Dec to move into our apartment. I will get the address as soon as I can, but I’m not sure how reliable the post system is.

Much love and prayers. Will spend a lot of time on Christmas day on skype if anyone wants to chat, add me: hay_la_belge

Xx

My tummy hurts. it's a little uncomfortable feeling like this in an internet cafe a fair hike from the hotel. but i'll survive.. prayers please??