Bikaner, Monday

1744 On rooftop of hotel, the almost-too-helpful chap (whose name might sound something like Toffy but I am not going to use it) said the sunset is very impressive. He came to my room to get me to fill in the registration book earlier, he is going to copy my passport later. I went out for a brief walk and bought a bottle of water.

He says there is a deluxe bus - but no toilet - to Amritsar which leaves here about 5pm and gets in about 5am. In terms of trains he mentioned somewhere I can't remember which is near Amritsar which has a direct train from here and 'lots' of transport from that place to Amritsar.

Restaurant supposedly opens at 6. For the number of rooms/floors there are only three tables, I hope this isn't going to be too communal. They have told me a couple of times there is an English couple who arrived from Jodhpur a couple of hours before me (and who were sleeping) and a pair of English/British girls. Meh. No idea if any staff - this seems a family operation, it was Toffy's brother who fetched me from station - will turn up at 6 but no rush, I guzzled some more biscuits in my room.

Am sure the staff will be only too keen to help with transport to rat temple, tho there is also a tour office round corner. Wrists hurting typing so no more, not that have much more to say anyway.

1829 Had chat with Toffy, he - and I explicitly checked he didn't want to take me to shops, apologising first - is going to show me old city for 2-3h tomorrow morning - he wants to practice his English - then I will go to the fort in the afternoon and do rat temple the day after (it's 400 return by tuktuk). Meeting him at 10am.

1958 Food took forever to come - chap told me several times it was prepared to order - but it was pretty good, although the chicken was on the bone and I got a bit nauseated at continually finding bits of bone where I'd hacked the meat off too badly. The beer is Kingfisher Strong which is 'alcohol content below 8%' and isn't very nice, but I will probably finish it. I thought the chap was going to watch me eat but fortunately he didn't.

Have a mild sore throat, keep coughing, nose slightly bunged up. Fingers crossed it will go in a day or so and it's not that bad. Alcohol may, based on previous experiences, ameliorate the symptoms or at least stop me paying attention. I think the food will go on my bill so I don't need to pay now.

0041 In bed, been surfing, sore throat is annoying me.