Brutus and Bhang

Leaving Udaipur yesterday morning we head onto a trucking route and immediately encounter semis strung along the highway as though beads on a necklace, one after another, with barely an inch between them. They careen along recklessly as if they are Tonka toys spilled from the box. Passing, jostling, racing willy-nilly and our little car is dodging and weaving between them. At one point I'm almost heaving from sheer fear and motion sickness. Up, over the hill and into the bend, surrounded by rock walls, we come against a wall of semis - 2 big trucks side by each fill up our windshield as we skid to a halt. Satish pulls our car up tight to the grill of the fully loaded tanker now stopped in our lane and leaps from the car. Ivan and I watch in horror and fascination as he races to the driver's window and lunges up to grab his arm. The driver is frightened and sorry but Satish tries insistently to drag him from the truck. When this does not work, he twists and turns his arm until he begs for mercy. Jesus, this is awful - we are mortified. I don't think he would have stopped had we not been there to witness. It's an ugly scene and we are really starting to dislike this driver who puts us at such risk by losing his temper. Yes, the truck driver was foolish, yes, he put us in danger, but the violence is excessive and brutal.

This incident miles behind us, our moods lift as we start the climb into barren dusty hills - the precursor to Pushkar. There are monkeys everywhere lazing and lounging at the roadside, sprawled as prostitutes, waiting for bananas from passing travellers. India may be many things; violent, dirty, destitute, splendorous, colourful and hard to take but it is never, ever boring.

Ivan, with his snotty cold wants you all to know that he is suffering with a miserable cold. I feel very bad for him as I know how icky and crappy it is but secretly (well, not anymore), I'm REALLY glad it's not me this time. Oh, come on, he'll get over it - I did.

Pushkar is a lovely sleepy little town with tightly woven streets chockablock with silks and saris, food and sundries, 50 rupee buffets, and cool, laid back people. this, mind you, may have a good deal to do with the Bhang lassis (shakes), and teas and juices imbibed at leisure along the lanes. Bhang is marijuana leaves and seeds brewed or blended into a soothing concoction for road weary travellers and locals alike. We don't succumb but sometimes it's tempting to just get numb!

Today we got our hands henna'd, we are so cool.

The streets are lovely, but not perfect, as scooters and motorbikes drive at breakneck speeds through the narrow corridors using their ear-splittng horns to part the crowds. This is not only over-the-top annoying, it's also highly dangerous to anyone not paying strict attention, uh...that would be us..

The countryside here is lush and green, dotted with flower beds for commercial sales, and big leafy trees all framed by jagged, jutting hillsides. How very refreshing after the miles and miles of parched, lonely deserts we have travelled.

We'll hang here for a couple of days and then keep on moving upcountry to Agra. Thank God we only have 7 more days left with our brutish driver, and then we are back on our own. Stay tuned.

An early Happy Easter to All and Hey! - This one for the girls...and maybe the guys too (Christmas is coming ya know). I am buying many amazing pieces of jewellry, silks and treasures and will have a BIG, ONE-OF-A-KIND SALE when I get home, so save your shekels and rupees for my Christmas sale. Hazaaah.