Rajasthan: The Goodbye 👋

The next morning, (day 4 in Rajasthan) We went to explore the wonders of the tent resort. Yeah, the wonders of like 22 tents!  and a common courtyard.  After playing ‘Dora the Explorer’ 🧐 with mandatory photoshoots, we all went for breakfast. Our checkout time was 10:30am and we had breakfast at 9:45. By the time we were ready, it was 11:00 am ...(As usual, we are never punctual except at airports) .  

After checking out and piling into the tempo traveler we made our way to Kuldhara village which has a fascinating but painful history attached to it. There is  something about the mysterious air surrounding the once thriving place that just makes you sad and sentimental. . We saw a number of ruins there. There are many myths relating to the the history of it's abandonment but the one which was told to us ample number of times was of this minister that lived there (I forgot the guy's name). It was said that he fell in love with an orphan girl at first sight and then he pulled a classic Bollywood move and threatened all the villagers to let them get married without any hindrances otherwise he would increase the tax collection. It is said that all the villagers moved out that night and cursed their ex-home to be unlivable. Overall, there were some very gruesome, far fetched and goose bumpy myths surrounding it (shiver shiver shiver)😱.

Jaisalmer airport was the last stop of the family tour.  My parents, grandparents and I were going back to Jodhpur while my aunt, uncle and brother went back to Mumbai from Jaisalmer itself.  After exchanging hugs and taking a few (ya think?) last family photos of the trip, we parted ways. Did I mention I HATE goodbyes? And after that, another 6 hour journey(oh joy) and reached our Hotel in Jodhpur.  

 I was exhausted and took a nap  only to be  awoken by pangs of hunger. We then went for dinner  at ‘On the Rocks’. The place was crowded and waitlist was long but miraculously, due to small team size, we got a table after 30 minutes ...The time was sufficient to do some quick shopping from a nearby shop [Talk about time utilization !]. 🍲 After another succulent meal, we walked back to the hotel just 2 blocks away.   The  food was excellent, so was the service and ambience. After that, we all just sat back and enjoyed our last night of relaxation in Rajasthan.  It seems four days have just flown by! 

The trip was memorable for many reasons including being there with family esp my elderly Nana and Nani. The sheer  grandeur of forts, built more than 50 years ago is mesmerizing.  If walls could speak, they would share the stories of  valor & courage of the rulers.  I think it is the same spirit which runs even today amongst the people of Rajasthan.

Few points for a good visit to Rajasthan...

1. Consider a  blend of planning and spontaneity; Make plan as detailed as possible but discover new off beat places to visit which are not on standard itinerary of a tourist. We had planned an itinerary for each day but still we were not able to cover even those places. We had, sadly, underestimated the wonders of Rajasthan.   

2.Try the local cuisine like Bajre ki raab(soup), Sanghri ke sabjee, Dal Bati Churma and GHEVAR (are the ones I loved. But there are many delicacies worth a try). It is a sin to travel around Rajasthan without eating those! 🍱

3.CARRY A SUNSCREEN unless you want an unwanted tan. 

4. Handicraft shopping spree. If you don't do a HSS, then what have you gone to Rajasthan for? Support the local artist!!

It wasn’t until I was seated in the airplane next day that it began settling  in that the holiday was over.  Memories of past  few days flooded over .I sighed quietly and longingly looked back from the plane window to my last view of the city soon hidden behind the clouds. I smiled unknowingly (I am sure I looked like a creep 😬but whatevs) remembering all the laughter ridden moments I will cherish. This trip was one ummm..📝what do you call that umm..ah! an organised chaos! Another unforgettable experience, one I wished never ended (like all the other holidays) but life goes on, doesn’t it? You just need to process, smile and look forward and plan a toast to new memories!🥂

P.S.- You know what they say about learning from your mistakes? Yeah, I am proving myself to be a slow learner. You remember the mistake I made on the first? Calling a hatchback? Ring a bell? Well, this time I called Sedan which landed us in a similar situation as this car had CNG kit in the boot and luggage was kept on the front seat and again four of us had to adjust at the back seat! I swear the luggage was more comfortable than us! So, the trip started and ended with my mom glaring daggers at me. Ah great going Aru! Pat your back!

This journey was one unforgettable coaster ride but filled with love and laughter. Do comment on any such trip you have made and stick around for the next blogs. Signing out, your fave blogger.👋