Jodhpur

So finally I think I can safely say that I am enjoying India. The first few days were so hair raising and so terrifying, I really did not think I was going to dig this country. But since I have gotten out of the congestion that 16 million people in one city causes, I can officially say that I enjoy this country! Though honestly, I learned a lot about myself and my limits and about traveling in the third world, and I wouldn't have changed those first few days at all.

So we spent 2 days in Jodhpur, in Rajasthan. This is a beautiful city, called the sun city, and clad in a indigo blue. When we first got there we went to the (official) tourist office to find a guest house to stay in, and they (of course) knew someone that had some spare rooms. Everyone one just happens to know someone who wants to sell you something. Let me say something about this country. This is capitalism in its most RAW form. You place the value on goods (haggeling) and everyone is trying to sell you things. Instead of having advertizements all over the place, every time you go on any tour/use a service....you have to go and visit the shop of one of their friends (people who are paying you commission). It is very raw and in your face all the time. You are constantly being sold to and ripped off, NOBODY is just being "nice" to you. They even rip each other off constantly! It is pretty amazing to watch. It took a while to adjust, because the product placement is much more in your face here....

But anyway, enough of my discussions of levels of capitalistic endevour, you want to hear about places. So the first day in Jodhpur we took it easy and just walked around, had a few beers and went to see the fort that towered above the city. It was fantastic. The fort was like a kick ass fort in Europe, but it put them all to shame. Much more intricate, much more evolved. They had been fighting fuedally between small kingdoms for 4000 years longer than the Europeans. They got it down pat! Then yesterday we left at 8 in the morning with two American women we had met the day before for a Bishnoi village. The Bishnoi are a tribe/religion who don't believe in creating waste or harming the environment in anyway. They live through out the deserts of Rajasthan. We saw some traditional crafts (and of course were sold some things...of course) and went to a village and had Chai and millet bread. It was really nice to get out side of the cities all together and we saw some cool animal life and such.

We then came back, and spent the rest of the afternoon doing what we seem to spend ALOT of time doing. Planning for the next stage of the trip. Do we rent a car? Do we take the trains? Buses? Where to stop, where to skip, how long does it really take to get between places.... really there are so many unknowns, and everything in this country is NEVER what we expect...that the real question is: When do you take a chance on something, and when do you not take the chance? When do you risk a risk? It is an interesting question....maybe my philosopher brother can explain it better than me.