Delhi Belly strikes in the deserts of Rajasthan

A camel imitating me the first day in Khuri

8/27/2012: It's a clear day here out in the deserts of Khuri, located in the state of Rajasthan close to the India-Pakistan border. It's also the third day since entering our first real bout with traveler's sickness: Delhi Belly. With something like 90% of those traveling to India having problems, all the more in monsoon season, it was really just a matter of time.

While we've had run-ins with loose bowels before, I haven't been this sick in quite some time. I was entirely incapacitated the first day; not only did I stay next to the toilet with roll in hand, but I also remained in bed the entire day and night with a bad fever and no appetite. Akemi got off the easier of us two, but I'm sure here time will come (note: she's currently feeling it here in Jodhpur).

Given the circumstances, other travelers here at the Badal House have shared their stories. An American couple have been hit twice, once for 4 days. The Singaporean guy said he wasn't right for 2 weeks up in Nepal. What he said rings true: luckily, on long trips like this, it isn't the end of the world to lose a few days. The best thing to do is just hole up in a 3-star hotel with AC, take your pills and wait it out.

Us with Badal Singh, owner of Badal House

We don't exactly have any 3-star accommodations available to us here in such a small village (population: 2,000), but the Badal House is a nice, clean family-run guest house. It's owned by one Badal Singh, a retired farmer/camel runner who appears to be fairly well-off by local standards. Refreshingly, especially in this country, he refuses to advertise and puts no pressure on you at all. He's about the only place in town that doesn't sent touts down to Jaisalmer to stir up business from new arrivals; some places go as far as placing people in the train to ask where you're staying before you even embark. In contrast, Badal won't even offer you a camel ride unless you ask for one, and that's about the only game in town. He used to provide the service himself, but he recently sent his eldest son off to university in Jodhpur to study art. Now he merely outsources, at no commission, of course.

Women going to get water from the village well

The accommodations themselves are quite simple. He has two rooms and a few mud/dung huts out back. The electricity cuts in and out, but other than the fan keeping the flies away, we hardly notice. His wife and daughter make yogurt and chapati from his own cow and millet. He also only has squatter toilets—something I've avoided in the six years previous in Japan. I've become well acquainted with them by now.

Despite the bout with sickness, it's been very peaceful here. We sit around and chat with other travelers, watch Badal's goats and cows prance around, and sip excellent chai between the 3 squares he serves up, inclusive in the price of a night's stay. Now that I'm feeling up to it, we'll set out tonight on an overnight desert safari. It should be fun!

The dunes just outside Khuri

Directions to Khuri:

• From Jaisalmer station, turn right on the only road there and walk 10-15 minutes into town. Ignore all rickshaws and follow the locals.
• You will get to a circle with shops on the left hand side and a few stands on the right. Ask here for the bus stop. If you see a sign on your left for a lake, you've gone too far. The bus stop is about 100 m before the turn for the lake.
• The bus will stop in front of the stands on the right. Expect it to be at least 30 minutes late. If you ask the people at the stand, they will tell you which one is for Khuri.
• Bus cost: 30 rupees/person, one way
• Bus times
• Jaisalmer to Khuri: 9:30am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 5pm
• Khuri to Jaisalmer: 8am, 9:30am, 10am, 11am, 2:30pm

Badal House info:

• Phone number: +91-8107-339097 (no e-mail/homepage)
• Cost: 300 rs/person/night, 3 meals incl.
• Camel safari cost: 550 rs (overnight, 2 meals incl.)
• Makes lassis on request