Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Delhi

We did it! We made it to Jaisalmer in (mostly) one piece! At the outset of the Rickshaw Run my primary goal had been to survive. If we crossed the finish line by the 15^th of January that would be a job well done.

We stayed only a couple miles from Jaisalmer Fort
the main attraction in the center of town

As it turns out, we made it to Jaisalmer on the 14^th. Our final parade and cricket match was set for the 15^th, and we didn’t want to miss out on the festivities. Most other teams also arrived by the 14^th and checked in at the local palace, where HQ was awaiting our arrival. I didn’t initially check us in, however, because our rick needed a bit of work done. If you recall my previous post, I rolled it driving in the dark. The windshield was out of place, one mirror and a turn light were broken, and some metal needed rearranging.

After checking in to our hotel—the Mariott of course—I drove it into town in search of a repair shop. I asked around and found a guy who told me he could fix everything for 4,000 rupees, or about $60. He might have been ripping me off, but at that point I didn’t care. If he could have the Steamer good to go by the following morning I was happy to just settle it. The alternative was to turn in our rick in its beat-up condition and let HQ take part of our deposit for damages.

Site of the Rickshaw Run HQ in Jaisalmer

That evening Mike, Sam, Tim, and I took it easy, glad to be finished with the 2,500+ kms of bumpy roads and hectic traffic. We had happy hour drinks at the hotel and joined a group of Runners at the palace for beers and a rooftop bonfire. HQ set up at the local maharajah's house, which is technically a palace (or former palace). Today it’s a hotel and event venue, and although not nearly as magnificent as the Laxmi Villas Palace in Vadodara, still a damn cool place to party.

The morning of the 15^th Tim, Mike, and Sam took the Deere out for a victory lap in the parade, while I checked up on the Steamer’s repair job. The mechanic had replaced the mirror and fixed the windshield, but the blinker was still broken. Apparently the replacement part was out of stock, so I had no choice but to take it as is. Before payment I made sure they welded a couple metal bars back into place and managed to negotiate 500 rupees off the price. When it was all said and done the Steamer had some scratches and dents, but it looked 90% presentable.

Oh boy, am I glad I missed the parade. While I was at the shop I got a message from Mike: “Sam jumped off the Deere roof as we crushed a motorbike then tipped.” How the hell did they manage to crash in the parade??

Later I learned that Tim, while driving, mooned another rickshaw. When he looked back at the road he was heading directly for a parked motorbike. At this point Mike was in the back seat and Sam was sitting on the roof. As the Deere collided with the motorbike head on Sam lept forward—as the legend goes, he flew some 20 feet—and slid into dirt along the side of the road. Maybe it was animal feces. Regardless, it cushioned his fall and Sam walked away relatively unscathed. The Deere suffered minor damages, and Tim paid the motorbike owner 2000 Rupees ($30). Boy were they lucky.

The fort had great views over the city; oh and yes,
I know my outfit is ridiculous

After the repairs were finished I drove to HQ and Mike, Sam, and I officially handed over the keys. In the afternoon Sam and Tim crashed at the hotel while Mike and I explored the old city and Jaisalmer Fort, which was definitely worth the visit. That evening back at HQ we had the final event—our finish line party. Mike, who had been boozing much of the day, passed out and never made it out of the hotel room. Sam and Tim were good to go after their nap, so we headed over at about 8 pm.

Kingfisher Strong was all Mike and I needed!

The party was a great way to celebrate our journey with other Runners and make a few more memories. Dinner was served, and the bar sold Kingfisher and mixed drinks. The event organizers said a few words and handed out prizes (us lazy bastards knew we weren’t in the running). Unlike Kochi, we could continue drinking past 10 pm—and we didn’t leave HQ until nearly 4 in the morning.

Before Mike and Sam flew out on the 18th
we stopped by the Umaid Bhawan Palace,
although only a fraction was open to the public

The following morning—late morning—we begrudgingly checked out and arranged for a car to drive the four of us to Jodhpur, where Sam and Mike would catch a flight to Mumbai. The drive took 6 hours, and by the time we found a place in Jodhpur all we wanted to do was get dinner and sleep. On the 17^th at noon Mike and Sam departed, and Tim also said adios. Tim actually didn’t have a reservation, and even the morning of was debating whether to keep traveling—to meet up with a friend in Vietnam—or to go home (like I said, he has a trust fund). In the end he called it a day and flew Jodhpur to Delhi, Delhi to Moscow, and then on to the US.

The rest of the palace is now a hotel, off-limits to the likes of us

As for me, I had a flight departing from Delhi to Myanmar on January 19^th. The day the others left I spent sightseeing in Jodhpur; I took a tour of the Mehrangarth Fort, browsed in the central market, and booked my train journey to Delhi. That night I caught a 12 hour sleeper to the capital.

Mehrangarth Fort, built in the 15th century

Looking back at the entrance to the fort

Within the walls is also a palace, gardens, and a temple

View of Jodhpur from the fort wall

What I didn't’ count on was my sleeper was only a bed—no sheets or blankets. The train was nearly full so I think my second class bed was the only available option when I booked the ticket. Nighttime in the north can be cold, especially when all I had to cover up was a light jacket and vest. At one point I had to double up on my socks to stave off hypothermia. I’m being melodramatic here; no, I didn’t nearly freeze to death, but I was ill prepared—I thought India would be hot!

Raj Ghat memorial to Gandhi

I lucked out when the hotel let me check in early in the morning of the 18^th; that one night booking turned out to be a full 24 hours. After a hot shower and a nap I headed out to see Dehli for the day. I made the most of my short time there, visiting the Raj Ghat Park and Gandhi memorial, the Red Fort, and exploring Old Delhi and the Chawri Bazaar by foot.

The Red Fort

The fort's interior is a quiet respite from chaotic Old Delhi

Later in the afternoon I went to see Qutub Minar, a minaret which was the tallest man-made structure in the world when built (12^th to 14^th century). I only saw it from a distance, however; entry was 500 Rupees, and since I already paid 600 for the Red Fort I decided my view from afar was enough. Instead I walked through Jawaharlal Nehru University before grabbing a rickshaw taxi back to the metro station. That night I stuffed myself on street food near my hotel and crashed early.

Qutub Minar

Part of the national government in New Delhi

The next morning, before heading to the airport, I checked out the Parliament of India and the government compound in New Delhi, the official capital (which is surrounded by the city of Delhi). Fortunately I gave myself plenty of time to catch my flight, because I rode the airport express line to the main aiport stop, only to learn that it was the international terminal. My trip had a stopover in Kolkata, so I was technically on a domestic flight. To get to the domestic terminal required a 20 minute shuttle ride. In the end I made it with time to spare, but the extra leg work was a hassle, especially considering I had a long day of travel ahead of me.

Some curious students I met my last morning in Delhi

Dehli: worth a visit? Yes. Highlight of India? Definitely not. Delhi has its fair share of tourist attractions, but it’s also crowded, dirty, poor, and has scams in spades. Wikitravel warns: “This city is difficult to handle even for seasoned travelers, and it is hard to shake off the feeling that it is one big dirty noisy dump where everyone tries to rip you off.”

Now, wikipedia tends to err on the side of caution, so take that last sentence with a grain of salt. But there certainly is truth to it. I fancy myself a seasoned traveler who can avoid scams, but I saw them too. My rickshaw driver who took me to the India Gate also stopped at a gem shop and pushed me to buy souviners. I refused and made my annoance clear, yet he then stopped at another shop two minutes later. After dropping me off at the metro he still pleaded for a tip (which I didn’t pay). At a food stall I watched a local buy fried veggies and hand over 20 Rupees. I ordered less of the same dish and the vendor tried to charge me 60.

The cities in India live up to their dirty reputation; this
was in Jodhpur, although the scene is common in many places

I was glad to visit Dehli, and if given the chance I'd certainly visit India again. Mumbai might be worth a visit, but generally I'd avoid the big cities and head to the countryside. I would love to see the Northeast, which borders China, Bangladesh, and the next country on my itinerary, Myanmar.