March 31, 2015 (Bikaner, India)

The day began with the Rat Temple. It was about about 40 minutes out of Bikaner and they said if we had been here about 10 days ago people leave at sunset and fill the roads pilgriming to this temple which is one of the sacred Hindu Temples. Here the goddess Karni Mata is worshiped who apparently was a woman that lived near here in the 13th-15th century and was a woman that came and by touching the water made it clean, where there was no clean water in this area. She evolved into a goddess and because of this legend and other legends of Karni they dedicated this temple which was previously to Shiva to her. They believe that the rats that scurry around the temple are her reincarnated descendants. People come and worship and bring offerings of sweets and pay money for men to crack coconuts and collect the milk that is then offered to the rats. Wild belief and wild to enter a place with hundreds of rats that people are feeding. Most temples there is someone sweeping, here they are letting piles of seed and milk and sweets pile up to feed the rats. Rats are sacred here. There is a line of people next to the huge pile of coconuts that lead to the shrine of the goddess with the orange saffron dyes that is a sacred color and dye that all that come to worship inside the shrine are given a “dot” on their head by the priest. The priests and men that are working at the temple are descendants of this goddess. 

There is the belief that if you see a white rat here that it is good luck. Well, we spotted the white rat under the cooking area where there were hundreds of rats. People were all looking underneath and were excited. 

On our drive out and back the driving was nuts. People were coming head on - huge trucks and then the driver would swerve onto the dirt and then keep going. There were camels pulling carts all over the place. This area is desert and the main industry is making bricks- which the camels were hauling, and handicrafts. When we made it back to town we went to a handicraft shop where women made quilts and items from old saris. I loved everything in there actually and wished I had room for it all. I decided that I would get square pillow covers that are patchwork together and use them as placemats. It was fun to flip through the piles to find the ones I liked. As we were walking out there were two women that were piecing together one quilt covered in circles. I loved it but they were still working on it. When I got back to the train I decided I needed to have it. I asked the train to ask the shopkeeper to bring it to me if possible. The shop keeper brought quilts to our next stop but the one I loved wasn’t in the group. He said he was sorry but the people on the train right after us, who I had seen in the shop, had purchased it. I was so bummed. The others were awesome but not like that one with all the colors and circles. Oh, well. Not meant to be but still excited about my little squares which I purchase for only $5 a piece- which was basically his asking price. Felt that I shouldn’t pay less than that for the amazing work. 

In the afternoon we visited several places starting with the Junagarh Fort which is considered one of the most beautiful palaces of the Maharajas. This ruling family in the area is still there and they still own the palaces, although they have been put into trust to maintain them and allow visitors. There were a few rooms that were so ornately decorated and gilded where they would take private audiences. Great views from the top of the fort as well. We then made our way to the palace that lay alongside a beautiful lake and was a huge hunting area for the Maharaja. There we had some drinks and snacks and strolled around the gardens by the lake and though the wooded area. Sam was excited to see all the Alexandrine Parakeet Parrot, like the metal sculpture of one he bought in Delhi. He also spotted an owl in the palace, now turned hotel, courtyard. We also spotted another kingfisher that had turquoise feathers and was just spectacular and larger than most. 

From the hunting palace we were taken to a spot where we hopped aboard camel carts and were taken to our dinner spot in the sand dunes and to watch the sunset. The camels were actually a bit feisty and the whole thing was pretty funny. The camel’s would stick out their tongues and it looked like they were expelling an organ- they were huge and so gross! The ride was actually smooth on the cart and fun to visit with a couple other guests. 

Dinner was on the sanddunes on carpets with large pillows to rest back on and they had entertainment by locals. The tribes are muslim and their worship is a combo of Hindu culture and Islam and they have  Sufiism traditions of singing and dancing for a couple hours and working themselves into a euphoric state- almost similar to the Masai tribes of Kenya in the sense of the repetitive dancing becomes trancelike. The women had amazingly colorful costumes and loved watching them twirl and move their hands. Half way through the show the dancers put this stack of bowls on their heads and were dancing and then they brought out a board of nails and piles of glass that they would dance on without any harm being done. They are specialized in this and a tradition of their tribes and former entertainers to the Maharaja. 

The evening cooled down and it was fun to sit in the desert and enjoy the surroundings. I am not going to lie by the end of the evening I had a bit of a headache from all the music and a busy day and was happy to get back to the train. Sam took an ice pack for his knee to bed with him. As the train pulled out it was crazy rocky tonight again. So much you could feel the food swishing around in your stomach. Sam and I were laughing how crazy bumpy it was. I took another sleeping pill to get myself to bed but Sam fell fast asleep. Exciting day.

March 30, 2015 (Ranthambore, Jaipur, India)

Early rise and then off to Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve at 6:30 a.m. . It is a reserve for around 80 tigers. Cars are only allowed in about 1/4 of the park. It reminded me a bit of a reserve in Tanzania we went to with how dry it was a mix of vegetation that was just starting to bud. We are able to see several different kinds of deer and antelopes we hadn’t seen before. The most interesting were the Blue Antelopes that literally look like a deep indigo blue color and almost looks like a horse but it has a small deer like head. We also saw several Kingfisher birds and then dozens of huge peacocks and peafowls. I don’t know if I have been to a place where they are indigenous and are everywhere out in the wild. They looked so royal with their bright blue up against huge Banyan trees everywhere. We saw a monitor camping out in a tree, crocodile dipping into  a pong, and tons of monkeys which were so active and jumping around everywhere. Sadly no Tigers. They are hard to find since it is also a reserve and in order to really spot one you do really need to be lucky. I did have a flashback being back in Africa bounding around in an open air 4 wheel ride. It also made me grateful that I wasn’t doing too much safari time since it is so tiering being out in the dirty on bumpy roads all day. 

We made it back to the train around 10 a.m. and went right to breakfast. As we sat in the dining car eating breakfast outside could not see in and so it was so interesting to sit there and just watch train life. I know it is a little bit creeper but not that I am watching with any judgement but it’s nice to just observe life at the station. We set a time lapse and it captured it perfectly. After lunch we headed back to our room to take a couple advil and get caught up on our blogs. Hard when we are doing tons and on the move to always be up on our blogs. It has been relaxing to lay in bed and look out the window while writing my blog this afternoon. There is so much to see outside this window. We are truly in a bubble on the train, but grateful that we get to see parts of India we wouldn’t otherwise: women in saris tending fields, makeshift houses near the railways, people seeking shelter from the hot days,….

In the afternoon we went to Jaipur on the train. It was fun to be able to watch the world go by from the train. We haven’t had any opportunity to really do that during daylight hours. We passed through the countryside where women were tending the fields, which are mostly dry now since it is summer,and their bright red saris against the golden dry backdrop was really captivating. We arrived in Jaipur and had our own guide take us around. We visited a huge pink fort on the top of the mountain which was gigantic and had an almost Great Wall of China looking pink wall around what was a city in old days. It was constructed by a Hindu Maharaja  who ruled in this area and the city grew so large that it moved down the hill into what is now known as Jaipur. The castle and fortress was huge and had spectacular views as it sitting on the top of the hill and then looking down onto a large garden area. The walls made it just picture perfect and so much of the castle is still intact. The current Maharaja family still owns part of this palace fort but have opened to the public to be able to afford to maintain it. 

When we came back into the city we spent some time shopping. The area is known for emeralds for the most part and textiles. I wasn’t interested in purchasing emeralds but wanted to find a couple tunics. We visited a couple shops before I found something that I just loved- which turned out to be an antique skirt patched with some old saris. I loved it and purchased it along with a couple of tops. 

Following our shopping we were taken to the city palace and now still private residence of the Maharaja family that has been living in this area and no longer rulers but wealthy family and benefactor of Jaipur. We toured the rooms and private reception area of the family which included a gorgeous Lalique table and exquisite chandeliers and photos of some of the significant guests they had welcomed in this room from Lady Diana and Prince Charles to President Bill Clinton. The castle lit up at night was spectacular. As the sun was setting we could hear horns blowing and music playing and were led into the Maharaja’s courtyard where we were greeted by painted elephants and welcome drinks. We took turns taking rides on the elephants and painting them. I had never seem the elephants all painted up and it was so beautiful. Following we made our way to the palace’s main dining room which fitted almost 50 of us around one table! 

Before dinner Sam was able to take a doxycycline pill. This morning Sam’s knee had swollen and we knew it was the Lyme disease rearing it’s head again. He had taken a dose of doxycycline when the Lyme showed up last November and it seemed to have it all under control by end of December with some swelling remaining but it had almost all gone down. When yesterday afternoon his knee began swelling we were concerned. Then today it had grown a lot. We had ice and were taking advil and received to have begun the 28 cycle of doxy. Thank heavens the train was able to send someone for it and for Sam’s doctor who sent me a text with a photo of the prescription. So after dinner we were ready to get back on the train and elevate it and ice and wait till we could take another pill. 

As the train was pullling out this night it was so rough, I thought for sure we were going to be rocked right out of our beds. I opted a sleeping pill which I have only taken 1 outside tonight’s in these past 5 months of traveling. It worked like a charm and I was out.