Tucked away in the harsh desert region of western Rajasthan lies the relatively remote city of Bikaner. But then we always liked to explore off the beaten track.

Started the day by visiting the unusual Junagarh Fort. Unusual because, unlike all the major forts of Rajasthan which are on hilltops, this one was built on the desert plains itself.

The palace complex's sumptuously decorated interiors are better preserved than in almost any other region. Particularly, Anup Mahal with its ornately lacquered walls in red & gold and panels of dazzling coloured glass inlay set over the coronation throne. The marble columns are covered with delicate paint work, and the entire effect is simply breathtaking.

The fresco of rain clouds in Badal Mahal brought a smile to our face when the guide explained that since rains were a rare phenomenon in this desert kingdom, an artist was specially commissioned to paint it, so that when the rains finally did come, the children of the royal household would not get frightened.

From the Junagarh Fort, we saw some beautiful havelis (mansions) that line the narrow alleys of the walled city. Later, we went to see the impressive Lallgarh Palace. 

Like Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, the royal family still lives in a wing of this palace, but the rest of it has now been converted into a charming hotel, with a fascinating little museum thrown in.

In the evening, we went to the National Camel Breeding Farm and saw the incredible sight of a herd of camels returning back after grazing, with the spectacular desert sunset in the background. 

Set amid rolling sand dunes, this farm was set up to produce superior strains of camels both for domestic haulage as well as, even today, for military use.

Interestingly, one of the efforts is to breed camels with longer, thicker eyelashes to offer greater protection during sandstorms. I couldn't help wondering that if some genius were able to come out with a capsule which could do the same on humans, many of those false eyelash manufacturers would be out of business!

Although, we did not go, there is a very popular Camel Safari to Gajner and Kolayat which lets you see the rural desert life on the way.

The city of Jaipur is an artist’s dream come true. The legendary Sawai Jai Singh II, a great ruler and astronomer, decided to shift his capital from hills of Amber to the plains and built it in accordance with the ‘Vastu Shastra’. Alongwith his Prime Minister Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, he built what is today known as a masterpiece of town planning by the architects and as a poem in aesthetics by the scholars.

He spared no effort in making his city the most complete one in the world - beautiful, charming, appealing, colorful, progressive, and of course hospitable. His predecessors and his people have till today carried down his vision and with its charm and warmth, Jaipur is Jai Singh II’s city- his dream come true!

At Amber fort-palace, we hired an elephant to take us up to the sprawling fort-palace complex. The main attractions are the Sukh Mandir (Temple of Contentment – an aptly named pleasure chamber, cooled by a stunning water cascade) and the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror palace).

We were closed into a tiny room with mirrors all over the ceiling. In the pitch dark, an attendant lit up two candles and holding them, waved his arms slowly over his head. In a typical guides’s tone (Don’t blame the guy – he must be repeating the same thing hundreds of times a day!), he said – "Thish is the winter bedroom of the rajah. Shince it was too cold to sleep in outshide, he made thish bedroom with tiny mirrors on the ceiling. If you look up onto the ceiling, you will find the same effect that the oil lamps beshides his bed made. Tinkle, tinkle, little ishtar…" And it really was a marvellous sight - twinkling stars on a clear night!!

we visited the famed Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), the five storeyed architectural marvel (frankly, it looks better from outside!). We browsed through the nearby handicraft shops for some souvenirs. I picked up a lovely pair of jootis, while Sonia bought a bandhej salwar-kameez. Rajasthan is a shopper’s paradise and Jaipur is one big emporium where you can buy just about all the Arts and Crafts from various parts of the state. It is one of the leading centers in the world for Gems and jewellery, Gold enamelling, Carpets, Hand block-printed textiles, Puppets, Handmade paper, Blue pottery, Bangles, Marble work etc.