We got a later start to
the day than was planned because of the late hour last night and it was nice to
have that extra hour. At 9 am we headed out of Jaipur and onto a wide smooth
highway. We had a long drive ahead of us and I passed the time either reading
or snoozing. We stopped at rest stops for a break and lunch was preordered
ahead of time.
We ate outdoors at a restaurant
located on a farm property. We were the only ones there and the food was very
good. I had chicken curry with naan bread of course. It was very peaceful and
nice to eat without half a dozen other tour groups. It was grey and windy and
we had had a few drops of rain earlier.
We turned off the main
highway and drove on a much rougher road for a short while until we arrived in
the village of Jojowar. There are 'only' 6,000 people here so apparently that
qualifies it as a village. As we got off the bus there was a huge noisy
procession coming by. People were dancing, the music was loud, there was a tall
flag, and men in a uniform of sorts.
After it passed, we walked a short
distance to our hotel.
We are staying in a
heritage hotel and it is absolutely gorgeous! The entryway is magnificent, the
grounds are well-kept, and the rooms are beautiful. Mine is so very spacious
and has a writing desk as well as 2 chairs and a coffee table arranged to form
a sitting area. We were greeted with a fruit drink of some sort, together with
a warm washcloth. This is the life!
Our guide took us for a
walk through Jojowar's streets. It was apparent from people's reaction that not
a lot of tourists visit this village.
Children followed us, smiled, asked for a
pen, and posed for photos.
We had chai along the way and KV explained a few of
the things we were seeing.
After our hour-long
walk, some of us went to a nearby store selling scarves, tablecloths and
fabric. The prices were fixed (meaning no bargaining) but they were oh so good
(darn it anyway!).
I walked a little ways further and found a gorgeous leather
journal at a fairly decent price I think. Supper was an included buffet with
many delicious dishes. I bought my first beer here in India. I had tried a bit
of other peoples' and found it not too strong. Wine is not an option due to the
exorbitant price in this country.
It was going to be bed
early tonight but I am reading such a good book I can hardly put it down!
