January 15, 2001 VOL. 157 NO. 2

Detour

TRAVEL WATCH Live Like a King in the Castles of Rajasthan From the comfort of our hotel room, we watch the sun burst through a curtain of crimson, swirling across the drowsy dawn sky above Udaipur's massive citadel Hot Spot The Maharaja who ruled Marwar during the first half of the 19th century was either a magnificent leader or a colossal fool Short Cuts Riding through the desert on the back of a Marwari war horse is a proud Rajasthan tradition, and one you can take part in if you sign up for a trek with Shekhawati Brigade Horse Safaris Web Crawling Among the possibilities on this quirky website: following in the footsteps of the U.S. President's recent trip through India Detour The vast Thar desert sprawls across western Rajasthan and spills deep into Pakistan Travel Watch Archive Browse hundreds of Asian travel tips

The vast Thar desert sprawls across western Rajasthan and spills deep into Pakistan. For mile after mile there is nothing but sand, until suddenly a mirage-like vision shimmers into view. Atop a massive rock formation sits Jaisalmer, an enormous stone fortress. Other Rajasthan cities are known for their colors: pink Jaipur, blue Jodhpur, white Udaipur. Jaisalmer—perhaps the most romantic place in all of Rajasthan—is renowned for its fortress and the wide expanse of sand surrounding it. The brown city, as it were.

Visitors come to experience the desert, and what better way to do that than on a serene camel trek under the stars? But would-be camel-tour buyer, beware. With every cafE competing for customers in a cut-throat business, signing up for a journey can have disastrous consequences. Dotting the desert roadside are the pitiful results: camels parked beside red-faced tourists embroiled in shouting bouts with their hosts. Instead of desert adventures, touts often shepherd visitors to "crafts villages," or on truncated outings. Even worse than a too-short trip are days wandering the wasteland: inexperienced guides often get lost. One traveler spent hours negotiating his desert menu only to sup on bland broth two nights running. "What happened to all the vegetables we paid for?" he demanded. "You ate them," the tour guide lied.

In Jaisalmer, avoid hiring through backpacker cafes. You're better off dealing with travel agents that come with sterling recommendations. Or skip the camel tours altogether in favor of more modern conveyance. Cars can easily be hired in town for $10 to $15 a day. True, you miss the joy of riding a biblical beast through the desert, but camel riding can be a pain in the you-know-what.

R.G.

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