March 3, Saturday

March 3, Saturday

Long day today since it is a 400 km drive from Delhi to Pushkar.  Would not be much on any Canadian or USA roads, but this is India.   We left at 8 am from the hotel and arrived in Pushkar at 4:30, stopping twice so that Neema could rest and we could eat.

We were on toll roads most of the way, and actually on one of India’s major highways going from Delhi to Bombay / Mumbai.   (Many people here still refer to it as Bombay.)  Did not have a road map with me and unfortunately did not have access to the internet so haven’t been able to verify the route yet, but here are the names I saw along the route:  Bhuwadi, Manesar, Ghiloth, Sotalana, Jaipur, Mansar.   There was construction work being done all along the road so we were slowed down on a regular basis.  Some areas were congested with transport trucks as well.  

During the first part of the day there were many green fields (beets, rice and some other plant they use to make vegetable oil.   The land was flat for as far as the eye could see.   There were a few hills (which they call mountains) but very few.    I did not see many Sikhs in Delhi, or during the drive.   Only when we reached the Pushkar area did I start seeing bright coloured turbans.  

A lot of motorbikes on the highway as well, with women in saris riding side saddle on the back.  No helmets, no protective clothing;  one bad bump or sudden break and she’s history.  

It was really funny today because I kept thinking Mom and Dad were in the car with us.   Neema mutters under his breath and scratches the side of his head when he has to cope with bad traffic,  just like Dad used to do !    I was doing the sharp breath intake every time someone cut us off and we were close to a near collision,  just like Mom used to do.    After a few hours on the road I decided that I had to stop watching the road like I was driving, and just look  out the side and back windows.   Otherwise my nerves would be shot by the end of the day, let alone at the end of 2 weeks. 

 Road construction and detours creating traffic jams.

  This is one of the bridges we crossed.  I tried not to think of what the bottom of the bridge looked like.
  An overpass will facilitate.... once it is finished.
  Agricultural areas along the way
  And just a few mountains / hills here and there.
  And they use camels in this area of the world.  Well they call them camels but they are actually dromedaries.
 They use them to pull their wooden carts.
  And anything goes when it comes to transportation.
  And this is their version of a roadside café
  And the "cows" are everywhere.  Does not matter if it is male or female, they are refered to as Sacred Cows.
  And they use anything they have to drag their loads of wears.
   Monkeys using the cow troph to get a drink of water.
  Mama and baby
  and two other little ones.
  I took a lot of pictures of camels, and then by the end of two days it was.... "oh, there is another camel"  And always the garbage along the roads
  This is a view of one of the streets in a town along the way.
  An Indian made car:  Tata.
  More cows along the road.
  And I swear, apart from the rubber tires, this could be 2000 years ago.
 A herd of ship beside the road
  Crossing Jaipur, heading for Pushkar
  Tent cities in Jaipur
  And eternal garbage everywhere.  I'm starting to wonder if there is a "garbage pick-up" service here.  Doesn't look like it because everyone just throws stuff in the streets or on the side of the road.
  There are new, nice buildings as well, but rubbish is not picked up after the work is completed.
 Check this truck out ....  No cab !
  We passed a town with a marble quarry.  Lots of dust, but also many monuments for sale.
  Check out the blocks of raw marble
  And these are the processed, polished marble flats.
  A train going through the country side.  Good sign, no people on top !
   Nearing Pushkar,  school kids playing on the sand dunes
  Other kids walking home from school
  I had to laugh when I saw this sign and check out the picture below, that was just beside the sign.

 Pushkar and more cows
  4 sided tower Temple in Pushkar
  I wanted to go for a camel ride, but it was 3 hours long and my back would not be able to take such a long ride.
  My hotel room in Pushkar
  The inner courtyard of the hotel.

Also found out that “pur” means city:   Johdpur, Jaipur, Udipur, etc.

The hotel where I am staying for 2 nights in Pushkar is the Master Paradise Hotel.  Very nice, very clean and very Indian.   The wall paintings are very beautiful in a traditional Indian style.   I had a nice shower after I settled in, then went down for dinner.   Nice vegetarian dish with lemon rice and Indian Chai.   I had almost finished my meal when another lady came in for her dinner.  As she ordered her meal, I definitely detected a French accent in her spoken English,  so as I was ready to leave I wished her “Bonne Appétit”.  We exchanged a few words;  she is from Belgium and is also travelling alone.   We kept chatting and I finally sat down with her while she had her dinner.  So nice to be speaking French again.   We exchanged stories, happy and stressful.   I’m lucky with my driver, she hasn’t been with hers.   My excursion is just starting and hers is ending.   But it was a nice chat and we seemed to have a lot in common;  travellers normally do.

I went to bed fairly early since I had a headache for most of the day.