We have now reached the final leg of our Rajasthan tour as we are now in Udaipur. This weekend is the Holi festival where India celebrates the start of spring. This celebration involves setting off fireworks in the evening followed by burning huge bonfires in the streets. The fires are so close to people's houses - last night we saw a huge fire burning the electricity cables and cars and motorbikes dodging all the fireworks and bangers - they have no regard for health and safety!! Today we thought we would be safe on the roof of our hotel so along with some other travellers spent the day there - we were wrong thou, as now we are covered head to toe in coloured powder paint!!! Yet more clothes ruined - look out for the pictures! we also had to partake in some sober dancing!! We have also seen a very different side to our polite and quiet driver Bilou! He is now sleeping it off and will not be driving us to our train later!

Since Bikaner we have visited - Khuri, Jaisalmer, Jodphur and Ranakpur.

KHURI - Here is where we did our camel safari in the Great Thar Desert. It as a very small mud hut village about 40 km from Jaisalmer. The people here seem so cut off from the rest of the world. The camel safari was fab, we spent the night sleeping in the desert under the stars with only our two camel drivers and smelly camels for company. Charlotte's camel driver had recently given up his addiction to Opium - need we say more - his singing was great!!

JAISALMER - We really liked it here the fort looked like a giant sand castle. Its the only fort in India where people live inside and it was full of narrow pituresque streets with lots of shops and restaurants. There was a little farmyard of animals at home outside our hotel just wondering the street - very random!

JODPUR - We only had one night here - enough time the see the famous fort - our 6th and final! It had amazing views of the blue city (Brahmin's paint there houses blue). In the evening there was a terrific thunder storm and downpour which meant no electricity and a romantic evening by candle light!!!

RANAKPUR - Due to the weather we didnt make it to Mount Abu but stopped here for lunch as a consolation as it has mountains and its very pretty. Pretty glad we didnt make it to Mount Abu now as we heard two French people got robbed and stoned there when we should have been there and are now in hospital! On a lighter note Ranakpur was really beautiful and peaceful - this made a change from the desert and was nice to be out of the city.

UDAIPUR - This is where they filmed Octop**** - they constantly remind you as they show the film everynight in most restaurants. Its lovely set around large lakes in the mountains. The famous lake palace, which does look like it's floating, is in the middle of the Lake Pichola and looks amazing at sunset.

Last night we had a cookery lesson with Shashi, a local Indian lady who now runs her own business. Was in her home and a real experience to Indian life. She gave us a real insight into society and its strict rules for women. The food was fab and there was so much of it. We are now pros at Chapati's, Pakora, Naan, Vegetable Kofta and Masal Chai to name a few. Just hoping we can remeber it all and recreate it when we get back.

We are now getting ready to leave here this evening. We have an overnight train to Ahmadabad then day train to Mumbai hopefully (or not!) followed by a overnight bus to Goa - bring on the beach!

Hope you are all well. Take care

lots of love us. xxxxxxxxx