Pushkar is amazing! We took the train from Jaipur the Ajmer and then got a taxi to Pushkar as there is no train station, but it's only about 10k from Ajmer. We arrived yesterday and had been given the name of a place to stay that was good and cheap. So, we headed there (Hotel Aravali) and we took an en suite room with a balcony for just 4.20GBP per night! The room is basic but great for us. There is also a roof top chill out area with hammocks in the sun and a shaded, relaxing den.

On our last day in Jaipur we visited Monkey Temple (The Sun Temple) and when we got back to the hotel I noticed I was covered in spots! So, when we arrived in Pushkar, Sameer (the hotel owner) took me and Graham to the doctors on his motorbike, and I paid 70p for the doctor to see me, as it was his break time. He thinks I have had an allergic reaction to either an insect or pollution and gave me a prescription for 2 different drugs and some lotion and it all cost less than 1.00GBP!

Anyway, back to Pushkar..... it is a very relaxed place with lots of travelers but not too many 'tourists'. It is quite small with a main street with lots of shops and stalls, but the sellers are not too pushy. There is a Holy Lake in the middle, so there are restrictions here: you can't take photos near the lake or of people bathing, and you can't eat meat or eggs or drink alcohol within a 5 mile radious of the town. It's a great place to just cill out after a hectic city like Jaipur, particularly on the roof of our hotel.

Today is Holy Day. In Pushkar this is a Colour Festival, where people spend the day covering each other on paint! We were warned about this so took a walk this morning and were soon attacked by a group of kids. The powder paint is ok, but when they mix it with water it tends to stick! I came back after a couple of attacks and Graham went out with Sameer whilst I stayed on reception at the hotel, with the dog Jack. Graham has just come back covered in paint, hopefully we shall get some photos up soon.

Last night we ate at a fantastic restaurant called the Third Eye (the all seeing eye). Tomorrow we hope to go on a camel safari at sunset for few hours. You can stay overnight, but this is more expensive so we hope to do this in Jaiselmer. We move on to Jodpur on Wednesday and then to Jaiselmer on Friday.

Maggie x