Pushkar camel fair

The Pushkar Camel Fair is an annual 5-day event. Tens of thousands of people descend on Pushkar to attend it. It's one of the world's largest camel fairs and apart from buying and selling livestock it has become an important tourist attraction. There are competitions e.g. matka pod which means longest moustache, camel racing, stalls selling all sorts of colourful bracelets, clothes, textiles and fabrics. Day and night there are people singing and dancing. It takes place in October or November depending on the Hindu calendar. We had planned to leave Pushkar before the fair began as it's just too busy and room rates can treble in price. However, when we were there, the weeks of preparations were all taking place

Camels were arriving in their droves.

Contemplating being sold to a new owner.

This young boy was trying to persuade us to have a ride on the camel. It is a really popular tourist attraction but having lived in the Middle East for ten years I wouldn't go near one of these biting, spitting creatures - even though they look cute. Many years ago Colin had a couple of mates come out to India to visit him. They were really keen to do a camel safari, and stupidly despite knowing better, Colin eventually agreed to go with them. After 2 hours on the misbehaving camel in the blistering desert sun with no feeling left from the waist down, he was well hacked off and the only thing to look forward was three full days of this.

They really are some size and you really don't want to get near those gangly legs. I dealt with car accident in the Middle East where the driver had hit a camel and it's legs went through the windscreen and beheaded the driver.

Us on the bike getting overtaken by a camel rushing to the fair.