The rains have arrived

Goodness. I was in an awful grump yesterday. I cheered up enormously in the evening after having had a would-be shabat with some new friends (including an Israeli, Moran, who I first met on the Delhi-Jaipur train earlier this week).

And this morning I was much more proactive again: it was up bright and breezy at 5.15am to have a walk up to the hilltop Savitri Temple which overlooks Pushkar Lake -- with Asher and Debbie, a boy and girl I met yesterday evening. (Debbie just left St John's, Cambridge (I think?) and Asher is at Sidney Sussex doing medicine.) Although warm at that time in the morning, it was a nice walk, not too strenuous, with a super view from the top. The Temple wasn't opened when we arrived, so we took it easy, chatting etc. When it finally opened, we curiously went to peek inside. I was surprised to see that over (I guess what is the equivalent to) the altar, there were flashing Las Vegas lights flickering in an arc. Somewhat incongruous with the rather mellow surroundings.

And, how shameful, I haven't done anything else all day. Everything stalled after lunch when, without warning, the sky darkened, thunder rolled and the heavens opened. The wind whipped up as the rain came down, and we stood huddled on a rooftop cafe overlooking the lake, waiting for the weather to abate. All of a sudden, there was a loud crack, and a billow of dust was thrown into the air from the road. A minute later, a louder crack, blue electric fire lit the air around a massive transmission pylon, and another cloud of red dirt flew into the air.... Then all the electricity in Pushkar went out.

And we waited. And waited. And waited. Asher and Debbie had to go. While Raghu (the owner of the hotel where I am staying) invited me to join him for a chai. He was there with an French/Egyptian and his wife. She too was French and had one of those angelic faces and childlike bodies, which meant I couldn't tell whether she was 18 or 30 years old. Certainly much younger than her husband. I was curious to know how they met. But was too shy to pry. They are living in India at the moment, moving from place to place. Seemingly not doing too much. Chilled.

And now I am killing time until my bus at 10pm (another four hours) to Jaisalmer (the desert - right on the edge of Rajastan). So if anyone is about, give us a shout!!

Note: I think Pushkar is a completely dry town: I haven't had a drop of alcohol since I arrived!! Instead I have been expanding my waistline on copious lassis and cups of masala chai... I could get used to this. (Maybe.)

;)

Besos

A