Hi all!We wrote a blog last night, but the internet crashed, so here it is again - second time lucky. We're off to buy sweets for the children in the dessert villages ..! Much love xxx

Hello Everyone!

It's 8.30pm and we are in Jaisalmer - a beautiful town in Western India. We are staying in a fort - that's right! And within the fort we are staying in a Haveli (v.posh castle-ish house) and within the Haveli we are in a sprawling apartment! Happy times - we are still surprised by what you get for your money here accommodation-wise. We've also had our first hot shower too so good good news!

We have done so much since we last wrote, it is difficult to remember, never mind summarise! Udaipur was wonderful, and will most probably go down as our favourite place in India. We will try to get photos up soon.

Highlights:

• Our rooftop restaurant where we chatted to lots of other non-Indians!, and where they made pancakes 24/7!
• The PEACE there - people spoke to us even if they didn't want to sell anything!
• We had High Tea in the Palace.
• Boat rides on the lake, and elephants in the streets!

After Udaipur we got a bus to Jodhpur. We got the bus. We got the bus. We got the bus. This may be the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life. Oh dear, we got the bus! To be fair, it cost about 3 pounds for both of us, but we were so unprepared. To put it quickly, it was mayhem. My (rois) seat was absolutely broken - to the point of horizontal which was great fun for every (there were many) Indian man who chose to squeeze into the seat behind me and ask us, 'What is your country?'. The door to the bus was always open for the whole 7 hours ... SEVEN HOURS. And people got on and off literally at any time - moving or not. There were people around us, behind us, standing, sitting, lying down - they were even above us! A highlight of the journey was when the guy from behind swung round to just stare at James - for about 15 mins. Every 4th to 5th minute he asked James his country, nodded and stared and then continued to stare! There was no air conditioning and we were glad to get off and promised never to have that 'experience' again.

Jodhpur started badly with comical arguments with tuk tuk drivers, but was really great. We did some great shopping, stayed in the Maharaja room in a lovely Guest House, and looked around a beautiful Fort. Point to note - we bought an item from a shop where Mick Jagger shopped- we're THAT cool!

We got the night train to Jaisalmer after having a funny few hours on a rooftop restaurant with India's campest men! The train was fine - we both had upper berths, which meant that we were on the top of a three-tier bunk bed each facing each other.

We've just relaxed so far in Jaisalmer and tomorrow depart for an over-night camel safari!! We'll let you know how that goes! We fly to Goa on Monday, so will be in touch from there. We hope you are all well and happy and send all our love to you xxx

ps. I had a near miss with a 'holy and tame' bull in Jodhpur - James sympathetically managed to get photographic evidence ... coming soon to a computer near you!