Into the West

by fimbulvetr

After a restful trip in Pune, I returned to Delhi to stay with my uncle in Gurgaon, though not for long. Wanting to take a vacation himself, we set out with his family to the western frontier city of Jaisalmer. With no close airport, we embarked to take an 18 hour train ride through the night and into the next day. Were I traveling by myself, the journey would have passed quickly by curling up and reading the whole time. Instead I was traveling with family, which brings copious amounts of distractions, especially from the little ones. The next morning we slowly pulled into the end of the line, Jaisalmer. Gone were the crowded streets and haze of Delhi, replaced with the bright beating sun and a golden desert. Though tired from the journey, we managed to explore the city a little bit as the sun went down, all while under the gaze of the great fort on top of the hill.

Waking up refreshed and rejuvenated, we set out on a trek out into the desert. Along the way we passed by landmarks hinting at the rich history around Jaisalmer, from ancient tombs of the Maharajas, to the abandoned village of Kuldhara. As we pushed further into the desert, we stopped at a base camp maintained by staff from our hotel. From there, we embarked on a short camel ride to view a magnificent desert sunset. There is something thrilling about riding an animal, especially over uneven terrain. Unlike a mechanical vehicle, rider and animal must work together to maneuver around obstacles, even if there is someone guiding the reins. It is a truly rare experience to be able to bond with another creature in this manner, yet always wonderful. Having watched the sun fall, we made our way back to camp for dinner and nighttime festivities, before returning home in the cold desert night.

After several days of relaxation, we finally made our way into the fort of Jaisalmer, that which held back the desert for hundreds of years for its people. I was happy to see that unlike many similar forts around India, this one was truly being lived in and not just sterilized and put on display for tourism. While the Maharajas may not be in control any longer, the people of Jaisalmer still continue to go about their daily lives as if nothing had changed. In some ways living up in this fort reminded me of OIST, as we are similarly high up the mountain looking down over the ocean and local villages. Yet the difference in height cannot stop people from freely flowing in and out of Jaisalmer fort. Perhaps one day OIST will become as open and vibrant to the people of Okinawa as well.

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