30 Jan. SIKAR - MANDAWA - BIKANER 265 km.
9:00 am again ready to move on. Sikar city does not fall in my taste. It is the third consecutive day that my restless soul, forcing my tired physical body to continue. It is my will and idea and not my reality sense that victory . Then again up on MC in search of an interesting place. 'You crave and looking in old books. " There are some of us restless souls who are constantly looking for, but after what? In this case, I seek a place that fits my soul and my consciousness.
Mandawa worth a stop.
If I had followed my first route, I would have ended up in Mandawa, which is a lovely little town filled with elaborately decorated houses.
I stopped in town to take some photos and immediately there is a 12 year old boy, one of the rather intrusive and annoying beats that really insist on showing me around what I had not previously much feeling for to do. He spoke good English and knew very much. When I found out he had access to all the interesting buildings there were 150 -250 years old, where in some families lived, I let him lead me around. It was like visiting an inhabited museum.
Drove through the city Fatephur, with many of the same types of old decorated houses. Very idyllic. I tend to fall into decay aesthetics.
A smaller glide ride.
I was unfortunately come too far to the left side of the roadway, after I had passed a small narrow tunnel which was under 40 cm water height. The road took a sharp turn left just when I came through. I detect to late that I'm moving into an oncoming car. I strongly brakes up as the oncoming driver also did. When I also try to swing MC more to the left side exceeds me when the ground is slippery. My front colliding with the car's bumper, but not very hard.
I hurt my right elbow against the ground, but my safety vest went to this battle, so there was fortunately nothing serious.
17:00 am I finally advanced in Bikander have ½ million.
I stop at the train station and looed in the Lonely Planet where Bikander is listed with a lot of different types of hotels. This time it's important that I give myself time to find the right hotel, where I seem to spend the next few days.
A young guy at the MC contact me and ask very directly whether he can help me. I try to make clear to him that I check on things and that I have found some hotels in the Lonely Planet, which I just want to check out. He knows well the other Guesthouse and Hotels and think they are very expensive and not so good. His family has a Guest House in a very quiet area, no more than 5 minutes away. I could get a large room admitted praying to 200 inr. / 25 kr. .
I must admit that for just 200 inr. I was not completely sure that it could live up to my expectations of a reasonably hygienic and acceptable room.
Sandy
This charming young English-speaking guy, Sandy just 18 years, was becoming a little too presumptuous, but still in a charming seductive manner. He offered that I could just drive by and see it. If I do not like it, he would well help me find another. So why not give his family house a chance, so I followed the young man, although he was a little overbearing.
His family's house was located in an incredibly quiet museum district, just 1 km from downtown, with a broad boulevard with very little traffic. It has a small front garden and a small backyard where it would be possible to enjoy a Thai in the sun. The first upper room had no bath. A bath was important for me after my long MC journey.
They had a lovely large room in the living room with a bathroom, but it was straight up to the kitchen / living room with a noisy TV that probably ran constantly. I did Sandy clear that I would find myself a lot of my time in the room and I therefore needed a little peace, so I could think and write. They would of course turn down the volume when I was in the room. I had views to the front yard and the quiet boulevard through a fly.
This was the best and biggest room so far on my journey and to ¼ of what I usually pay.
Next morning I discover through my window, that the neighboring house has a cow and a calf in their narrow long entrance passage to their house. In the morning they shut them out on the very wide sidewalk area where there grows a little grass in between. I can smell their presence
Bikander is filled with decaying beautiful houses.
After a shower and a short rest, I drove into the center, the sun was going down. I parked MC and walked towards the old town gate.
Fortunately there is still urban life. A young attractive guy approach me, not as direct as some with 'can I help you, whats your name, where are you from'. He asked if it was OK that he followed me some of the way because he was also walking against the old city gate.
The city is filled with one beautiful dilapidated building after another. ' there are thousands in this city, ' that was his commentary on my activity recording photographer on our way through the narrow alleys.
He is a miniature painter, like his father and grandfather. His name is Saleem, 24 years old and Muslim. It was a tough business to make a living as a painter, so he had some slightly different dreams for the future.
Because I was an artist and had a sense for painting, I could perhaps convey some of their miniature paintings in my country. I made it clear that I was no business man. I would like to see what he painted, which was tailored to market, so it was unmarketable. I told him that I didn't buy art, but instead use my finances to create art for.
We stop at a former palace, now converted into a hotel. Here his father, was in a sort of open sales booth. The father shows me the different types of Indian miniature watercolor paintings he has created. They was done with a very professional technical. They was either direct replicas or somewhat freely inspired by original ancient Indian works. How much there is his own originality, I do not know.
Saleem
Saleem and his family lived also next door and he shows me inside there first room 2.5 x 2.5 m. is both studio, exhibition space and shop. I saw Saleem's works that are more simplified and variations of specially lotus flowers. Very poetic and delicate, but not something that catches me. Instead, I was fascinated by the classical Hindu thumbnails with their love stories, which his father had created at the direct inspiration of original works.
The watercolors were painted on the back of old book pages with sand script. The same facial features, especially on women going again and again, not only on his copy, but many of the various ancient Indian painters' works.
My buyer instinct is slowly becoming overstimulated. I have slowly been captured, my interest was aroused, what is the price for such small original watercolor miniature imitations. The price depended on how they refine. The course was incredibly cheap compared to my strong currency. Maybe I should buy a one and give it to one of my friends as a special gift here from India. They weigh nothing, so they would not strain my luggage.
The father pulls more and more different presentations and the thought of buying a few pieces grows slowly into my consciousness. The Hindu love stories fascinate me. I wonder if he has some Kama Sutra watercolors, since I have created scenography for theater performance 'Kama Sutra' with Cantabile 2. The watercolors is too strong for my narrow-minded soul. Saleem had managed to stimulated my buyer gene.
I struck and said OK. It was 18 $. for the more detailed and only 4 $. for those painted on old postcards. I could probably get this watercolor cheaper somewhere else, but would I get the same quality and the motive, and you also pay something for a good company and a good atmosphere between buyer and seller.
I am in the same situation when I have to choose a hotel room. Sometimes I know that I pay a higher price, but that's OK, here's a nice atmosphere and I have no energy to find one maybe better and cheaper.
Saleem follow me back to my MC. It is a bit difficult to find your way back through the small alleys alone. I was hungry and invite him to dinner. He chooses a restaurant. Sandy suddenly pops up also in the restaurant. The two young people know each other a little. They propose a dinner which they do especially well here. Unfortunately I can not remember the name of it. I thought it tasted good, but the 2 young men did not thought that it tasted so good as usual. They complained to the waiter over that. The kitchen had just got a new chef.
A little sweat on the forehead.
I thought I could remember where I had parked my MC, but no now when it was completely dark and many shops were closed so everything had visually changed. Together with Saleem we searched in the area I was certain that I had parked my MC.
The MC was completely gone. I had not used my chain lock, which I am one of the few who here use. I use in the night to secure me a bit.
I got a little sweat on the forehead. If it was stolen how do I then get on on my journey. After searching for a while among the parked MC, I tried to go a little further up towards the roundabout, as otherwise I was sure that I had not parked it. After more searching I found it. Saleem was as relieved as.
Next day I saw with Saleem the famous Jain temple Bhandasar Temple, filled with incredibly vibrant and vivid paintings which inspire him much.
Wireless Global Communications.
Saleem also helped me to buy a USB modem, so now I can download wirelessly to the Internet. He shows me to an electronic place where there are sellers of various computer parts and other electronic equipment in a row of small booths. It cost me only approx. 60 $ and I could use my Indian phone sim carte. Through my Idian telephone service can I have for 2 $ wireless connection in 1 month
It was hard for them to get my new little PC. Acer Aspire One to be wireless. It went through five different computer freaks hands in their common attempt to activate the connection. They sat in different stalls but helped each other, each using their knowledge crossword. What we in Denmark call networking. It is what it is amazing that even in the larger cities, they work together, and give their time to help each other without too many financial balances.
As a customer you have a more direct dialogue with the workshops and they can and want to help you every step so you can learn to use your USB modem. Most of us users are amateurs compared to the more technical with the computer. I escaped only to receive a plastic wrapped modem and a description of how it should be installed.
With all the trials and various programs computer nerds tried to get the modem to receive signals, it would be impossible for me. There are many signals that you need to control properly. It is possible because they are all small retailers and not big companies, where all knowledge is held by a few.
All the information on the computer was in Danish. My PC is not strong and work slowly. They succeeded, however, by mutual help, to get the Internet connection to work. But we were forced to go out on the street, away to all the other electronic energy guzzler.
This wireless modem I have had both joy and frustration, since it is sometimes successful and other times it takes up to 30 min. before I've achieved a connection and then it's a temporary stability. Many times when I've finished an email and hit send, lost Internet connection. However, I have become somewhat more willing to take a copy before I show unwinding activity. Unfortunately I can only transfer text, since it requires much more power if it has to manage to transfer images in a reasonable timeframe. It's good because the most internet cafes have had difficulty receiving my writing program signals from my USB. It can unfortunately not decipher my writing program. Who knows why.
To communicate is something that takes time. Especially if you want the recipient receives the message the way you want to read it. The editing photos and then transfer them to my block has been little time consuming. Google.bloggen is not quite easy to work with on some computers. I have found out that the best way to work with photos is if the internet cafe has Google Chrome as there suffer. Subtitle graphic location is hard to control and it takes time to reorder photos. Right now where I sit and make ready the blog, I've had to switch between 3 computer for various technical reasons.
This to tell you what my time also goes to beside being in various hotel rooms.
Camel hair.
I can not quite remember why Saleem and I got to talk about camels and how important they were for Bikaner, which has the largest number of camels in India. There is a large textile industry that uses the camel hair. Of camel bones they made jewelry and other crafwork. He mentions that he is would like to show me a textile workshop, where one of his friends works.
Sandy had invited me to dinner, so he met us. He would also like to visit the factory, which he did not know. So we drove 3 persons, like a sandwich, on my MC through the alleys. It was now dark.
We arrived at the textile factory there now was closed, but the shop was open. I felt deceived, I was not interested in buying some scarves or blankets. I was not interested in buying what I did the ownerknow very clear.
But again, I do not have to buy something, he would just like to show me what they have on various textiles. This is purely a circus number. You are the captured animals there are chased around the ring by the seller, as another talented animal trainer tries through gestures and flattering words, trying to gain control over you by titillate your buying instincts surfaced. They pull one scarf up after another. Here is a beautiful scarf, do I like the patterns and what about this.
My buyer instinct has been piqued. Maybe there was a cheap beautiful scarf I like that I could give away as gifts. But my sense is trying to tell me that I have no room for more luggage on my journey than the minimum required. They have an incredible amount, but nothing I fall for. I look then at a scarf for myself. I could use a warmer than the one I have. He finds a large scarf of silk and camel wool. It is incredibly easy and takes up very little space and the price is reasonable.
How do I ended up in this arena, of course because of Saleem, who probably gets some% of a possible sale. Nothing bad about this, it's his way to do business and get its economy to life existence.
I can only blame myself that I was not clever enough to stop in time. But I got a nice warm scarf and the experience of being chased around a in the ring. I hope I have become a little wiser and therefore better able to steer clear of situations like this on my journey.
Culture and love.
Saleem is devout Muslim and he loves his city of Bikaner and his family, but he has fallen in love with a French girl who live in France. It is his first love. He is a devout Muslim and of course his family is not happy about his love affair. He is eager to visit France and be with his lover. How should he deal with this very complicated situation. We had some good discussions about the clash of cultures, love and the slow pace of globalization and development.
Visited rat temple 'Karni Mata Temple'.
Sandy asked if I wanted to accompany him on a motorbike trip and visit the rat temple in the city Deshnok 30 km from Bikander, he would go there to pray in this Hindu temple, although he was Muslim. Sandy had understood that I was the type who would have no guide in the ear that controls your time and what I had to visually focus on.
We drove on my MC with Sandy at the front. He drove quite cultured and well. I do not know why I expected me thousands of big rats. Instead, I only met dozens of small rats in different corners of the temple, there was not much bigger than our white mice. I went closer to some of the rats which then ran between my legs and over my foot, which means happiness, if I also saw a white rat among all the brown. I managed not to see any white rat. One of them nipped me in the foot. It was not a hard bite and went thankfully not through the skin. - The temple was nothing special.
In front of the temple was the pigeons, that is why the rats do not progress beyond the white line at the temple entrance.
Honda Service Center.
Sandy's brother borrowed my MC to get some food. He mentioned that he thought there was still something wrong with the accelerator and that I should get it checked by a proper workshop. He knew a good mechanic I thought that the MC now was OK, but thought nevertheless that it could not harm to have it checked again by someone who was perhaps a little more experienced.
Sandy offered to drive me there. The mechanic took a little spin on it and also thought there was something wrong so he recommended that we drove to a Honda Service Center. We just managed to catch them before 17:30 they were leaving work, it was a more orderly major shop around. 10 mechanics.
They could only see the MC days after pm. 9:30. It suited me not because I had plans to go on to the desert city of Jaisalmer. Now I had again to wait a extra day just because of problems with MC.
I decided to stay a day extra and get the MC checked through on a proper professional workshop once and for all. I should have already have done this in Delhi. I keep getting a little wiser.
Next day Sandy drove me back to the workshop, which a good friend would do as he said. They tested it and said before they had even looked at it true that the last workshop in Chalia, clearly did not replace the accelerator and gear system with new parts, but had simply repaired the old as best they could. I was deceived, as you can do with tourists passing through. The workshop would not be able to promise me that it was ready before 5:30 pm. I press them, so it would be ready 4-4:30.
Visit to a Camel Farm.
Sandy insisted again that I go with him and visit a camel farm. A 'Camel Research Institute' which is approx. 8 km outside the city. He knew a TukTuk driver thee for 4 $ would drive us back and forth. Then we could the TukTuk would drive us straight to the Honda Service Center.
4:00 pm we were back at the Honda garage. Everything worked as it should and I received an itemized bill Honda Service in English, where all the replaced parts where written and the work, etc. More safety for the work, one can hardly get.
Sandy has throughout my stay expressed that he very much wanted to buy my mobile phone but of course only 1 / 10 of the original purchase, or even my computer. He kept returning to the mobile theme, or any indirect gift from me. I gave him permission to borrow the phone a few days so he could show it to friends.
He was incredibly focused on getting something tangible, making a deal. From the beginning I told him that he should be careful not to become too smart for his charm and intelligent, he could easily become a little too cleverly to make trade. In the beginning you think he's a wonderful charming young guy, but when you slowly discover that he is far too smart, you slowly dislike him and in that way he can easily lose people he wanted as friends.
So it was important that he tried to find a balance so that he could still do business, and still have people's love and respect.
He has school free in the moment and was going back to college to train in IT.
I also told him that if he had simply been a bit more brash and overbearing on the day he contacted me at the station, I had not followed him to his Guest House.
I gave him a more tangible cash payment for all these days he have done 'freinds help' for me. There is a very hard dividing line between how to make 'friends helps' and then guide services. I am still a tourist passing through.
I tried to make Sandy clear, that the best he could receive from me was not something tangible, like a mobile phone, it would not give him peace in his soul, but only support his quest for an even newer phone model. The largest and most valuable thing I could give him was my friendship, my love and desire that he would have a happy long and good life.
This symbolized I show with my hands together in front of my chest and then I bend my upper body. That is the yogi and Hindu greeting, symbolically welcome the divine in the other person.
AUM AUM AUM
Now I was again ready to take on ... ..
Bjarne
