Day 152, Bikaner, Rajasthan [Friday 2nd May 2008]
Previous day: Day 151, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan [Thursday 1st May 2008]
Next day: Day 153, Chandigarh, Punjab [Saturday 3rd May 2008]
We get the bus to Bikaner, winding through the desert. It's a hot, dusty day. The sandy desert stretches to the horizon, interrupted only by dots of scrub. It looks like there's nothing there, but intermittently the bus stops for a group of people waiting by the road — neon-turbaned men, women in deep red saris, the ends curled around their shoulder and draped over their faces, huge gold rings trough their noses.
At Bikaner we lock our bags at the train station and look around the fort and palace. The palace has a couple of beautiful rooms, with intricately detailed gold painted decoration over the walls and ceiling. The maharaja even had a DC-9 biplane, given to him by the British as a thank you for help during world war two.
We get the overnight train to Chandigarh. There's a backpacker in the next compartment who strips all the way down to his pants before getting into bed!
Next day: Day 153, Chandigarh, Punjab [Saturday 3rd May 2008]
Previous day: Day 151, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan [Thursday 1st May 2008]