Sāvitri Pahār

I was not feeling good, still, so I asked to go and get some dry food for me...so looked like he was having bananas and crackers for breakfast and Tom also had the same. We chilled out at the hostel for a bit. A lot of this in Pushkar so far but it felt as if it was the perfect place to do it and we both thought we were going to feel refreshed after just slowing down a bit. Desperate times called for desperate measures...I’ve never been one to take pills when I’m sick, but I took some Imodium, 2 in fact, and after a little while we went out to get Thali from the 50rupee Thali place...I ordered one this time but only wanted the rice and the chapatti so I donated the curry to Tom, much to his delight. After food, which I choked down and Tom wolfed down as his potion was now massive, we walked to the lake and chilled outside the Ghats.

We just watched the world go by...firstly we watched 2 women get completely scammed by some man giving them a blessing next to the holy lake... but they seemed to be buying it so it was fine. Secondly, an older guy was being told to take his shoes off in the Ghat area and he was not happy about it at all. We were trying to figure out where he was from, and then he said in the most German accent ever “why do I have to take my shoes off, everything is so dirty here” which seemed to really upset the men sat around who seemed to be policing the rules and also waiting for westerners to come by to scam when they started saying “if you think it is dirty then leave”. Really friendly people. Thirdly, a local man saying to a girl stroking a dog “I don’t like dogs, I kick them”....which really summed up how backwards and generally stupid so many Indian people were, especially with animals.

After all this people watching, we made our way back to the hostel for (you guessed it) some chill time. After a few hours I started to feel a bit better so we decided to venture out to the sunset spot that the hostel recommended we did for sunrise (we didn’t, oops). On the walk I began to turn bad again and dove into a grubby little hotel with only squat toilets available. Tom suggested numerous times that we turn back but I was being stubborn and wanted to carry on...I already felt bad for not managing to do a lot of thins here in Pushkar and Tom has been my carer. I insisted we continued so we did for a little while however half way up the viewpoint I was really struggling. Tom changed his approach and said that he couldn’t be arsed to continue anymore...obviously a little white lie but I took it and we turned back just as the sun set. Tom was wanting to grab some food on the way back, so I left him to it as I shuffled back feeling terrible and bloated. With the fear of the runs, I quickened my pace but when I got back and rushed to the toilet it was only gas!!! The Imodium worked a treat!! Upon Tom returning, let him know the good news and so we both got showered and watched “We’re the Millers” on the iPad and then both passed out.Read more