Jaisalmer

I arrived into Jaisalmer about an hour ago and I've already had a shave and a shower. Things are looking up, especially after a long dusty 6 hour train ride with some uncommunicative French people (although I got a Hindi lesson from some kids at a station in the middle of nowhere.) My hotel is also only $4 a night and the best hotel I have had so far. It has a western style toilet... with toilet paper! It was recommended by some Australians that I met in Bikaner and is not in any guidebooks. I went to the rat temple with the Australians in Bikaner. Imagine thousands and thousands of rats in a temple, worshiped and fed, and it is good luck if one of the rats runs over feet. As if you could avoid it, I have enough good luck to last forever after that trip. The manager of the hotel here decided to shut down for the day when I told him that I wanted to get a shave and he went off with me to get a shave and a haircut too. I'm sitting in an internet cafe next door waiting for him to finish up. Jaislamer is by far the most touristy town that I have seen on this trip, but I can understand why. The fort overlooking the town is like something out of a fairytale and the town itself is a maze of tiny winding gorgeous streets - although with a slight cow shit problem :) I'd try and upload some photos, but I am not going to attempt it because I'm pretty sure the entire cafe is running on a 14.4k modem.

One more week until Deva arrives in Mumbai!

edit: I managed to upload a few photos - http://picasaweb.google.com/conorcu00/India2009?authkey=GmFYbyUa8-Q#