Mittwoch, 11. November 2009

Getting back to Jodhpur

After the experience with the Indian Sleeper bus I descide to opt for the train this time. I get a 2nd class AC sleeper, though it's only a five hour trip from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur (285km !). The train is supposed to leave at 16:45 and get there at 22:00. But it is four hours late getting to Jaisalmer and because it has to be cleaned (it *really* needs to be cleaned but they don't *really* do it...) it can't just turn right back around. We finally leave Jaisalmer at 19:30 with not even three hours delay. I have to bunk in the isle above the window. It is marginally wider than the bus but at least it is long enough to strech out.
The ride is smooth and at some point I even fall asleep despite it all.
We get to Jodhpur at 12:45.
The station's hall is full of people camping there waiting for their train. It is some sight.
Outside a hord of tuck tuck drivers is waiting to chaufer us to our respective guest houses. I get my ride for 30 rupees but the driver doesn't have a clue where my guest house is. I would think it a core competence for any driver here to know the places tourists want to go to. If it's in the Lonely Planet, they shoudl know it. But apparently honking ranks a higher priority here. They are all masters of that.
So my driver follows an other one who also needs to go to the same place.
We are droped off at a corner because the street is getting too narrow to drive. But the place is just around the corner.
We help ourselves in through the doors left unlocked for us. The lobby is dark and deserted. Then something is mooving in the sark and a short guy appears from the floor behind a table, switches on some light and shows us to our rooms.
We're here.