JAMAS, THIS IS WHY JODHPUR IS BLUE

JAMAS, THIS IS WHY JODHPUR IS BLUE

Video answer

How is that for responsive to my viewers? BOOYEAH!




LOGAN GIVES MORE INFORMATION AND ANOTHER TIRADE

Well, once again my plans have changed. I know some people out there think 'Why do you bother to try to plan? You know you're just going to change them!'

It's a cosmic mystery.

I was sitting around in Jodhpur. I was enjoying the guesthouse I was at and that kept me an extra couple days over what I'd have normally stayed in the city. That and finding the cheap food. Being able to live cheaply is always important for Logan's Evil Plans.

While I was hanging out in Jodhpur, I kept hearing about Jalsemer. Most of the people working at the guesthouse were from there. A lot of tourists had been there. Everyone said they loved it. So I figured, what the hell, perhaps it is a cosmic sign I should go.

Plus the bus fare was only 182 RS so why not.

If I can keep the bus fares within my daily allowance it essentially means I can wander about at will while still saving money. It means I don't have to be trapped in a town or area I am bored with. I like it.

For me, there is always a impetus to move and travel. It is countered by my laziness. Packing, unpacking and the extreme discomfort of cheap transportation in India makes me want to stay at a place a bit longer. So, those two things either keep me still or get me moving. I still haven't found what I'm looking for. Nor, do I know what it is. Nor do I particularly care if I find it any time soon. 'Der weg ist das ziel.' (German, the way is the goal).

So, I found out that I needed to go to the Goman Bus Station. I was told this would cost 50 RS. (The guy started at 100, tried for 80 and settled for 50 RS when I kept repeating it.)

At the Goman bus station, I found out something interesting about the Indian bus system. I have been puzzled in the past about why you cannot purchase a bus ticket more than a half hour (or less) before the bus is set to leave. According to the man at the ticket window, this is because they have no idea which bus will actually show up. So, they wait for a bus to show up and then sell you a ticket for that particular bus. Weird. There are no assigned seats and it really makes no sense. I suspect it is just part of the Indian Bureaucracy.

Another interesting thing is that for trains, you need ID. For buses, you don't. So, if you wish to remain incognito - buses. Or if you are just sick of the hassle - buses.

Unfortunately, you will constantly have to provide a lot of ID and form filling in at every fucking place you stay. In order to 'combat terrorism', the Indian government requires forms to be filled out everywhere. And every place must have a photocopy of your passport. I'm guessing if you have enough money, you could bypass this if you talk to the owner but for those of us living cheap it's a huge headache. They ask for things like your permanent address, where you came from and where you are going. According to the guest house owners I've spoken to about this, they don't feel that anyone actually reads these forms - they are just accumulated. Like the Cold War Stasi, they just collect the documents in a big game of CYOA

So, I made yet another painful journey to another town. Hate traveling in those buses, but they are damned cheap. Sure, it's standing room only and often with no breaks longer than a quick smoke - if at all... But cheap.

So I got to Hotel Prathvi Palace. I actually felt a bit sorry (in retrospect) for the owner. Dealing with a grumpy, tired Logan is not a lot of fun. After negotiating room and laundry rates down we decided to test out the hot water to see if it really was.

It took half an hour of Herculean efforts and bringing in other people before it got up to 'not cold'. Not hot, but not cold. Good enough.

The room itself is very nice. It has all of the things I like - aside from hot water on demand. It has a balcony, writing desk (of a sort) and good wifi for no extra charge in the room. Great.

The restaurant itself seems to be where they are trying to make the money. The beer is 150 RS which I've been told is standard. But I can buy a bottle of beer for $3 or less in the states - and the beer of India isn't very good. The food itself is what I'd term 'scary priced' with a meal going between 200-400. Since I like to eat for under 100 RS, I tried that at the restaurant. Plate of fried daal and some bread. Man cannot live on daal alone, I reasoned and went into town to find a real meal. Found thali for 45 RS. Tipped them 5 RS. Everyone happy.

The thali is actually served out of some guys home and the four kids in there acted as though they'd never seen a foreigner before.

Tomorrow, I will go about the town and take a look around as well as try to find more reasonably priced food.

Unfortunately now (11:10 PM) I'm stuck listening to a guy caterwauling and some other guy playing a drum. The 'oh, isn't it a lovely culture' shit ends when you want to go to sleep. Apparently, the dogs don't like it either as it has sent them all to barking incessantly. Going to be an interesting night!