Carol and Harold's India trip: November 13

We left the hotel at 6:45 AM on Saturday for a Canter ride through a section of the National Park. Having taken a safari in Africa where so many kinds of wildlife abound, it is difficult not to make comparisons. But, Africa does not have tigers and India does. But, although we saw crocodiles, peacocks, deer, gazelles, antelope, snakes, eagles, vultures and many other birds on our ride, we did not spot the elusive, and much sought after, tiger. In 1900, there were 50,000 tigers in India and today there are 1411 tigers in the whole country with 30 in the Ranthambore National Park. The number of tigers had diminished to single digits due to poaching, but, luckily, India realized how close to extinction the tigers were and are doing what they can to build up the numbers. We had a few hours of relaxation around the pool and another wonderful lunch. Then, we met again at 2:30 for the afternoon ride. The weather was perfect, the scenery was spectacular and the naturalist knowledgeable and determined, but, alas, no tigers. We saw fresh paw prints, but never saw the big cat. But considering the park is over 1400 square kilometers, we shouldn’t be too surprised that we didn’t spot one of the 30 tigers. Disappointed but ready to carry on, we met at 7:00 for happy hour, dinner and some local entertainment.

Sunday is called a “Day in the Life” by OAT (Overseas Adventure Travels), our tour group. We left the hotel and took a 10 minute drive to a local village, Ram Singh Pura, where we were able to observe daily life in a rural village. Indians divide the country into two parts: modern India (30% of the population) and rural India (70% of the population – mostly farming). We began by visiting the local “Walmart” where everything a villager might need is in a tiny 10x10 stall and accounts are hand written in a ledger book. We then went to the Saini Adarsh Vidhya Mandir, a school which is supported by OAT ($10 of each tour booked through OAT goes to supporting a good cause in various countries around the world). At the school, we spent time with the children and, even though it was Sunday, they were there to greet us with songs and conversation. We then went to a nearby house where we had tea and cookies and could observe life in a local home first hand. From there, it was a short drive to Dastkar, a women’s cooperative founded in 1981 to provide employment opportunities through the teaching and production of traditional Indian handcrafts. The skilled female artisans here create a wide array of goods to sell, including block prints and patchwork cloth. Of course, we all left with something (well, it is a good cause, after all!). After another short ride, we stopped for lunch at an unlikely spot. Amid all the hustle and bustle of the market, there was a large walled field with a beautiful tent set up by OAT for our lunch. From there we traveled to our OAT camp in Rajasthan, on the edge of a small town, Geejgarh, in the heart of rural India. We were greeted with drums, flower garlands, and a cool drink. The rural retreat consists of 14 air-cooled, tent-roof cottages each with a veranda and private bath. There is a separate dining area where a delicious dinner and breakfast were served. After settling in, we climbed aboard our decorated camels and made our way through a nearby village where we could observe the farmers’ daily lives and wave to the many children who cheered us on. This was an unforgettable experience!!! After our ride, we all went to the kitchen for a cooking demonstration where we watched the cook make alu palek (spinach and potatoes) and chappati (which I had made at CCS). From there we had some drinks outside and a dozen men provided entertainment (drums, singing, dancing). Of course, they had us all join in the dancing. We had dinner, and then retired for a peaceful night.

We woke up Monday morning to the sound of rain on the tent – actually a very soothing sound. The rain, I’m sure, made the neighboring farmers extremely happy. This is only the second time in six weeks that we’ve had rain so we aren’t complaining. After breakfast, we had a cricket lesson – this sport is the Indian obsession. Sanjay and the staff demonstrated some of the moves and we all joined in until rain sent us into the dining tent. We then had a friendly male vs. female competition on the art of carrying water jugs on our heads. The day cleared up and we left the camp and visited the nearby step well. Before entering a temple, Hindus bathe and change their clothes. This well was built over 1000 years ago and is an amazing sight. After walking around inside the well, we visited with some local people who were making clay pots – an ancient craft. Two from our group tried their hands at the wheel. We then drove to Agra, stopping for lunch along the way. As always, the varied sights along the way kept us entertained.

We are staying at the Jaypee Palace Hotel and Convention Center which is just lovely. We were met with a garland of flowers and cool drink. We got our luggage and hurriedly dressed for a show and dinner. The show was about the King who was so in love with his wife that, when she died, he built the Taj Mahal as her tomb. It was pure Bollywood, but entertaining. Then, we went to a South Indian Vegetarian restaurant. Now it is to bed!