Where's Grayleen?

The Jaisalmer fort rose out of the Great Thar Desert like a massive golden sandcastle. I immediately felt transported back in history to old Rajasthan, land of Maharajas, lavish palaces, and formidable forts. The monochrome landscape– buildings, streets, desert, all the color of sand– was a perfect backdrop for bright turbans and the swish of colorful dresses. Saris and other textiles burst out of small over-filled shops. Old havelis of intricately carved sandstone hugged the narrow streets. It was truly a feast for the eyes.

Textiles for sale in Jaisalmer

Rajasthan is an oven this time of year, with temperatures regularly exceeding 105º F. It is in the cooler evenings that the town truly comes alive, with kids playing, women chatting, men playing cards and chess. One such evening we stumbled upon a restaurant and ended up being seated in a delightfully breezy cushion-filled balcony perched on the town wall. It was the perfect setting for absorbing the romantic ambiance of Jaisalmer on a summer night, but more importantly, it was there that we met Ba.

Ba is a beautiful spirit. He is warm, open, generous, and always smiling. He was our host at the restaurant and we quickly got to chatting about his family, the desert people, and Jaisalmer and how it is changing. Before long, he invited us to have lunch the following day at his house with his family. His wife prepared a delicious Rajasthani meal and helped me try on one of her dresses while the three kids looked on giggling. I suppose a white person in Rajasthani clothes is pretty funny.

Me with Ba's daughter

When we learned that Ba also does camel safaris, we jumped at the chance and signed up for an overnight trip. It was truly unforgettable: the amazing desert animals, undulating sand dunes, cooking by campfire, sleeping under the stars. And going for a starlight beer run across the desert on a galloping camel has to be one of the most hilarious and thrilling things I have done on this trip. After sharing drinks together, we all spent hours talking. They told us a lot about their culture (more on that in a future post) and then sang traditional Rajasthani songs as our eyes grew heavy. The next morning, we rode our camels for a couple more hours before taking a local truck back to town, picking up villagers and milk along the way.

Say "cheese"!

That afternoon, after Ba treated us to the most delicious lassis ever and cooked us up a special meal, it was time to say goodbye. Ba is definitely one of the very special people that make this trip so unforgettable.

More photos from Jaisalmer and the camel safari here.