At the extraordinary town of Jaisalmer, we went swimming in the Gadi Sagar. This probably wasn't healthy, but it was very beautiful.

At Jaisalmer we ran into Harley Shapiro, who we first met at the Roop Niwas in Nawalghar.

We bid farewell to Jeanne-Marie and drove back to Jodhpur. It was a long drive; we were headed to a "heritage" palace, the Sardar Samand, about 60 miles beyond Jodhpur. The country was rough and the roads poor. Dusk fell and our driver, Sharma, was getting worried; he said that there were dacoits (bandits) operating in this area. There were no lights and we were on a dirt road. We reached an iron gate with no-one around. Sharma opened it and drove through. We rounded a turn and suddenly saw a strange, art-deco palace brilliantly illuminated by floodlights.

Our suite was a luxurious setting from the 30's, with a marble-lined bathroom. The next morning we swam in a stunningly beautiful pool. By daylight the palace, with its massive walls and Bauhaus lines, reminded us of Berchtesgaden, and we imagined Adolph and Eva rather than Nick and Nora. The staff all wore olive-drab paramilitary uniforms, heightening the effect.