November 16, 2009 – Day 325 – Mumbai, India

Whether you call it Mumbai or Bombay, this city is a really happening place! It boasts the richest neighborhoods and most famous people in India but it also holds Asia’s largest slum. From both extremes, Mumbai is a place you will either love or hate. It is India and it is not. The people are different, the food is different, the prices are high and the city is abuzz and never sleeps. At any hour you will hear traffic whizzing and honking its way through the streets below your hotel room. You can always find a snack stand open and there is no shortage or high-end establishments to spend your hard-saved Rupees.

In the streets of Mumbai

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November 15, 2009 – Day 324 – Udaipur, India

So the sun is shining and making the lake in town look very pretty! The Lake Palace is glistening white out in the middle of the lake and the ghats are busy with locals doing their washing. We took a walk to Fateh Sagar lake that looked a lot like the one in town. It is pretty…from the right sightline. The edge we came to was strewn with garbage and the water was lower than normal since there has been a drought in the recent weeks (according to some locals we asked).

Gazebo over the lake

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November 14, 2009 – Day 323 – Udaipur, India

Today we took it pretty easy since it was another ugly day. We enjoyed a nice view from the rooftop restaurant of our hotel and some good food (chapatti and dal fry all the way–it’s still a bit chilly up here!). We are a bit burned out with India and travelling right now and feeling pretty unmotivated to go about the usual sightseeing and exploring we normally enjoy. But to keep you from going bored to death with us, we promise to go see something tomorrow!

The Palace

November 13, 2009 – Day 322 – Udaipur, India

Wow, it’s really cold here! We spent the day wandering the streets of Udaipur, taking a peek at the ghats and the Lake Palace across the water. Udaipur is a pleasant Indian city with a very high concentration of cows (and thus their “patties”). Unfortunately, much of the water is polluted with trash and other dirty liquids that turn it to a brownish color. It has been a gloomy, cold day but we are hoping for some sun and a more beautiful looking lake tomorrow!

Not really much of a lake, more of a bog

November 11-12, 2009 – Day 320-321 – Jodhpur/Udaipur, India

On the way to Jodhpur last night we discovered that India has made yet another attempt on our lives. This time is was in the form of some poisoned desert eggs! Saben nearly croaked on the bus ride but luckily kept his guts about him til we landed in Jodhpur at the trusty Evergreen Guest House (exceedingly clean and wonderfully cheap! Rs. 250 double room with private bath, hot water). We spent the 11th lying flat on our backs fighting the clutches of death again and hoping we really don’t die here.

Fruit beer!, it cures what ales you. (some exclusions may apply)

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November 10, 2009 – Day 319 – Jaisalmer, India

At sunrise we awoke to a morning as cold as the night had been. With nothing but our noses peeking out of our blankets, we were nearly frozen solid in the cold desert air. The stars were amazing but the wind that came with the blanket of night was almost more than we could take. Our toes hung over our tiny beds and let in an unwelcome draft that chilled our bones each time we stretched beyond the fetal position.

Boy and Camel, a story of freezing death

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November 9, 2009 – Day 318 – Jaisalmer, India

We got into a dusty jeep mid afternoon to begin our camel safari. Odd way to start a camel safari perhaps but after an hour’s drive with a brief stop at an abandoned village, we found ourselves boarding our goofy, furry mounts to head farther into the Thar desert.

The true Mr. Desert, our guide

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November 4-8, 2009 – Day 314-317 – Jaisalmer, India

Spent the last several days enjoying to slow, relaxing pace of this small desert town. Our days were lazy and uneventful. If you really, really want to know just what that means, here is an outline: breakfast, internet cafe, lunch, internet cafe, walking around town trying to choose a restaurant for dinner, dinner, going back to our hotel room to avoid the after-dark mosquito militia and playing cards or writing posts until we get sleepy.

That lunch we were talking about

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November 1-3, 2009 – Day 311-313 – Jodhpur, India

Well, it certainly does not feel like a typical November day for us. By now we would be happily welcoming the cool weather that comes just before a snowy winter. Instead, we are at the edge of the desert in a hot, dusty city enjoying “cold drinks!” as often as possible.

Huge Angry Cow always gets the right of way

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October 31, 2009 – Day 310 – Pushkar, India

Happy Halloween! We didn’t dress up or eat any candy but we did go to the famous camel fair in Pushkar!

A day at the fair

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