More From Pushkar, More on Maps

Here's the "Hotel Raghav Resort" in Pushkar, Rajastan. Joan is locking our door that opens to the rooftop 'garden' with a great view of Pushkar.



The place we stayed at by the bird sanctuary was one we found in Lonely Planet. It was really nice as you can see in the photo. Well, you can't really see the garden and the nice arched sitting patios with beautiful marble tiled floors.
As I said, Pawad was not happy. The place that was reserved for us in Jaipur was another company guest house that Nishant arranged. Despite the fact that it was in a non-descript street, it had nice furnishings in the lobby and was very clean. Our room was spartan, but clean. We've learned to ask for a second towel, how to turn on the hot water ("it comes on at 4am"), and for a top sheet. (In the Indian guest houses they just have a blanket without a top sheet.) They were very nice and brought all that and toilet paper too. But the window was tiny and the room was dark. As we changed plans and decided to scrap going to Jodhpur, I pulled out Lonely Planet and called two places (the first was full) and made reservations for tomorrow night. I called Nishant and told him and we talked a little about Pawan's need for commissions. Nishant thought skipping Jodhpur was a good idea (not that it should be missed, but we would be driving too much). Anyway, we wanted to go by and check the place out. I had a map in the Lonely Planet and we figured out where we were. Pawan asked someone directions and was told to go left where I thought we should go right. I said, I think this is wrong. We drove ten minutes, asked a couple more times. We got to the road - Ram Singh Highway. But we needed Jai Singh Highway. I told Pawan the difference. He asked a cop who pointed in the direction I wanted. From then he let me tell him where to turn and we got there pretty quick. It is a beautiful old, huge home with a nice swimming pool in the back. Talked to the lady about maps and she just said, Indians don't use maps, they ask. I mentioned what the bookseller had said about getting opportunities to help people, and she smiled wryly, and said, well, I don't know about that. They just don't use maps. (She was Indian.)