2 Chapter 2

"C'mon , di we are getting late for train" I shout from the balcony. It was a shivering winter night of Delhi and christmass eve too. My sister and I planned a trip to Jaisalmer , yes the place of xerophytes "the Thar dessert" . I was always fascinated by the golden colour of dunes since my childhood.

"Aah wait , am ready lets go" my sister came out with her bag .

"Why you are not wearing any woollen clothes??" I asked her shockingly.

" No, I dn't need. Am not cold blooded like you" she said smiling at me.

"Ah , ok lets go we are late already" .

We board a auto to sarai rohilla station and almost about to reached their when  she shouted " oh shit, I forget the tickets at room".

"What???" I said still in shocked .

"I, am sorry , actually I was talking to a friend and just forgot".

"You should be careful, we'll miss the train today for sure". But thanks to the electronic media I just checked my email and got a copy of the tickets. We board the train to Bikaner.

I still remember the dawn, when we reach the hotel at Bikaner. We had our breakfast and asked them to book a cab for local sight scene. However , they said cabs are not available due to tourist rush.  Di decided to be in the hotel for the day . But that was something not acceptable for a wanderer like me who likes to visit different places. I went to the nearby shop when suddenly I met an auto driver.

"Madam, you didn't got the cab" he said .

" yes, why ?? Can you book one for us?? " I asked him.

" arey madam we are small people , how can we book cab . But I can carry you in my phatphati" he said indicating towards his auto.

Suddenly , an idea strike my mind . " ok, how much it'll cost "

"Just 1000 madam" he smiled back.

"Oh , sure, just give me half an hour" I said and went back to hotel. I asked di to get ready.

I still remember the journey, we leave  for Karni mata temple. We were freezed, kept on coming closer to eachother in order to insulate ourselves from the shivering wind. But the temple was one of the mesmerizing thing I saw in my entire life, it was full of rats, yet no body was ever harmed. We went to other places like Lal bagh, bikaner fort etc. In evening he dropped us at the station from where we boarded the train to jaiselmer.

Next morning we reach Jaisalmer, the city of sands, of changing dunes. We prebooked the cab these time. The driver tour us around the Jaisalmer fort, Gadisar lake, vyas chatri etc. In the evening he took us to the camp site i.e. Sam sand dunes where we were about to spend our night. We were welcomed by the dancers of the camp. Everything seems to be a perfect film set , where we were the heroines ( just a feeling , although I was never of that kind).

It was 4 pm at evening , a guy from the camp management inform us that we can enjoy the camel safari now. We went to the place where the camels were lined up. I tried to sit in the back of one of them but failed  as I have short legs. Di laughed at me "that's the disadvantage of having a short leg". I ignored her and these time tried to jump  on it's back when  I noticed I kicked and opened the button of the shirt di was wearing. Suddenly both of us turned back and notice there was a flock of boys laughing at us. We ignore and finally get on the back of the camel. Di kept on holding me tight and chanting gayatri mantra thoroughout the ride . She was afraid of falling down from its back.

It was already dark till we came back to the camp site. We were invited to the bornfire and as usual we were late to that too. Everyone had taken  there places already. The evening was welcomed by the famous Rajasthani song 'padharo mahre desh" followed by 'nimura nimura '; fire plays and ofcorse the famous poha, although that was not tasty at all. After the performances every one were requested to come closer to the bornfire for a dance. We too were dancing when suddenly we noticed some people tried to come closer towards us . The more we tried to avoid the more they came closer. But there were two guys , who suddenly came towards us , formed some sort of shield around us from those morons. Eventually we started talking to them and came to know that they were from Delhi. We continued the conversation with them and became somewhat comfortable with them. They were among that flock of guys , who were laughing at us. The dinner was served and was really bad . They cooked maggie and even offered us to join them.

We'r about to  leave for Delhi next morning when they offered us to visit Tanot mata temple , few hundred kms away from the camp site. I told di not to get involved much and trust Delhi guys and to ignored them. But she didn't listen to me and agreed to visit the temple. Whatever , the consequences may be ,but one thing is sure the temple is one of its kind with live bombs still persisting into it . And missing it would mean missing a wonderful experience in life. We leave for Delhi in the evening.

Delhi

"Hey, what are your plans on new year ?? " Di asked them and had planned to go out with them.

"Why we have to go with them? We can roam alone too?? " I said refusing her plan.

" No,they are nice people. And its ok. " she said ignoring me.

It was 31st dec, we met them again although in Delhi now. We get into their car . That was the first day of my life I drank . I was in a state of ectasy. I never felt so crazy before, dancing in the coaching institute of one of them, drinking in the car, hoping over different places throughout the night.. I realised , may be they were not like the one I thought.  I was thinking about all these when my phone beeped.

"Friend request from Biki Gupta". I read in my mind. Yes , the guys I met in Jaisalmer was Biki and his friend Sandip. I never thought that the acceptance of that friend request would result into a new chapter in my life.