Located on the edge of the Thar desert, and near the Pakistan border (as evidence by military helicopters flying over), warm, golden yellow sandstone is the building material of choice for the houses and fort of this town. By day it is a small town that is easily walked around. We had ample opportunity to gaze at the beaded beauty of colorful bedspreads, shawls, clothing, saris, etc. in countless tourist shops. We almost succeed in walking past them all, but inevitably fell for a wine colored bedspread after walking past if for 2 days. Within the fort walls and amid the narrow alleys crowded with cows, tourist, touts, children, dogs, trash, and shops, all of which we are getting accustomed to, was found golden sandstone Jain temples.

Taking advantage of Jaisalmers position near Sam Sand Dune National Park we enjoyed a drive to the desert for the sunset. A definition in scary driving, our driver was a maniac and was even able to scare the older Indian couple crammed into the back of the 4 wheel drive with us. The sunset was nice, but the atmosphere tainted by incessant hawking of camel rides and soft drinks. It was only a display of being hardened travelers that we managed to stand ground in our refusals, and turn a deaf ear.

Jaisalmer is quaint by Rajasthan standards, relaxed, and has ideal sunny weather; but this beauty has her beast, which we met the night we arrived.

We stepped out into a ghost town at 1:30 am, shocked by the absolute lack of available transport or human life that we had come to associate with life in India. The only inhabitants that showed signs of life were the numerous stray dogs.

This town, like most others in India, is created by a network of narrow alleyways all haphazardly interconnected. By day the walls of the alley are a line of shops with endless purchasing possibilities. But by night the wall becomes harsh, corrugated metal doors; keeping shop goods safely stashed within. It is these that we must navigate to find our accommodation.

Having been assured that our budget hotel of choice was only a 5-minute walk from our bus stop, we bravely set forth from the group of quickly dispersing occupants unloading from the 8-hour bus journey.

Only a few minutes later our progress was quickly halted when our route was intersected by a pack of growling dogs having chased and caught up with a solitary, trembling dog. Sympathizing with the fear portrayed by the lone dog, we were nervous about confronting already aggravated animals. Flailing our arms and yelling in our most aggressive tones our decision to progress was due to an absolute lack of potential human saviors. Not easily swayed by our act, the animals did drift off of our path to continue fighting somewhere out of sight.

Adrenaline high, we proceeded in our hunt to find accommodation and what had now become our salvation. Multiple failed attempts up random side alleys, we were starting to despair. Walking along a more brightly lit ally, the light falsely spurning our hope, we had decided to turn back the way we came. At this point an intense barking became evident from somewhere in the near distance. Within a second we had a group of teeth bared, barking dogs headed high speed, straight for us. Despite our engorged body size, made considerable by having 40 lb backpacks and daypacks on our chests, the dogs were not intimidated. Fight or flight? We each chose our coping mechanism. Mike feeding off of already heightened adrenaline, yelled, threw rocks, and managed a convincing display of dominance, while his wife unhesitatingly fled.

Backing down the alley with Mike keeping the dogs at bay, we were once more in an intersection of 6 alleyways, 3 having previously been unproductively explored. Contemplating our chances of surviving a night on the street, a turn of luck happened as we caught sight of the hotel advertisement at the corner of a dark alley. Darting past the quiet but lingering pack of dogs, we scurried as fast as our laden bodies allowed towards hope. Within 2 minutes we found the hotel and were greeted by the groggy hotel owner, who had been rudely awakened from sleep by our over anxious doorbell ringing.

Happily inside we were immensely surprised to have found a budget option that was an extremely good value for immaculately, clean rooms. Only after an hour of lying awake in our beds did we finally drift off to sleep at 3am.

(At point of writing this journal, 2 weeks later, I continue to harbor a slightly irrational fear of dogs)

December 1st - 2nd
Mumbai

December 10th - 11th
Udaipur / The White City

December 12th
A Side trip to Kumbalgarh fort and Ranakpur Jain Temple

December 13th
Jodhpur / The Blue City

December 14th - 15th
Jaisalmer / The Golden City

December 16th
Random Stop : Bikaner and the close by Karni Mata Temple

December 17th - 20th
Pushkar / Important Hindu Pilgrimage Center

December 20th - 22nd
Bundi

December 23rdth - 24th
Agra

December 25th - 28th
New Delhi

Nuances of India

Volunteering in Mizoram