My camera konked out a few days back and had to purchase a new one. SO. no photos from Jaisalmer at the mo, sorry folks. Buying a new camera in the middle of nowhere proved difficult and i had to haggle with the shop owners! Managed to get myself a nice little Nikon digital, not the latest model, but it was cheap and it seems to take great photos so far. Udaipur is a serene and peaceful city. Its small and again situated around a lake. In the middle of the lake is the Lake Palace and an Island with a fancy hotel on it. In the distance is the Monsoon palace which is where James Bond Octop**** was filmed as well as in the Lake Palace. So, everywhere you go they're showing Octop**** at 7pm in the evening. We decided to join in and watched Octop**** for the first time. Lo and behold Udaipur is in it and we're watching the screen, turning around to see the Lake, looking back at the telly. Its funny. I decided to take another cooking course! I'm getting pretty INdian food savvy now, and the course was on the rooftop balcony of an Indian couple. I was the only one on the course, and when I arrived an array of colourful foods and spices were there to greet me. I learnt about the spices and then we proceeded to cook some vege favourites, nan, samosas, malai kofta, paneer masala, chapati, vege biryani and chutney. it all ended up delicious and i ate with the family at the end. What a feast! I've noted down all my recipes so I'm going to try them out on friends and family when i get back home - beware! he he. We visited the monsoon palace and on the way saw our second elephant, just wandering down the road with a guy on top. Things like that, as well as camels which we've seen plently of just plodding down the road, never seem to tire, and everytime I see them, I stop and smile, and think how lucky i am to see things like this. monsoon palace was a bit disappointing, run down and derelict, its govt owned and they're not doing much to keep it up. the views are good though, so they trip was worth it. theres a little sausage dog puppy at the guesthouse where we stayed and paul had fun keeping it company while it chewed our shoes and ankles (in a cute puppy way that you dont mind ofcourse). We booked another sleeper bus (Which we're getting used to now) - it has a double bed with little screens that you pull across - for out trip to Agra (taj mahal). It was a little crustier than others we've been on, but my sleeping bag and pauls blankets have saved us many a time from the wrath of filth and possible bugs and crustyness. we simply drape themover everything before we sleep or put our heads down on anything. the trip was OK, apart from the bus didnt stop for wees, so we had to resort to measures i will not even explain in this entry. use your imagination! we're turning into savages. when the bus finally did stop, i used the worst toilet i've ever used in my life! i would have rather squatted with 10 people watching me than use that toilet again. ew. Arrived in Agra this morning and have lots to say about that...next entry.