Originally Posted in 2019 

When you sign up for a tour, sometimes there are places on the itinerary that you might not choose to visit.  Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, an area in the northwest part of India, is one of those places.  I couldn’t really see why we were visiting this remote destination  so close to the Pakistani border except that seemed to be a good stopping point between two other destinations.  

Well, it was that, but a whole lot more.  

Interestingly it turned out to be one of my favorite places on the Jim Cline Photo Tour in November of 2018. I am not alone.   More than a half a million people find their way to Jaisalmer every year, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. 

Why did I enjoy?  I had some lovely and rather varied experiences.  

On the first morning, we got up before dawn and headed out to a hotel repurposed from a grand old Havali, a former home of a very wealthy family.  Our guides had arranged for us to have early morning access to the roof top where we could watch the sun rise and view the gigantic hilltop fort, Jaisalmer Fort, the typical destination of most tourists.  

As we made our way through the eerily quiet streets we stopped to photograph a Chai Wallah. I’m doing a full post on the Chai Wallahs soon.  

Then we climbed to the roof top to view and photograph the fort and the sun rising.  I loved seeing the city from this vantage point. It is so telling to see the stuff people store on the tops of their houses and the picturesque doors and walls.  Best of all, I loved seeing the delight and wonder of small children as they observed the drone one of our participants brought along to fly over the city.  

Their excitement was palpable. 

On the way back we observed some homes nearby and were greeted by the children who live there.  One of our group had pockets full of candy for just than eventuality.  The Chai Wallah had made a batch of vegetables to sell for breakfasts. 

Later we visited the ancient fort, once a center for trading in the heart of the Thar Desert. Unlike most of the old forts in this area, this one is still inhabited.  

Traditionally, the main source of income for the kingdom was levies on caravans . The economy was heavily affected when Bombay emerged as a major port and sea trade replaced the traditional land routes.

We could see lots of opportunities for today’s vacationers to eat, to shop, to visit the museum and to worship at a Jain temple.  I bought souvenirs and took lots of photos. 

Later in the day we rode camels into the setting sun in the desert. We  enjoyed a half an hour photographing the camels as their owners paraded them for us in front of the setting sun.  If you ever wonder how photographers get that perfect photo in front of the sun as it dips low?  Well, in my case I probably have 100 shots of these camels trying to do that.  Staging made it easier. 

It was heavenly to have the time  to experiment with camera settings.  Like, who gets the perfect shot the first time and what are the chances for the camels to be in the right spot as you click the shutter?  

The next morning on an early morning excursion to the lake in the middle of the town, I happily enjoyed being able to meander on my own, capturing the early light, the colorful boats, a romantic couple having their wedding photos taken and a beautiful young woman posing for a photographer from another group.  

Ahhhhh……Jaisalmer……great memories, both visual and in my mind. 

If you enjoy reading DesignDestinations, consider signing up for weekly updates.  Simply enter your email in the box on the  right hand side of the post and follow the prompts.  Enjoy!