http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil Currently: Asia > Thailand > Chiang Mai! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:48:39 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The road has been long and difficult.  For nearly 4 months here in India, I have been fighting to keep both my flickr photos and this blog alive.  Alas, I am now over a month behind.  I leave India for Thailand and the rest of SE Asia in 2 days, ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/with-my-deepest-regrets.html As the afternoon reaches its mid point I call the fort quits and head off to the intriguingly named Camel Tattoo Presentation.  Last night, when the chef at my hotel described it as camel dancing, my curiosity was peaked.  He jokingly said that they would be jumping around from all ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/camel-tattoo.html   For my second morning in Jaisalmer, I give the dusty festival a rest and take the time to investigate the huge fort dominating the city. On top of a minor hill in the center of the town, golden sand-stone walls reach a modest height. A cluttered collection of ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/exploring-the-fort-city.html With an early rise and start I leave my hotel and walk past the entrance gate to the fort. It beckons and tries to lure me inside, but I press onwards through the golden city. Ubiquitous yellow-gold sandstone bricks compose most of the intricately carved buildings. ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/195.html A Moustache Contest? As the first words of the Jaisalmer Desert Festival fell upon my ears, the interest had already been thoroughly implanted. Along with a series of other bizarre events and a good share of camels, this event is too atypical to pass up! With the information that ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/a-moustache-contest-in-jaisalmer.html After a late lunch I find my mechanical mount and start back towards civilization. I leave the limits of the camel fair and into a brewing sandstorm. Long distance visibility is down a bit, and the stinging sand against my skin isn’t pleasant, but I can still make ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/motorcycle-mishaps.html It only took two days in Jodphur before I found my self on a motorcycle again. The opportunity to simulate one of my youth-grown dreams gunning a bike down a desert straightaway was too hard too pass up. Conveniently, the nearby village of Naguar is hosting a camel ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/naguar-camel-fair.html The city of Jodhpur; a sprawling Indian urban center parked in the center of desert packed Rajastan. A towering 15th century fort perched atop an extraordinarily steep rock hill looms over an array of twisting medieval city streets. Hailing from an era of Brahmin priest caste settlement, most ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/the-blue-city.html Hey kids: Have you ever tried a shaking public squat toilet on an overcrowded train. It's like an extreme sport! It makes all other comodes feel dull and boring! And hey parents... it's actually more sanitary too! http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/fri-216-%e2%80%93-zen-and-the-art-of-bowel-maintenance.html   So my fate brought me back to Mumbai, just a little early than anticipated.  I made my way through the uncharacteristic cold dawn air and mist on a local train towards Chembur.  A short time later I climbed the flight of steps to Ratnadeep's door and rang the doorbell.  Surprise; ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Elil/back-to-bombay-and-beyond.html