Time to leave Pushkar and head on to Jodhpur by train so we organised a late checkout where we were staying as our train wasn't until late afternoon. We had a stroll around the bazaar and came across some crazy European girl (wasn't sure which nationality but poss. Spanish) who couldn't work out how to use an ATM! Being good natured we tried to help (mainly because we wanted to use it after her) and she made us stand there watching her as if we were the ATM guru! People can be odd.
Anyway, we managed to get some food for the journey, jumped in to a taxi to take us to the station and said our goodbyes to the chilled out vibes of Pushkar.
The train statiton was the usual chaotic scene made worse by the lack of information on hand - yes they have info. boards but these show either conflicting or lack of information and there is NEVER anybody from Indian Railways around. After lugging all our gear to the platform shown for Jodhpur, it then differed on the info. boards what time it was due so us along with a group of other travellers were totally in the dark! Eventually new info. was shown along with a platform change so off we trudged laden down with rucksacks and in the end the train was over an hour late. We located our carriage (with difficulty of course!) and settled in for the 5 hr ride. Well it was one that totally sucked. Unlike the previous trains, this one (or maybe just our carriage) had nobody selling drinks/snacks so we had to ration our water (luckily we had food) and it should have arrived at 7.35pm but didn't (what a surprise!) being over 2 hrs late! We have now come to this
conclusion.....
'India is a very challenging place for tourists, no question about it. As for how many of these visitors actually really enjoy travelling in this country for a/ most of their time b/ part of their time or c/ none of their time here is a real mystery. For us, every day is a new set of obstacles, challenges or problems normally caused by the locals who either want your money or want more of your money, or who don't like you (some seem to have a chip on their shoulder about westerners) or some who take great satisfaction from giving you either duff information or the complete run around (this is one of the few things they gladly do for free!). These factors along with the heat, dust, dirt/rubbish and throat choking pollution (glad we have face masks!) means we have struggled during our time in India so far.'
Anyway, after the crap train we negotiated (with difficulty as always!) a rickshaw to take us to our hotel in a non touristy part of town. The hotel had only been open a month and it showed as it took frigging ages for them to check us in which was painful after arriving so late at night so by the time we finally got in our room it was getting on for midnight. Having had no dinner (thanks Indian Railways!) we made do with a pizza the hotel got in for us - yum!
The next day we woke up early considering the late night but this was mainly due to the noise from outside - cows, horns beeping, shouting, banging, you name it we heard it! We went up to the roof terrace for breakfast only to be told there was only veg. sandwiches so we waited and what turned up was 2 stale white bread sarnies (with crusts cut off) filled with cucumber & tomato accompanied by coffee which tasted like it was made with water from the toilet - unflushed (go figure that one!). Yuck. We decided to get something elsewhere. After a trip to the train station, we discovered all the tickets to our next stop were sold out (typical) so headed to the busy clock tower/market area where we stopped for some lunch (a tourist place so good food but they tried to rip us off - 3 times in fact including short changing me by 100 rupees!). We took to the quieter back streets below the fort for a stroll around then we luckily chanced across a booze shop so we splashed out a whole £4 on a bottle of Gin (good for the nerves). As it was the start of Dewali (Indian festival), everybody was very happy and friendly (makes a change!) saying hello to us and wishing us a Happy Dewali which made us feel more welcome. Maybe things aren't so bad afterall?..................
Anyway, we managed to get some food for the journey, jumped in to a taxi to take us to the station and said our goodbyes to the chilled out vibes of Pushkar.
The train statiton was the usual chaotic scene made worse by the lack of information on hand - yes they have info. boards but these show either conflicting or lack of information and there is NEVER anybody from Indian Railways around. After lugging all our gear to the platform shown for Jodhpur, it then differed on the info. boards what time it was due so us along with a group of other travellers were totally in the dark! Eventually new info. was shown along with a platform change so off we trudged laden down with rucksacks and in the end the train was over an hour late. We located our carriage (with difficulty of course!) and settled in for the 5 hr ride. Well it was one that totally sucked. Unlike the previous trains, this one (or maybe just our carriage) had nobody selling drinks/snacks so we had to ration our water (luckily we had food) and it should have arrived at 7.35pm but didn't (what a surprise!) being over 2 hrs late! We have now come to this
conclusion.....
'India is a very challenging place for tourists, no question about it. As for how many of these visitors actually really enjoy travelling in this country for a/ most of their time b/ part of their time or c/ none of their time here is a real mystery. For us, every day is a new set of obstacles, challenges or problems normally caused by the locals who either want your money or want more of your money, or who don't like you (some seem to have a chip on their shoulder about westerners) or some who take great satisfaction from giving you either duff information or the complete run around (this is one of the few things they gladly do for free!). These factors along with the heat, dust, dirt/rubbish and throat choking pollution (glad we have face masks!) means we have struggled during our time in India so far.'
Anyway, after the crap train we negotiated (with difficulty as always!) a rickshaw to take us to our hotel in a non touristy part of town. The hotel had only been open a month and it showed as it took frigging ages for them to check us in which was painful after arriving so late at night so by the time we finally got in our room it was getting on for midnight. Having had no dinner (thanks Indian Railways!) we made do with a pizza the hotel got in for us - yum!
The next day we woke up early considering the late night but this was mainly due to the noise from outside - cows, horns beeping, shouting, banging, you name it we heard it! We went up to the roof terrace for breakfast only to be told there was only veg. sandwiches so we waited and what turned up was 2 stale white bread sarnies (with crusts cut off) filled with cucumber & tomato accompanied by coffee which tasted like it was made with water from the toilet - unflushed (go figure that one!). Yuck. We decided to get something elsewhere. After a trip to the train station, we discovered all the tickets to our next stop were sold out (typical) so headed to the busy clock tower/market area where we stopped for some lunch (a tourist place so good food but they tried to rip us off - 3 times in fact including short changing me by 100 rupees!). We took to the quieter back streets below the fort for a stroll around then we luckily chanced across a booze shop so we splashed out a whole £4 on a bottle of Gin (good for the nerves). As it was the start of Dewali (Indian festival), everybody was very happy and friendly (makes a change!) saying hello to us and wishing us a Happy Dewali which made us feel more welcome. Maybe things aren't so bad afterall?..................
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