Hotel Rawal-Kot

Out here on the Jodhpur Jaisalmer Road, things are pretty quiet except for the wind. Hotel Rawal-Kot is basically a stop for people who have been driving through the heat for too long. There is a lot of sand that blows in through the doors, no matter how much we sweep it out. It’s a long stretch of road and we are just one of the spots along the way. The sun is really strong here in the afternoons. We usually sit under the shade of the porch until someone pulls in. The rooms are plain and the floors are stone. It stays relatively cool inside because of how the walls were built. We don’t have a big flashy sign, just enough so people don't miss us at night. Sometimes the internet doesn't work great because we are out in the open, but nobody seems to mind much. We spend a lot of time checking the water tanks. You realize how important water is when you live on this road. Most of our guests are tired families or truck drivers looking for a few hours of sleep. It isn't a place for a vacation, just a place to rest your head. We keep a few extra blankets for when the desert gets cold at night. It’s just a simple operation. We make some food if people ask, usually just whatever we are eating ourselves.