Early Train to Jaisalmer

Today has turned out to be not half bad.

Woke incredibly early -- in bed at midnight, up at 5 -- hoisted luggage onto my shoulder and would our way down pitch-black streets towards the market to find a rickshaw. Found one before too long, even gave us a dirt-cheap price to the train station without having to haggle.

Edu pointed out once that the markets here are superstitious. Everyone wants a sucessful sale to start the day, very auspicious. You hear it all the time -- "Welcome, you are my first customer of the day. I give you very good price!" -- and there is truth to it.

We had an auspicious start, arrived early and found our track, put down our luggage. The train, however, didn't come. I asked around, turns out it was delayed from Dehli but should arrive soon. So we waited, waited. Got a snack. Still no train. I left Laura to guard the luggage and checked back in the station. The train was very delayed, still another hour before it would arrive. I went back and took a nap with our luggage.

A train from Ahmenabad arrived, freight was unloaded. We jumped up and scrambled to move our bags. Someone left a burning pot, a smoking micro-stove near us along side the freight car.

Laura and I exchanged glances.

"Ummm ... what is that?"

A uniformed guard walked by and I motioned him over.

"Should we be worried about that?" I asked, pointing. The contraption was fuming smoke and coals.

"No, no," the guard shook his head. "It's sealant. Wax."

"Huh."

Low and behold as the train pulled out of the station the freight car was closed, a note tied to the closed door and the lock painted with hot wax.

"Huh."

I thought back to something else Edu said awhile back. "India is like Europe in the Middle Ages," he had said after two months of travel. For the past few nights in Jodhpur and again now that we're in Jaisalmer we've been sleeping in the shadow of a mountaintop fortress. The presence of the fortress, the feeling of protection it imparts on the city, is very real. Idols, forts, city walls, markets, calls to prayer in the morning and evening. I think Europe may have been like India when Rome was nipping at its heels.

When our train arrived I crawled into an upper berth and fell asleep.

-------------

We seem to have parted ways with Edu and Mire. We played cards on the rooftop at Pushp Guest House, then went to a nearby internet cafe. After awhile they rose to leave.

"This might be goodbye," Mire said. We were headed to Jaisalmer in the early morning and they were indecisive about their future plans.

We rose, hugged and said our goodbyes. It's sad that they're gone, though it had to happen sometime. Friendship is comforting.

--------------

I woke to a jostling train. My hips ached from the uncomfortable seat. I lay still for awhile, dozing until we reached a station and most of the train exited. Not sure where. I climbed down from my berth and joined Laura on her now-empty seat. We were in the desert. When the train moved again we saw clearly the vast savanna, scrub and low, flat trees. We might have been in Africa. This is the Great Thar Desert. Jaisalmer was a powerful trading hub in the region, now sustained by a nearby military base (we're near the Pakistan border) and tourists looking for camel rides into the desert.

Which is why we've come.

After a stop at the military base a man approached us about a hotel in town, which happened to be the same hotel recommended by Pushp. We liked our place in Jodhpur so were happy to follow their recommendation. The man promised a free taxi to check out their new hotel, Hotel Mehrangarh.

"You don't like it, no problem, I take you somewhere else."

He checked on us twice more before we arrived. When we did he grabbed one of our bags and took off into the crowd.

It turned out to be a good deal. Outside the station was a mob of hotel salesmen shouting behind their placards. "Stay with us. Best service. Best location. Inside Fort."

Our driver pushed us past them to a waiting taxi. We drove through the relatively clean, smog-free town to a relatively new building. Saw a few rooms, Laura negotiated a good rate on one, and we filled out paperwork in the office while sipping complementary chai.

Very good salesmen.

We could have cared less. We were just happy to have a place to relax.

Over lunch we discussed plans. Staying here a few days since its cheap and off the beaten path. A multi-day camel trek into the desert. Resting another day before getting on the road again. Giving ourselves time to catch up with ourselves, with writing, with blogging. With honeymooning.

"This is what our honeymoon is all about," Laura said.

I couldn't agree more.

p.s. -- Fam, sorry for not calling on Thanksgiving. Our cell had run out of minutes. We've been stopping everywhere in Rajasthan for a refill but no one has been able to. Finally found someone tonight, so maybe we can catch up soon.