Pushkar to Rishikesh

We arrived at three thirty am and the town was cold and dark. We realized we were in the main area but everything was shut. We sat down under our blankets and waited for the sun to rise and the day to begin. two cows or rather the male tried to mount a very disinterested female who dismissively kept wandering off. The odd dog came to sniff us and then slink off into a dark alley. It was not scary but cold. I hoped one of the shuttered shops would be a chai shop and waited expectantly.Time passed and we heard the shutters go up and the familiar sound of gas as the chai wallah started to make chai. We were saved as the warm sweet tea revived us. soon enough the guy opened the door to the hostel and asked us why we didn't ring the bell. Shit! Oh well we got a room and showered and went to sleep.
We woke up and realized we were not in the right hostel and checked out to move to the right one. The third eye. Wow! We entered a nice courtyard and saw a lawn and a pleasant seating area. The room we chose was a good size with our own shower and western toilet. Happy days.
Soon we went walkabout and discovered the area we were in when we first arrived was a hub of good food and a general meeting point over a chai or meal. Now at this point I must try and convey my amazement at the food we ate. All vegetarian but cooked to western standards It was incredible. The thing is I said that three times in one day and then came the desert thali. Wow, again! This magnificent creation had a kind of Belgian style waffle with fruit, ice cream, chocolate and condensed milk and crushed biscuits. After some of the muck I had to force down I was in heaven.
Dan and I decided to hire a motor bike and do a couple of trips around in the hills. I am so glad we did as the scenery was really beautiful. We passed farmland and it is generally well maintained. Of course you have to pass your typical Indian settlements which are mostly characterless shacks but in moments the countryside opens up and it is truly stunning.
The time I spent in Pushkar was lovely. The weather was perfect and I really enjoyed it but I felt drawn on and felt I needed to steer my own destiny for a while so made plans to get to Rishikesh alone and see what came along. At this point Dan had found himself a way of keeping busy at night so I thought he would appreciate some time too as he also had a friend from home who was in the area at the same time.
With plans to meet up with Jan again and see Dan in five or six days I set off on my over night sleeper bus to Rishikesh.