Monthly Archives: December 2015

Last day in Jaipur 

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December 4, 2015 – It was the last day to be a tourist on this leg of our trip. Tomorrow, I will move to Kerala for my Aspen Global Leadership Network seminar and Hubert will go home. Therefore, the day was very bittersweet.

We met Govind and Artie around 9:30 and went first to Galta, the Hindu Temple to the Monkey God, Hanuman. It was about 30 minuntes outside of Jaipur and I was very excited about it. Hubert and I had loved the monkeys so much in Ranthambore and Artie had said we would love this. The drive in was very pretty – in the mountains and clean. It felt like it would be a place just like us! We arrived to the temple gates and I noticied it was a different type of monkey than Ranthambore and the city. Instead of the black faced monkey, it was a monkey that looked more like baboons. When we arrived there was a  poor person outside of the gate selling  monkey food. It sounded like  a great idea –  the Greenville zoo sold animal food. I asked Govind if we should get and he said no and then said, “don’t look them in the eyes.” Hubert turned to me and said, “the monkeys or the people?” Truthfully, I didn’t know! We had been told to be careful of beggars so it made sense that he might tell us not to look the monkey food vendor in the eyes! So, I went to Govind and asked, “Do you mean not to look the monkeys in the eyes?” He answered, “Yes, the black face monkeys are calm but these monkeys are usually aggresive. However, at this temple, they are used to people, but if you look them in the eyes, they may feel threatened and attack.” Oh Lord, things changed for me!

I stayed right next to Govind. Meanwhile, I looked back at Hubert and he was trying to take selfies with the monkeys. He even was clicking his tongue at them like he was calling a dog. He wanted them to sit on his shoulder. When I saw him do this, I told him what Govind said!!! I am not sure he believed me! 

We walked through building areas towards the temple. It was at the same time peaceful and creepy to think about the monkeys. They were everywhere and freaked me out. Hubert loved it though so I just stayed next to Govind. I realized quickly that if a monkey attacked me, Govind would help me and Hubert would take a picture!!

The area is a mountain that has an unknown water source which is holy. People come to bath in the water pools. We went to that area and saw two women bathing. Outside of that area were 2 women and 2 children who were snake charmers. A girl about 3 years old took a snake out of a basket and wrapped it around her. Another girl about 7 did the same. At that moment, I almost lost it. I did not want to see beggar children with snakes. Govind told the grandmother not to let the children have the snakes since he realized it bothered me. She took the snakes and then Hubert went over and held the snake. Hubert was fascinated by the whole thing, but I was upset. As a mother, I couldn’t imagine ever asking my children to do such things for money. However, like Govind said, a little money helps them. But, that was my “Western” moment. The time when I couldn’t make the jump from my Western world and ideals to understand that. The grandmother looked at me and her grandchildren and conveyed to me that it was okay, but I struggled to understand. I was so very excited to go to the “monkey temple,” yet I was even more excited to leave. It was upsetting to me and uncomfortable. There was beauty there too, but I struggled with it. 

We then drove back to Jaipur and went by the rug place. We officially bought the rugs along with some more gifts! It was loads of fun and exciting to think we have a rug being made for our kitchen!

Then we went to Jantar Mantar which is an observatory built in 1726 by king Sawai Jai Singh II. It was so cool and felt like a modern art garden as well as an observatory. It is still precise in the measurement of time and was cool not only to see the time but also the astrology measurements as well. Hubert and I really both enjoyed it. 

We then walked across the street to the City Palace, which is still the home to the Rajasthan royal family (even though there is no longer an official royal family anymore). It is now a private residence but parts are open to the public. We went through the main courtyards and to a gallery with artifacts and information about the history of the royal family. Then we walked into another courtyard which is for the public and there was a wedding being set up. It is like some of our public buildings, it can be rented for private events as well. They were setting up for what appeared to be a huge and magnificent wedding. I was blown away by the setup!!

Amber Tours has done so many special things, and today was no exception. Instead of staying in the public area, Govind took us to a side area so we could enter the private areas of City Palace. We went to 7 floors and each floor we were by ourselves with the security guard. We went into rooms that were mini jewel boxes and the walls and ceilings were inlaid in actual jewels. We went to painted “monsoon” rooms which were painted blue and white to help the king forget the rain and to the top room which was a room with all the walls and ceilings as mirrors. The helper with the guard lit candles to demonstrate the effect. It was magical. We could not take pictures of the rooms, but we could of the views. We were 8 stories above the rest of Jaipur and we privately saw 8 rooms on each floor of the City Palace that the kings of Rajasthan had enjoyed. It was special and was concluded with some Marsala Tea on the ground floor. It would have been very good to have been king/Maharaja!

After the City Palace, Govind took us to a nice Tandoori lunch. Then we went to see some jewelry  as Jaipur is known for jewel cutting. We were done with buying so it was a quick trip. We went back to the hotel early to pack and rest. We both were tired so it was perfect to have some rest before our travels.

That night, Amber Tours made a reservation for us at Suvarna Mahal at the Rambaugh Palace. The Rambaugh Palace is property owned by the royal family and leased to the Taj group so it is run as a hotel. It is a gorgeous heritage hotel and not to be missed. We arrived early so we could have drinks in the Polo club (the polo grounds are nearby and one of the old maharajas was a very famous polo player (on elephant, not horse!). A person from Amber met us at the drop off from Artie and showed us the bar. He did not stay, but just made sure our reservation was good! 

The restaurant is gorgeous and the food is from the royal kitchens of 4 different areas of India. When we began to order, the waiter basically took over and told us what to order. We listened thankfully and it was outstanding!  Laal Maas, Dal, green pea naan and a special rice! And as an appetizer, tiger prawns from the south. The food was outstanding,  the ambiance amazing and my date was so handsome! Sometimes in life, you just have to pinch yourself to believe that you are really lucky enough to be in that moment – tonight, and many times on this trip, was one of those moments!

It was a wonderful day, wonderful evening and outstanding trip! Blessings have been bountiful. We have learned so much and have grown on this trip!

   
    
    
    
    
 

Tourist Day in Jaipur

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December 3, 2015 – Today was a fabulous day in Jaipur! We slept late and met Govind and Artie at 9:30 to go to the Amber Fort. On the drive, we stopped for a picture of the fort from below and also a picture with the snake charmers. This was something that Hubert really wanted to do. There were two charmers and they opened their baskets and the snakes popped out. I jumped a little and Govind explained that the venom and fangs had been removed. It still freaked me out. The snakes were a little agitated but as soon as the charmers started playing their flutes, they literally became mesmerized and began dancing in a hypnotic way. It was freaky. Well, Hubert jumped in between them and the next you know they put a truban on his head and then taught him how to play the flute. I was laughing and trying to take pictures as quickly as possible. Then I went behind for a picture too but didn’t get too close. Even though you know they can’t hurt you, there is still fear. I was ready to be done with that!

Amber fort is a fortress and palance on the hillside which was built in the late 1500s by the king of Rajasthan, Raja Man Singh. The fort itself is beautifully ornate and fascinating, but one of the reasons that many tourists go is for the elephant ride from the bottom of the hill to the top! Like the good tourists we are, we were ready for the ride! Govind warned us about the street vendors and how pushy they are. He said to completely ignore them and not even say no, because a no will just make them push more. He also told us about photographers that will take your picture and then try to sell to you. He gave us ideas about the cost and how to bargain it down by walking away. 

Hubert and I boarded the elephant and it was hysterical. We were on this basket seat which was not very comfortable! The elephant’s gait is very big so you basically roll along with the elephant. It was not the smoothest ride, but it was super fun! It was a pleasurable ride and as you moved along, you had a wonderful view of the city. When we got to the top and got off the elephant, one of the photographers was there and ready with a book of pictures. We only wanted one. He said it had to be the whoel book for 2,500 rupees which is about $37. No way, so we began walking. He was like a vulture on his non stop. He kept coming and we kept walking towards the entrance of the fort. He came down to 1000 rupees and I said yes to just get him away. Govind said it was too much but since I had agreed, I must take it. The word of each person is very important in the transactions in India. So, I paid about $15 which was way too much, but oh well!

The palace area was very pretty. As soon as we went through the gates, the street vendors were gone. The palace was beautiful and peaceful with wonderful paintings and inlay work. There was a Hall of Mirrors which was breathtaking. It was a courtyard area with open rooms which were inlay in gorgeous mirrors and designs which included niches. You could imagine the royal parties with the area aglow in candles and the light shimmering around. It looked like you were surrounded by diamonds. We then went through the rest of the palace which has many rooms and ramps between the floors, because the queen’s dresses were often brocade with jewels and to get from place to place, servants would wheel her on a cart. It was fun to explore the old fort/palace and imagine the royal life! 

After we left the gates, another photographer came up to us with his pictures. We said we did not want since we already had some but he was so persistent that he was mean. He started with 2500 rupees too, but Hubert finally offered him 300. He was very mean to us and Govind finally intervened and they exchanged words. Finally, the guy gave us the book for 300 rupees which is about $5. So, we now own about 15 pictures of us on an elephant and spent $20!! Oh well, travel lessons always cost a little!

We hopped in Artie’s car and headed off to the countryside. The destination was the Indo-Saracenic Samode Palace which was an old hotel and is now a hotel. Along the way, we stopped in the village of Samode and had a camel ride. Govind and Artie warned us that the camel ride was bumpier than the elephant ride and that they would be nearby if we decided to get off. Well, the camel came out and we got on which was the hardest part. When he stood up from his seated position, you had to hold on! After that, it was very nice and very much like a horse ride, only higher. We walked through the countryside with a nice leader and it was so enjoyable. We saw the farms nearby and just enjoyed being outside. We were on a dirt road and every now and then Artie would check on us to see if we were okay. We went until the end of the town before the road began to go up the mountain. To get off the camel was a little funny too and I started laughing with a squeal. Many villagers watched the silly American woman getting off the camel very ungracefully!

We arrived at the Samode Palace and we were blown away. It was just perfect!! It is a very fine hotel and I felt like I was in Europe. There was a wedding about to happen and preparations were underway. Flowers were everywhere and instead of in vases like we do, the petals are on the ground lining the walkways in patterns. It was amazing. The bride and groom even had their names arranged in petals. We walked up the steps and were greeted with the typical Indian custom of placing a red bindi on your forehead. It is a welcome and we have received this in every hotel. Here, they added some rice to the red mark for good luck. Walking into the hotel felt like walking into another world. We went through the doors and into these rooms that were ornately painted in mosaics. It was gorgeous. The colors glowed and it reminded me of the Saint-Chapelle chapel in Paris – you felt like you were in a jewel box. Mom would love it here! It even had a mirror hall! I couldn’t stop exclaiming and oohing and aahing!!! After many pictures, we went to their dining room for a ncie buffett lunch. 

After lunch, we headed back into Jaipur to shop at a local rug and craft shop. Jaipur is known for their rugs and textiles. Dad had asked me to look at buying him a handmade rug. We met Bali, the owner, and he showed us how the rugs are handknotted and went through the whole process. He also showed us the textiles and the block prints that they are famous for. It was lots of fun and Bali was not a high pressure sales person. I started texting dad some pictures of rugs and it was 5 in the morning for him!! It was very funny. Then Hubert and I found a rug we liked for our kitchen and began asking mom to measure our kitchen for us. It was a crazy shopping experience. We decided to think on it overnight and let him know the next day. We then went into his textile area and we had great luck with some Christmas gifts! It was a fun shopping time!

That night we went to the Raj Hotel and had a wonderful meal outside on their terrace. We had a great waiter and felt like we were in a movie. Hubert ordered the Laal Maas and I had the Byrani Vegetables. It was delicious and we were very happy! As we ate dinner, there were fireworks going off in the distance from a wedding! It felt like they were just for us!

   
    
    
    
 

Jaipur

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December 2, 2015 – We both had our best night of sleep since we have arrived in India. We have been waking up at 5 am each morning since we have been here, but this morning, we actually slept until 6! Then our coffee arrived at 6:15 and we enjoyed the time on the porch of our cottage. The morning was beautiful after the rain and we listened to the sounds of birds and Hindi music in the background from the farmers. We had a huge breakfast. Truthfully, the food at Khem Villas has been amazing. It is all vegetarian and even Hubert has not missed the meat. It is so flavorful and fresh and we have learned so much about India food. And we drink their Marsala tea every chance we can! We are sad to leave this wonderful spot. 

Artie arrived  at 9:30 and we hit the road for Jaipur. Artie is from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, and he was very proud to show us his hometown. He drove the slower, country route and it was wonderful. It was about a 4 hour drive but we couldn’t stop absorbing all the sights outside. Artie’s English is pretty good but a little broken so sometimes we do a lot of back and forth repeating the same sentences until we understand each other. He is very kind and very proud of India. He is a great representative! 

The road took us through many villages and farmlands. It was gorgeous. So much cleaner than the big cities and the people were so colorful. The farms we passed were beautiful and being worked mainly by women. And the women were in their traditional dresses of lehangas (colorful skirts) with the colorful shawls. It was like being in a painting everywhere we turned. The colors are inspiring and the fact that the women work in these long dresses blows me away. Plus, as Artie kept saying, the women in India work so very hard. We saw women at the wells, women drying laundry, women working the fields, women carrying huge loads on their heads, women washing the cattle, women herding the sheep and of course, women minding their  children. And all the while, they look beautiful. The women in this country are beautiful. Regardless of age, the women shine here. 

Along the way, we saw tons of camels working hard too. They are used to pull heavy loads and as work animals in this area. It was so fun and exciting to see them. Artie was so kind and would stop along the way for us to take some pictures. He would point things out to us and ask if we wanted him to stop. We took photos of people and places along the way. Many of them smiled at us and waved to us. It is a very warm country. 

We drove into Jaipur and went to our hotel, the Trident. It is across the street from city lake which has a summer palace in the center of it. It is very beautiful. The city is known as the “pink city” as all the buildings and city walls are painted a salmon color. We had a quick lunch in the hotel restaurant and then met Govind, our guide in Jaipur. He took us around the city and we went to the old city. He walked us around and it was a busy, exciting city. It was a nice way to get an overview of the city. 

We decided to stay in tonight and just have a relaxing night. We both have a little bit of a cold and the dust bothered us. Taking it easy with room service and an early night is exactly what we need. Travel is fabulous, but can be exhausting. Every minute is new and our senses are overloaded. Tomorrow we have a big day which will include an elephant ride, a camel ride and lunch in a beautiful palace. We have reservations tomorrow night at the Rambagh Palace hotel which is supposedly fantastic. 

Sweet dreams – enjoy these pictures of the gorgeous people of Rajasthan. 

   
    
    
    
   

Safari and Fort!

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December 1, 2015 – We started at 7:00 again and RK, our guide, took us back into zone 4. Our fellow jeep passengers were a nice family from Boston. They had a 10 year old boy who was very excited and anxious to see a tiger. We had a good driver who was calm and the ride was not so bumpy and dusty. But, we were prepared with extra blankets, bandannas and windbreakers. The day was hazy and there was actually thunder in the distance. The park was very quiet as I imagine the animals were preparing for potential rain. We went past several jeeps and the guides talked to each other. All trying to determine where a tiger might be seen. Some people get upset if they don’t see a tiger, but truhfully the beauty is all around. We drove up to the top of a ridge and drove along some roads that were very overgrown. The ride was an adventure and tons of fun. The animals were not as plentiful except many deer. We finally did see a tiger but he was sleeping in a ravine. Many jeeps were there and many pictures were taken by the jeeps of a sleeping tiger! He was sleeping like a baby, I guess when you are the top guy in the park, you cna sleep through anything!

After the safari, we returned to the hotel for a delicious lunch. Then we went on a nature hike aroundthe  property with Mittal, the naturalist. She showed us tracks, taught us about the birds and the butterflies, and was a delightful guide!

In the afternoon, RK and Artie showed up to take us to the Ranthambore Fort. We were expecting RK to come in a jeep and were prepared for the dust ride, so we were thrilled to see Artie and his car! Plus, it was all fixed and his door and bumper looked like new!

The fort is perched on top of a mountain and was made in the 6th century. It is full of beautiful old ruins and is home to a temple as well as hundreds of monkeys. RK showed us all around and even had us climb into some areas of the ruins that were off the path. There were no tourists there  – just Hindus going to the temple (all newly married couples go there to ask for the marriage to last) and monkeys were everywhere. It was so fun! The views were great and the ruins were majestic. Caroline would love to spend time taking pictures here and I tried to channel her artistic spirit! RK was great fun and he took lots of pictures of us too! Some local people asked us if we would take a picture with them so we also took pictures together. They were so cute and had children. It was me, Hubert and their whole family! I gave the little girls some candy and the mothers asked if they could take pictures of me giving the candy to them! I taught the 3 year old how to blow kisses! The teenage boys wanted pictures with Hubert. It was a lot of fun and just shows that differences do not matter! We are all the same everywhere. The fort was so fun and one of our favorite things about the trip!

We got back to Khem Villas and got ready to go to the campfire. We met a woman from DC who was traveling with her 13 year old son. She was an anthropologist and had been working in Delhi. They joined us for dinner and then we had drinks afterwards with her and another lady from Australia when the rain finally came. It had the feeling of camp – campfires, rain, nature and new friends. It was a special place that we hope to return to someday with the girls. 

   
    
    
   

Ranthambore National Park

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November 30, 2015 – We woke early to meet our safari group at 7:00. Our guide was RK and we had one  other guy in our jeep. He was an American who currently lives in Singapore but was Indian. He was very nice and a great person to share our first safari. It was chilly when the day started and the hotel provided blankets and a snack. We took off in the jeep down the dusty village road towards the park. Along the way, we saw the farmers working and the ladies filling up their water jugs at the water pumps. 

Ranthambore is a park that was once the hunting grounds of the Indian royal family. Today it is a national park and animal reserve that has worked hard for the protection of the animals, in particular the tiger. Tigers   have been overhunted and are still subject to poaching, so there are only about 55 tigers in the whole park. We were told that most people do not see tigers, so not to get our hopes up and to enjoy the other wonderful parts of the park. The park is divided into 7 zones and the safari jeeps are regulated by the government. Only a certain number of jeeps can go into each zone and it is only open twice a day for about 3 hours at a time. All jeeps have to be out by the close time or the guides and drivers will be fined. The zones are distributed at random by a computer. Some zones have a greater chance for a tiger sighting, but it is lottery style for the zone you are assigned. 

Our jeep was assigned into zone 4 and we were told that was lucky because the previous day there had been tiger sightings and even sightings of tigers eating from a carcass. As soon as we entered the park, our driver drove like a bat out of hell to get to the area of yesterday’s sightings. We were flying down the dusty jeep trails, holding on tight and passing other animals in a flash. I didn’t even have time to take a picture. I was worried that this is what the Indians mean by safari and my romantic ideals of a leisurely ride with tons of photo moments was being replaced. We finally arrived at an area and other jeeps were already there. Two tigers were sitting in a wooded ravine. They were so regal and amazing. It was a mother and son. The son was almost full grown. We began to take tons of pictures as RK told us all about the park and the tigers. He was so knowledgeable and had a true passion for the tigers and the park. He was raised in Ranthambore and he loves the park and the beautiful surroundings. He was also taking pictures of the tigers. We then drove over to the carcass which had been dragged and we saw another tiger sleeping near it. Then back to the 2 tigers when they began to walk. There were about 10 other jeeps there full of people all taking tons of pictures when the tiger leisurely walks in front of the jeeps and moves towards a waterng hole. She was not fazed by the people and everyone was respectful of her. We were probably about 10 feet away. It was amazing!! The son followed his mother until they both disappeared. We were all so excited and RK said that we  were so lucky.  He then drove us to a high  spot where we  could see out over the park and we had chai. After that the ride was leisurely and we took pictures of the other animals like the Sambar deer, the crocodiles, the monkeys, the many birds, the blue bull antelopes, wild boar and peacocks. 

It was a great ride and we returned to the hotel around 11. We were covered in dust from the ride but had a nice late breakfast and rested until 2:15 for our second safari of the day. For that safari, we were still with RK and the other passengers were a fun couple from Wales and a young man from Seattle who is Indian and traveling around the country. We took off for zone 5. The area was my favorite and full of animals. The driver was much calmer too and RK really took time to tell us more about the animals and the reserve. We learned so much. Along the way, we spotted a Sloth bear. RK got so excited as they are very rare to see. We began to follow it and even went off road to track it down. It climbed up a tree and we got as close as we could. She was hissing at us and it was all very exciting! RK was so excited and his face was lit up! After we lost the bear, we drove around it was truly a magical place! I learned so much and it was so restorative to be in the woods. 

We arrived back to the hotel around 6 and had a nice long shower. The amount of dirt that came off our bodies was crazy. We were covered head to toe in clay dust. We both were coughing and felt as if we had breathed in so much of it. 

The hotel had a campfire for the guests and we went to mingle and show off some of our pictures. There are only about 30 guests in the hotel so we got to know them. We met nice people from all over. The hotel has a naturalist on site too who was great and she told us so much about the area and the wildlife. The hotel was started by the son of a famous naturalist in the area who worked hard to save the tiger. Khem Villas serves as a model in the conservation area. All the food is farmed on their land and the water is recycled and solar energy is used. They have worked hard to plant native plants back in the area and teach  local farmers techniques that are friendly to the environment. It serves only vegetarian food and it was the best food we have had in India. Everything was so fresh. Yogurt is made fresh and even the bread is homemade with wheat that they grow. 

Khem Villas is a magical place and one that we would love to return to. My favorite part – teh turn down service includes a hot water bottle but into your bed. It is wrapped in a beautiful handmade fabric pouch and the bottle warms the whole bed!! It felt luxurious in a down to earth manner!

   
    
    
   

The Taj Mahal

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November 29, 2015 – Nothing can quite prepare you for the minute you walk through the huge glorious gate and you first see the Taj Mahal. It literally takes your breath away. The size is immense, the proportions are perfectly symmetrical and the white marble looks like a castle made of clouds. 

The day started hazy but began to clear up. We left the hotel at 7 and it was not crowded when we arrived. It seemed to be perched in the heavens. Pictures do not do it justice. The closer you got to it, the more awe inspiring it was. I felt like I was just gaping and it felt surreal to be there. After taking hundreds of pictures from the outside (Anu is a wealth of knowledge, plus great at photography), we went inside. WOW! I thought I was blown away by the outside, the inside is amazing. The empress’ tomb is in the center and Shah jahan is next to her (although he did not want to be buried there but across the river). The inlay marble work is exquisite and like nothing I have ever seen. The precious stones are so finely pieced together to make gorgeous designs of flowers and more. The marble is translucent and it all just shimmers. It moved me so much and reminded me of the feeling I had when I saw the Sistine Chapel. The art that has been produced and the sheer work put into this structure is amazing. Art is a gift from God and I felt that I was in His church!

We walked around the outside some more and also went to the mosque. It was so fun and we really felt that we could stare at it all day. Another thing that we really enjoyed at the Taj Mahal was the people watching, especially all the Asian and Middle Eastern women. The colors of the saris and the dresses/clothing was gorgeous. You could see the  differences from the different parts of India as well as different countries. The dress is similar but also very different. The colors and patterns very bright but the way it is wrapped is different. The men were also dressed similarly. It was so fun to people watch and see all the nationalities represented. 

After the Taj, Anu took us to a factory/shop to see how the marble inlay is made. Agra is famous for this craft and it was fun to see how it was done. After we learned about it, the shopkeeper gave us some chai and showed us his products. In India, you do not have to go look through the store, the store comes to you. He showed us many pieces and they were all gorgeous. The price was determined by the intricacy of design as well as the number of pieces put into the marble. We bought a beautiful round plate which can be used as a lazy susan with a base. We also bought the girls little surprises. 

Then back to the hotel to check out and hit the road. On the way out of Agra, we drove through a Muslim neighborhood. Since it was Sunday, there were open markets going on everywhere. We drove through the market and it was so exciting. The colors, the clothes, the people, the fruit – the entire street scene was full of life. Plus traffic was insane, so we were stopped often – it gave us a chance to look and I even took some fun pictures of the people. We loved the ride!

We drove to tthe abandoned Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri. When we got there, Artie pulled into the crowded parking lot and said we could get out. Keep in mind, that when you exit a car in India, you literally risk your life and limb! You have to watch for new traffic and go fast. As Hubert opened the car door, a bus started moving and it hit his car door. Thank goodness he had not put his leg out! He was okay, but car had some damage. Artie was upset with the bus driver. All the other drivers came over very fast and started discussing it. It is not like America where you call the police, make a report and get the other driver’s insurance. This was a moment of blame and everyone was adding their opinion. (Of course, we gathered all of this because it all happened in Hindi!) Hubert felt so bad, but it was not his fault. 

We then went to Fatehpur. It  was beautiful old city from the 1500s. It was the old capital that was abandoned and they do not know exactly why, possibly drought or disease. It is well preserved and there is still archeology done onsite. Caroline would love learning about all of this. On the walk down the hill to the parking area, we heard a small crash and saw a car parked that was backed into by another car. We immediately recognized that it was Artie. Poor Artie, his car hit a second time. People were coming from all around and Artie was yelling at the other driver. Anu got involved too and it was craziness. Artie was parked and out of his car when this car hit him. Yet, the other driver was not admitting fault. It was crazy. 

Once we got into the car, Artie was fine and talked about the crazy drivers in Agra! We said goodbye to Anu and we drove to a lunch spot at a hotel which was good. Then he took us to the train station. Another Amber Tours representative met us at the train station and he was with us on the train. The station was what you would think an Indian train station would be like – dirty and there were beggars there. The train was 45 minutes late. When we got on, I was truthfully about done. I had some moments of being homesick. Part of this trip has been about giving up control. The culture and language is so different here. Amber Tours has been great and I just trust that I will be delivered safely to each spot. Everything has been top notch and I have felt so safe. But in the train station, I became a little panicked. I had given the man our tickets and he had a porter take our luggae. He was not sitting with us on the train, so there was a moment of not knowing where my luggage was, not knowing what station we were traveling to and I did not see the tour rep who was with us. I was agitated but Hubert calmed me down and said we needed to just trust, so I did and all was fine. 

We arrived to Ranthambore around 7:00 pm. I was teh most excited about this part of the trip and the place we are staying, Khem Villas. And I was not disappointed. It is a beautiful resort that is based on the conservation of the tiger. We have a beautiful cottage and the feel is wonderful. Outside of our cottage in the pond is a crocodile! We had a nice dinner and then slept to the sounds of nature. After being in the big cities and surrounded by so many people, I was craving nature. I have been restored!