Sun shine in plenty and the Golden City of Jaisalmer

January 2 ,2014 Day 4
Umidon wali dhoop , sunshine wali aasha
A promise of hope in our otherwise mundane lives...

Gajner vilage somewhere 40 kms from Bikaner onwards to Jaisalmer,Rajasthan on national Highway 15...
A cup of tea and a bowl full of millet...
And a whole flock of sparrows...

After almost a decade and many mobile phones later, my first sight of sparrows...at the Red Fort Hotel road stop Gajner ,dist Bikaner Rajasthan.
Hope is not lost after all.

Solar parks and windmills and flat ribbon like roads.'
Windmills as far as the eye can see...
Rajasthan has added Eco friendly and Eco Sustainable to its repretoire of Raw Beauty.
There are acres of solar panels and windmill farm which produce electricity...lots of it.
At the bottom of the windmill,if you can see us...hubby dear and I.
Small.

Desolate flat sand and dust pans that go on for miles and miles.
On the way to the desert safari camp, we saw flocks upon flocks of goats and sheep, cows grazing and then this huge flock of camels.
Their herders quite happily wanting me to take pictures.

Arrival at the winds desert camp ,Jaisalmer was cool.
375 kms in 5 hrs 20 minutes.
A quick snack and we were literally herded for the camel safari.
The desert National park was a halting ground for over 600 camels and their owners.

They took us on a roller coaster ride(ok a slow one) over the dunes and what else did we see..a stray Emu...
Grunting and ready to bite. 3 talon like finger or nail projections.

The camel herders knew not what it was and were amused at its presence.
They said that every once in a while someone would slaughter one for its meat...
The camel seemed curious but the amount of grunting the ostrich did put it off...
Hmmmmm....
As if it could care two hoots!

Back to Winds Desert Camp,Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer.
Langan- the men who render soulful music of the desert.

Kalbelia dancers next.
Kesaria Balama ...every tribe and village has its own version.

Sitting in front of a bonfire watching the performance of acrobatic Kalbelia dancers and the singers mesmerise with the sound of folk songs...kalo kud gayo mele mein....dama dum mast kalandar and many more.

We spent two nights in tents,with proper facilities and great food.
With Ker Sangri, Bajre ki Roti, Gatte Ki sabji and Moongodi ki Sabji and traditional rajasthani hospitality,the tummy was well fed and happy.

The experience was fun...
What we saw the next day left us craving for MORE!!!
Thank God for Vacations!!