The roads takes us through the area where marble blocks are cut into slabs. We see the massive blocks of marble, being brought in on lorries. The dust is terrible, it must be awful for the health of people who live here.
Salim and I chat about our children. He says his wife has called to say she is having the usual morning problems with the children not being able to find their right clothes for school, using their tiffin boxes as footballs, ruining shoes and pleading stomach aches to scive school.
Salim tells us that he cannot write English because he had to leave school and work when he was young. But he has picked up spoken English as he has gone along and now wants to make a better future for his children. It is why he works so hard, and he feels frustrated by their unwillingness to make the best of their opportunities.
On arrival in Pushkar, we stop off to arrange a camel ride. H is up for 3 hours, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to stand it, so we agree on two riding camels and a third one with a cart for respite.
We are dropped at our hotel, with the memorable words, 'your camels will be outside the hotel to pick you up at 4pm.' Has to be one of the best things anyone has ever said to me!
Our hotel room is lovely and airy, with marble bathroom, bedroom, atrium and a round sitting room, which overlooks the gardens.
Our camels are waiting at 4 as promised, with Salim there to photo us and see us off. First H gets on - his camel is pretty amenable, then its my turn. "Lean back please," they tell it to stand and it is furious and roars its annoyance. It takes some persuading, but eventually, the back legs go up followed by the front and accompanied by yet more angry roaring. It's up - and I'm very relieved to still be in the saddle.
Off we go following the cart, taking a turn that leads us through houses and gardens, where little girls wave and shout hello to us, very excited and smiley. My camel (Grumpy) seems to have a severe itch on his neck and keeps trying to get to it with his front foot. Harry's camel (Greedy) goes for as much road side greenery as it can grab to eat.
The camel men riding on the cart start to chat with us. We come up with our usual line about being Aunt and Nephew. They ask me if I am married and I say 'no', and then they abruptly stop and escort H's camel to the side of the road, where it is made to sit down. Harry asks what is happening, but neither of them answers. One of them then climbs on the saddle behind H, and they get up and jog off ahead, out of sight.
This, I find rather disconcerting! "Oh dear, here I am with a complete stranger, in a foreign land, where no-one will heed my screams", says a voice in my head, but I quiet it, reasoning the Salim would never put us into any danger.
H feels anxious about the situation too, and looks back over his shoulder to see if I am ok.
We go through a farm, where a dog sits blissfully upright in a tub of water and is given a shower. A boy of about 12 blows me a sultry kiss and passing truck drivers make lewd gestures at me.
We stop outside a farm gate and a pretty young girl comes out of the enclosure with a jug of water and chats vivaciously with the driver, while he drinks. We continue and catch up eventually with H, spotting kingfishers, weaver bird nests and a very colourful tractor.
We dismount at a shrine by a holy lake and sit on the steps, drinking in the serene atmoshere. Our camels sit down and their heads flop down the ground, looking like someone has let the air out of them. Then we climb up on the cart (my back and "Mr 3 hours' ride Billmore's" squishy bits have spent enough time now in the saddle thank you very much), and continue to the sand dunes. We pass a cluster of people and a large collection of goats, which have been brought down from grazing in the surrounding hills.
We climb a sand dune, to watch the sunset. A dog, who is clearly longing to play tries to engage H in some sand-kicking. The camels sit peacefully regurgitating and chewing. Being out there in the desert with the camel men, local people, goats, camels and dog is amazing and beautiful.
Its starting to get dusky now as we climb back onto the cart. The camel is furious and throws a huge indignant wobbly one at being expected to move. One of our riding camels (Grumpy) is given to a pair of Japanese tourists, so they can have one each. Just Greedy is following the cart now, his lip wobbling, grabbing any passing bit of vegetation he can get hold of. He is wonderful - I think my love of elephants may yet move on to camels.
Salim is waiting for us in the darkness back at our hotel. We ask him to come and have a drink with us in the restaurant and shortly afterwards, Verra, our Brahmin guide for tomorrow also joins us, together with his son Sale. Salim introduces Verra to us as his friend and brother.
Salim explains that he will not escort us himself in Pushkar tomorrow. He says there would be repurcussions the next time, from aggressive local tourist guides and he does not want to get beaten up. He says that Verra is very well known and that people will see we are with him and will not harm us because he is a Brahmin.
Back in our room, we do a massive batch of washing and spread it out to dry in the sunroom.
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