🇮🇳 Weekly Log: Pushkar, Jodhpur, and Udaipur (Dec 2 – Dec 8)
Summary: The week began with a focus on stability and managing minor illness in Pushkar, successfully pivoting to a slightly better hostel. The transit to Jodhpur brought logistical friction and high prices, leading to a frustrating two-day period. This was followed by a strategic bus move to Udaipur, which immediately provided better services, culminating in a high-intensity, peer-driven training session with the French boxer, Pierre, confirming athletic superiority.
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Dec 2 (Pushkar: Friction & Logistics)
Slept okay, quiet, but woke with a sore throat. Rose 10:00 AM. Paid the owner 500RS for another night and black tea (30RS). Noticed the price had dropped to 421RS but didn't mention it. Noted no drinking water. Sewed Oakley bag's tearing right strap.
11:00 AM: Walked to the second falafel spot for a mango smoothie (80RS). Met a Dutch traveler doing a 10-day meditation course for 10 hrs per day. Walked around the lake, duped by a Brahman for a lake ceremony, only donated 20RS - tell him to not bother me. Not much food available. Saw some camels. Got falafel at the same spot (150RS). Realized Pushkar is near the desert, so water isn't free.
Cleaned up, stretched on the bed. Power cut several times. Chatted with an old Swedish guy who said India trains are 23 hours late.
5:30 PM: Walked to the ghat area, tried the same falafel spot for the third time straight-a mistake due to appetite fatigue. Walked around the lake ghat area to find a quieter place. Ate at a corner with many food spots: 200RS special thali (solid, but again, no meat). Walked around the inner circle market street selling junk trinkets; zero convenience chains.
Dec 3 (Pushkar: Pivot & Training)
Room was smokey from terrace smokers. Loud music played late but slept okay. Rose 9:00 AM. Cancelled the 421RS Suri booking, booked Mayur GH at 367RS (higher rating, better location).
Left Suri 11:10 AM (decent value but owner doesnt like me). Grabbed a pomegranate smoothie at a new shop (80RS). Tried a cheap thali spot (120RS).
Tried to check into Mayur, but the staff said the room wasn't available due to a sick girl who cant checkout - I said it shouldn't be my problem, told him "India must be some magic holy land where rules don't matter." Left fast. Walked to Everest GH, easy check-in, got a 2nd floor room for 700RS (nicer, but no shelf). Paid downstairs later (730RS on card)-owner looked unhappy about me taking the larger room.
Dropped big laundry items off (130RS). Hiked up to a small temple beside the bus stand; the short stair climb weeded out the bikes. Calisthenics: Handstand 2/3 from standing (easy), archer pull-ups, and dips at the viewpoint, spinning heel kicks (no other people).
Walked back to the food corner from yesterday. Tried a random spot: 220RS "Rajastani thali" (not a thali at all, weird lentil and balls), 268RS total-a blatant rip-off. Walked up to Savitri Temple (longer 400m stairs by gondola), saw lots of camels (pet a few). Noted lots of trash and "the pit of doom."
Hiked back down, no good food options, not hungry due to the poor quality. Chilled in the hotel, snacked on chips and Snickers.
7:30 PM: Walked back to the food temple corner, got the same reliable 200RS special thali from the night before (better). Played with a big fat lab dog in the hotel lobby, super friendly.
Dec 4 (Pushkar to Jodhpur: Friction restart)
Dry cough from an itchy throat through the night. Rose 8:30 AM. Ordered black tea (20RS) from the terrace.
Grabbed a smoothie at a Thali place (100RS), walked to the food corner for the same 200RS special thali. Checked out of Everest 11:15 AM (nice place). Grabbed laundry (big items), noticed they used the same bag, paid 120RS. Walked to the bus stop, caught a packed small chicken bus to Ajmer(20RS).
Walked from Ajmer bus stop 1.5km to train station (unpleasant). Bought a ticket from a guy sitting on the Ajmer platform (95RS, leaving soon). Again, no platform or time; almost got on a Jaipur train. Had to go back to ask (Platform 4), told them to fix the ticket info. Waited on Platform 4. The guy said the general coach was near the front by the engine (makes sense, most noise). Train arrived 1:40 PM. Jumped on a second-class sleeper car near the back (not too busy), got a compartment with no other people for awhile. Did shoulder mobility. A guy checked the ticket and said I was in the wrong coach-shrugged him off. Had to change trains at Mawar Junction; walked across the platform, no announcements - relied totally on Organic Maps.
New train toward Jaipur stops at every station (slow). Finally arrived at Jodhpur station 6:25 PM (already dark). Walked through traffic to the clock tower, no signs of decent food or hostels. Became agitated, yelled at random auto-rickshaws and people in the way. Noted that all stores sell useless junk/textiles, with no food (Nepal was more basic-need friendly).
Walked into a few hotels/hostels; prices up to 3k INR for a room and 600INR for a dorm. Eventually walked into Tanu's GH (700RS for an okay room, too many vases). Ordered egg chowmein (170RS) and ate on the terrace to chill out. Ordered butter chicken off a hidden menu, ate with chapati on the rooftop. Paid the tab (540RS cash).
Power cut during the shower, dress in dark. Noticed sheets were really dirty, complained, and staff changed them right away.
Dec 5 (Jodhpur: Stress & Targeted Training)
Slept fast, tired. Zero soundproofing (vents above the door). Rose 8:00 AM (people talking outside-no sound insulation). Tried to use the computer on the terrace, but the power wasn't working. Ordered coffee, drank coffee in the room. Paid 760RS cash for another night and drinks.
Walked outside, saw some outdoor stepwells, found a Hindu gym that was "free." Couldn't find food again. Walked to the old fort hill. A small cafe woman called me in; ordered veg noodles, which were instant noodles (paid 150RS and left without eating-a waste).
Walked back to the clock tower, felt agitation and animosity toward India again. Found samosas (2 for 50RS, fresh), a smoothie place (60RS mango), and paneer momos on the corner (60RS-first fast food spot).
Chilled in the room, shower, rest, stretched in bed (left hip grinding on tucked internal rotations).
3:00 PM: Hit 1 handstand on the terrace (easy). Walked up to Jodhpur Fort (nice, no motors on the short climb). Fort admission 800INR for foreigners (200INR for locals). Found a secluded spot for short accels: 5x right-turn accels up an incline curve and ramp (couldn't reach top speed due to safety rail-right turn was novel). Did platform jumps into ATG pistol squats (4x3). Abductors 3 right/2 left. Light shadowboxing.
Walked back down, got the same smoothie/fast food corner: orange juice (40RS, solid), veg chowmein (60RS, good!), veg manchurian (70RS, not bad). Chilled in the room, chatted with GPT, bought a bus ticket to Udaipur for tomorrow 11:00 AM (368RS).
7:00 PM: Walked out for more food, found omelets by the market gate (50RS, 2 eggs with bread). Back to the solo food corner: papaya smoothie (50RS), veg chowmein + fries (110RS) at a lone street-level food spot (surprisingly not busy for only fast food spot). Felt a bit better, back in rhythm.
Dec 6 (Jodhpur to Udaipur: Smooth Transit)
Woke up at 6:00 AM by a talking family again. Rose 8:30 AM. Ordered black tea from upstairs (30RS). Noted that veg diet is good for bowel movement. Checked out of GH 10:30 AM (decent stay).
Walked 4km to Jain Tours, grabbed fresh orange juice (50RS) and a local fast food spot (50RS) on the way. Stop to pet a majestic looking horse which looked afraid. Found the Jain bus easily. Brushed teeth outside the bus stop using a faucet.
11:00 AM: Bus left on time-finally a smooth travel day. Noted a small mistake booking the last seat before the bunks (can't recline far). Bus seating configurations seem to be all custom. 2:20 PM stop for food on the highway, special thali (200RS, did not resemble the picture at all). Jain was a bit sketchy, kept picking up more people; the aisle eventually packed with no way to get off. Arrived at the Udaipur flyover 5:50 PM. Walked down ramp and caught a local bus right away to Udaipur (only 10RS). Jumped off at Sungate. Walked toward the lake area, found hotels (1000-2.5k INR). Walked around for over an hour. Eventually checked into Bunk & Beyond Hostel (350RS) with a towel, bottom bunk, key locker in the prayer/common room.
Grabbed dinner at an outdoor spot by the lake with no traffic: 280RS thali. Ran into the French boxer, Pierre, eating at the next place with two friends; he invited me to a motorbike tour from his hostel tomorrow. Walked around the ghat area (pretty small), noted a party vibe in town for Saturday night.
Dec 7 (Udaipur: Reset & New Routine)
Only one dorm mate, quiet and comfy. Noise around 6:00 AM, then quiet again. Rose 8:30 AM. The prayer room was full; tried to find another workspace-nice terrace but no Wi-Fi. Used a chair and window sill on the 3rd floor. Paid 350RS for another night. Made coffee using the RO water provided. Chilled a bit at the makeshift workstation.
10:40 AM: Walked around for food across the bridge. Found laundry (10RS per big item), 5 bananas only 20RS-Udaipur has far more and better services. Tried a local spot, veg thali (180RS). Joined by a dorm mate from Ahmedabad who teaches crypto trading.
Chilled and reset in the hostel.
Hiked to the large Gulab Park, found decent pull-up bars with some grass (suitable for training when no kids are playing). Walked up to the scenic Sunset Point gondola area with lake views. Found a chicken spot, got a half order with rotis (200RS, solid portion, got the chicken fix). Walked back (traffic noticeably worse in the afternoon).
Chilled on the 3rd floor makeshift workspace, chatted with GPT, updated ghost chrons.
7:30 PM: Walked across the bridge looking for non-veg food, not much north of the hostel center. Walked back to the hostel area, tried a buffet spot on the rooftop (300RS, pure veg, a bit salty). Paid with card.
Pretty chill day.
Dec 8 (Udaipur: Peer Training & Max Effort)
Guys sitting on top bunks at dawn. Rose 8:20 AM. Made regular coffee, chill morning, tried to pay for another night (no change). Corresponded with Pierre about training.
10:40 AM: Walked to Bird Park/Gandhi statue to meet with Pierre. Didn't see him, so did some muscle-ups on a wobbly monkey bar with an S-shape: 4, 5, 4 MUPs (felt a bit easier with right pull timing, but right elbow was creaking-definitely the weak pull link). Pierre showed up, so started with speed (my forte), jogging 5 laps around the grass area. Agility drills on the asphalt walkway with Pierre (toe/heel walks, A-skip, crossovers, jog back, butt kicks). Three intervals with Pierre along the Gandhi lawn width-way faster than him. Hung upside down 2 sets, L-sit 2 sets, shadowbox 1 round for cooldown.
Walked with Pierre to the Marble Temple; guys tried to sell paintings at the temple for 2500INR. Walked to his hostel (Dreamyards), ordered chicken fried rice (220RS). Chatted with a guy from Bangalore, two Brits, an Indian girl, and a German girl.
Hostel reset, paid 350RS cash to a kid with no English (not too trustworthy). Chilled a bit upstairs.
4:30 PM: Walked back toward the park, grabbed a local chicken curry spot beside Sunset Hill (Kerala Hotel): full chicken curry with 3 chapatis (320RS, solid portion, got the chicken fix). Walked back (traffic picked up).
Chilled in the hostel, relaxed, and chatted with GPT and Gemini.
8:40 PM: Hungry again, tried the sandwich corner beside the bridge: 2 small sandwiches for 55RS. Grabbed snacks (75RS). Recurring power cuts at hostel