I had booked myself a train for 5:05am to travel to Jaisalmer and because of the fact that I would only be paying for 3 hours sleep in accommodation, I decided that it would be a waste of money and that I should instead just sleep on the floor of the train station for that time. The being in the dark and being surrounded by random Indian men watching me throughout the night didn’t bother me. I’ve always wondered if I’ve just had too much confidence for my own good. But so far it’s worked for me (touch wood) and so have not yet had reason to be scared to not do so. Of course if my heart and head were to ever tell myself ‘Hey Luana, do you REALLY think that is a good idea?’ then I wouldn’t fight it just because I feel like being stubborn. And I can be very stubborn. But never if something genuinely doesn’t seem safe.
Long story short, a lovely Italian man who I had spent the day with simply refused to allow me to sleep in such circumstances and insisted that I stay in his room that night for minimal hours of sleep. Being a kind gentleman, there was discussion of sleeping on floors rather than sharing a double bed but seeing as a) I wasn’t paying for the room in the first place and b) A bed is always more comfortable than a train station floor, I simply wasn’t one to be picky. After all, beggars really can’t be choosers.
3:30am and I’m wide awake with my backpack on my back to follow the direction of Jaisalmer. During my sleep on my train I was awoken multiple times to people offering me accommodation in the city which I was to step of the train. I was previously warned about the competition and to make sure I had my head ready for the stress of such hassle.
I decided to follow a fellow French couple and an American girl to a Tokyo Guest House. Even if we weren’t happy to stay in the accommodation, it would still be a free lift into town for us to find a better deal. So complain of such didn’t seem worthwhile.
We arrive and of course I make a slight scene about prices and haggle for the best possible deal. But work it did. I was paying 200 Rupees a night and was staying in the most amazing hotel I will ever come across. First of all, the bed was amazing. It was a double and neatly made with white sheets. I hadn’t seen sheets that looked this clean since my travels started. And as shameful as this is, I smelt the sheets. They were as fresh as a summer’s day in the English countryside. Given the fact that in all the other places I have been staying, I (along with many other travellers) believe that sheets are changed on a monthly basis. So this was heaven.
The bed was the most comfortable too. More so than my bed which I slept in in London. The bathroom was clean and the room was spacious. I even had a flat screen TV which was placed on the wall opposite my bed. At this point, I thought things simply couldn’t get any better for me. I then stepped out of my room to be welcomed with Chai (which was an endless and free supply for the rest of my time at this hotel) to find a swimming pool in the garden! The roof top had the most amazing views of the fort, old city and everything else which surrounded us. This was pure and utter bliss. The only thing that made me the tiniest bit sad, was the realisation that in 3 day’s time, I had already booked my return train back to Jodhpur and so leave this fantastic place I was to do soon.
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