Pushkar

Well I ended up leaving Udaipur after afew nights - it was really pretty there but so touristy. I took a train for about 7hours and then a bus for the further 11km to Pushkar. The bus took almost an hour to go the 11km and was full of people, but they managed to stop and put more and more people on every hundred metres! So, I've been in Pushkar for just over a week now and am trying to organise my train out of here for tomorrow, so I'll try to do a vague recap of what I've been doing in this lovely little town.....
Pushkar is known for the camel fair that takes place in November, but since its not November and I'm not really in the market for buying camels, I've been meeting crazy people with crazy stories, hiding from gypsies, wandering the markets, sitting by the holy lake, watching the sun set from a quiet spot in the desert, talking to cows, eating good food, lying on cushions on the rooftop, and taking part in the Holi festival.
The Holi festival began the day before yesterday with a big haystack being set up in the town square and after alot of people throwing flowers and oil on it, it was set alight and the drums began and everyone went a little crazy and did these stick dances. The following day was the colour throwing part of the festival. The second I left my room in the morning I had my face smeared with bright pink and gold dye, as a sign of friendship. I think. So we headed into the town square for this massive trance party where everyone was throwing water and powdered dye and paint. It was mental and I'm still afew strange shades of pink and green today.
Pushkar has been really nice but it's time to leave the heat of deserts of Rajasthan for the cool mountains of Nepal...
The photos are: me at Agra Fort, in Agra. The view of the Taj Mahal from my hotel in Agra. The streets in Agra. Palace on the hill in Bundi. My new family in Bundi. The town of Bundi by the lake. A view of Pushkar. Me in the desert in Pushkar. Me after the Holi Festival.