On top of the world
Sunday April 1, 2001
This was definitely the most spectacular mountain drive so far - we finally got close to the really awesome snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas.
Dharamsala is the home to the headquarters of the exiled Tibetan government.
After the clean streets of Shimla, arriving here in the evening felt like coming into a frontier town. The roads were muddy from recent rain and the traffic was completely gridlocked; the roads weren't wide enough to take cars travelling in opposite directions.
Some of the rally drivers have split off from the main group because there has been so much frustration with the long driving days. They are taking a shorter route. But those of us who came here are pleased to have made the extra effort.
We spent the morning at the Tsulagkhang complex, which is the main temple here. We were invited by one of the monks to join him for tea in his quarters. We then moved on to the Dip Tse-Chok Ling Gompa, a small monastary where we were able to meditate. After our hectic schedule of the last two weeks, it was a great treat to finally unwind, something, which was made easier by the very relaxed atmosphere.
It is the first town we have visited with a high proportion of foreigners, most of whom are hippies who spend a few weeks or months chilling out here. At times they seem to outnumber the Buddhist monks.
The focus of the rally is to raise enough money to buy at least one ambulance for the local Dalek hospital and tomorrow we will be presenting the staff with the money to go ahead and buy the much needed vehicle.
Bumpy ride
Sunday April 1, 2001
Today, Jo rides a camel into the desert for a moonlight banquet, drinks beer in the middle of a silent lake, and feels like an American tourist on amphetamines.
The temperature continued to rise as we returned to Rajasthan and the lush green fields of the Punjab gave way to desert.
It seems incredible that in the past four days we have seen such extremes of both weather and culture, from westernised Shimla and the headquarters of the Tibetan Buddhists, to the Sikhs' capital and the desert people of Rajasthan.
We've only been on the road for just over two weeks, but it feels like several months, we're all having difficulty relating to our lives back in England. Every day is relentless, usually starting at dawn and going right through to the late evening when we have to look after our car. We sometimes feel like American tourists on amphetamines because we are on the move so much, but we are getting a real feel of India and its extraordinary variety and complexity.
The challenge of the long drives has abated over the past few days as the distances have shortened and we've been able to spend more time out of the cars. In any event, the extreme difficulties we encountered the first few days have really helped the contestants to bond, and there is now a great camaraderie. As we get together each evening, everyone has a tale to tell from their day's adventure - for that is what the trip has become. It is certainly not a holiday in the ordinary sense of the word.
We took 10 hours to drive the 375 miles to Gajner through the burning hot desert, before reaching the stunning Gajner Palace Hotel, which is - literally - a tranquil oasis. The red sandstone palace is set alongside a large lake and has beautiful gardens and rich birdlife.
A few of us took a rowing boat out onto the lake and we just lay there with a few beers as we listened to the waves lapping against the side and watched the harsh light of the sun mellow into a beautiful and serene evening.
The following night we all rode on 35 camels into the desert for a banquet on the dunes followed by traditional dancing and singing. Hundreds of villagers came out to watch the procession and scores of children followed us all the way. The brightness of the moon cast a magical silver light on the desert.
When we returned to the hotel, we took the boat out again and just rowed out into the centre of the lake and felt the silence all around us, punctuated only occasionally by the sound of the birds and wild dogs. This has definitely been one of the highlights of the tour.
By the book
Monday April 2, 2001 After saying goodbye to the Himalayas, Jo and his party reach Amritsar - and discover the real jewel of India
We said goodbye to the cool mountain air and snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas and headed for the Punjab and Amritsar, the centre of the Sikh religion.
Unfortunately Christopher Ray was forced to retire from the rally in Dharamshala after the clutch on his Bentley failed and it proved impossible to fix. He won the first Jewel of India car rally two years ago, and it was a great disappointment to him and his wife Jill not to be able reach the finishing line. Three of the 15 original entrants have now pulled out, and some of the other cars continue to need constant nursing to keep them road-worthy. Our sturdy Jaguar and its carers have now settled into a rhythm of driving and maintenance where the only frustration is balancing the carbs to the fuel, temperature and altitude.
The Sikh's holiest shrine in Amritsar is a feast for the eyes and the mind. In the centre of a sacred pond, known as the Pool of Nectar, lies the glorious two-storey Golden Temple.
We arrived in the late afternoon and thousands of worshippers were thronging the site to pay homage to their holy book, which is stored in the temple. Four priests at different parts of the site constantly recite from the book, and this is broadcast across the large complex. The book is considered a living being, and every night at 9.30pm it is taken to spend the night at the Sikh Parliament building before being ceremoniously returned before dawn the following morning.
As night settled, the temple glowed with a golden light. From a distance it resembled an intricate and very ornate jewel box. We joined the crowd of Sikhs streaming across the causeway to reach the Golden Temple.
The area is small and crammed with people, but we were allowed to sit alongside the priest and watch the stream of worshippers prostrate themselves before the book and shower money onto a rug. Their proud faces and obvious passion for their religion made a deep impression on me.
Just deserts
Tuesday April 3, 2001
Temperatures rise as the rally moves across the desert of Rajesthan - but fortunately only outside the cars. After two weeks on the road together, Jo finds that the difficulties of the first few days have brought the contestants together.
The temperature continued to rise as we returned to Rajesthan and the lush green fields of the Punjab gave way to desert. It seems incredible that in the past four days we have seen such extremes of both weather and culture, from westernised Shimla and the headquarters of the Tibetan Buddhists to the Sikhs' capital and the desert people of Rajesthan.
While we have only been on the road for just over two weeks, it feels like several months and the people on the rally are having difficulty relating to their lives back in England. Every day is full on, usually starting at dawn and going right through to the late evening, but we are getting a real feel for India and its extraordinary variety and complexity.
The frustration about the long drives has abated over the past few days as the distances have shortened and we have been able to spend more time out of the cars. The extreme difficulties of the first few days really helped the contestants to bond, and there is now a great feeling of camraderie between everyone. When we get together every evening, everyone has a tale to tell from their day's adventure - for that is what the trip has become. It is certainly not a holiday in the ordinary sense of the word.
We took 10 hours to drive the 375 miles to Gajner through the burning hot desert, before reaching the stunning Gajner Palace Hotel, which is a tranquil oasis. The red sandstone palace is set alongside a large lake and has beautiful gardens and rich birdlife. A few of us took a rowing boat out onto the lake and we just lay there with a few beers and listened to the waves lapping against the side and watched the harsh light of the sun mellow into a beautiful and serene evening.
The following night we all rode on 35 camels into the desert for a banquet on the dunes followed by traditional dancing and singing. Hundreds of local villagers came out to watch the long procession and scores of children followed us all the way. The brightness of the moon cast a magical silver light on the desert. When we returned to the hotel, we took the boat out again, rowed out into the centre of the lake and felt the silence all around us, punctuated only occasionally by the sound of the birds and wild dogs. This has definitely been one of the highlights of the tour.
Will Jaisalmer be a grim fairy tale?
Wednesday April 4, 2001
Jo is blown away by the beauty of the desert fortess of Jaisalmer, but worries it's being allowed to crumble away
We have already seen many great sights, but nothing prepared us for our arrival in the fabulous desert fortress of Jaisalmer.
The town once had a great importance and wealth because was an important staging post on the great camel trading routes between India and Central Asia. Today, Jaisalmer looks as though it has come straight out of a fairy tale. The fortress resembles a giant version of a child's sandcastle, while the rest of the town is filled with old merchants' houses which are exquisitely carved out of golden sandstone. Unfortunately, like many other old buildings in India, there is little restoration work, and many of the houses are now starting to crumble. If nothing is done in the future, there is a very real danger this truly remarkable town will turn into nothing but ruins.
Once again the Lonely Planet Guide has come up trumps. It's been invaluable in knowing where to go and which scams to avoid, and its restaurant listings have also led us to the doors of some great curry houses of which the Trio in Jaisalmer is just one. There is nothing quite like lying on pillows, eating great food and looking out over the balcony to the impressive floodlight fort.
Ravi Shankar-Yoga(1).mp3
