We are sitting on our camp beds, the sky our roof, and a campfire has been successfully lit. Venus sits high in the western sky. The dunes are no longer visible, the dunes of the great Thar desert. But I will start at the beginning.
We woke up at 7am. The train gently bumping along. Our bunks were comfortable and the fan adequate to keep the carriage cool. Outside a vendor, walked along the narrow corridors, calling out Chai, Chai. It was 10 rupees a cup for delicious Chai. Jennifer and I bought some meals for the train trip in Delhi, and this morning we had the leftover dosa, and some semolina cakes. We arrived at Jaslaimer railway station at 11:30, right on time. We pulled and carried our bags behind our guide, onto taxis, then we travelled to our accommodation. I had my first sight of the fort. It is a vast complex, thick walls which slope to battlements: its rich colours are all from the yellow sandstone blocks and mortar originally mined from the Thar desert. First built in the 12th century by a raja, a local king. This same family stayed in charge of this part of Rajasthan, fighting off, or negotiating its survival until 1947 when the establishment of India’s independence included the end of all the princely small states. They survived the Mughals and even the English ambitions for India.
The fort is a beautiful construction of itself, but also includes many other later and notable buildings including three famous Jain temples. We hope to explore them when we return from our Thar adventure. The narrow, paved streets, the three storey buildings with doors on the streets. Shopfronts selling books, Hindu texts, novels and light reading, as well as books about Indias history in all types of languages. Leather goods, fine shawls, carpets, cascade out of windows, and cover the street walls of the shops. Motor bikes and small cars negotiate the twisting alleys, honking and accelerating, on the steep ascents and descents.

We will spend the next few days exploring these marvellous streets and shops.

After we arrived at Deepak Hotel, we climbed the steep steps up to the lobby, then to our rooms. It is an incredible room, paintings of hunting rajas, lacework designs in mortar on two walls, red translucent curtains and a low table and wooden chairs. It is a very comfortable room indeed, and I would not be surprised to see Aladdin pop in through a window.

The fort is largely the responsibility of the government, as the building is collapsing in some areas which is due to changes in water use following massive increases in tourism. The fort is built on sand, and the changes in water level, have triggered subsidence. The government of india is doing its best to approach this problem, financing repairs. Our hotel is part of the wall itself, I suspect it would have been soldiers and officers quarters at one time.
After lunch, we all took light bags for our camel trek. Bundled into three 4WDs, we travelled about an hour to the outskirts of the Thar desert. Waiting for us were some camels and their handlers which are already kitted up for our trek. Getting on and getting up, is a bit harrowing. It’s essential to lean back to stop falling off the front of the camel. Once up in the air on the saddle, it’s not too bad, the rocking takes some getting used to and negotiating dips and rises requires some attention by the rider ie me.

The ride went for 90 minutes . The highlight was Jennifer’s saddle slipping down the camels neck, a situation not compatible with safe camel travel. Poor Jennifer slid off elegantly and was caught by some of the attentive camel handlers. After that, Jennifer preferred to ride in the camel cart. The camel is known as the Ship if the desert, and now I know why, you rock up and down just like a bout, the snorting and grunting resembles a diesel onboard marine engine, and the clincher us when they sneeze or snort, I get a cooling spray of camel drool. As I said just like a ship!
After settling in at the campsite, we all have comfortable camp beds and plenty of warm blankets. We walked onto the dunes which are famous in the Thar. This is an immense desert but only small portions are sand dunes, rolled into heaps, crests and hollows by the desert wind. The sculpting is beautiful and ever changing. However, the Thar has been a barrier for invaders to India for Millenia, fatally testing the mettle and resolve of many armies.

The evening has closed under the sky, the northern constellations clearly visible. What a wonderful day it has been.