Cows, Crows & Crowds

Well, we are back in Delhi after our two week tour of Rajasthan for a last couple of days shopping before heading to Thailand on Saturday.

Our driver, Mr Goswami, dealt with all the problems the Indian roads could throw at him which comprised just about every permutation of 2, 3 and 4 wheels (taxis, crazy taxis, cars, carts, bikes, trikes, tractors and trucks) the combined with 2, 3 and 4 legs (men, women, kids (human), kids (goat), pigs, camels, cows, dogs and the occasional ox. In fact we soon learned that chicken and chipmunks are found on many Indian roads and not just in a monastery KFC.

The upside of the tarmac melting temperatures is that we have had a lot of forts, temples and palaces more or less to ourselves and this has been the best thing for us. The Sun Temple at Ranakpur, near Udaipur, is beautiful and airy, constructed as it is of white marble and dozens of columns but the two lesser temples were as memorable for being deserted and peaceful.

We have seen a number of forts in the last fortnight but none better than Meherangarh in Joghpur. The entrance fee was a bit more than usual but this included an excellent audio guide which was not only informative but meant the usual chancers offering to show you round, pointing out the bleeding obvious, were nowhere to be seen. Money well spent. The initial climb takes you past fortified, spiked gates, many studded with cannonball holes, and into the inner buildings. The courtyards were scorching but inside was cool thanks to the use of light-coloured marble and many carved screens which let breezes in while keeping out prying eyes. The views of the plain below were also stunning and we spent three hours exploring and refuelling on tea and cakes.

Fans of Globe Trekker may have seen the visit to the Rat Temple. We certainly had and were a bit nervous at the thought of hundreds of rats crawling over our feet. In the end the rats were suffering from the heat as much as we were and contented themselves for the most part in sleeping huddled in corners or drinking from the bin lid of milk. The odd one did scurry across our path causing our eyes to widen momentarily but I don't think the locals noticed. They might have heard our shreiks though.

And that was just about it for our road trip. The two weeks flew past in a whirl of temples, palaces, forts, fairly nice hotels and not enough swimming pools.

Thailand next. That's where we'll get the pictures uploaded.....I can feel it in my bones.