During our day of touring in Agra, I wasn't feeling very well, and that evening I had a fever, was achy all over, and had lots of coughing and runny nose - it seemed like a quick hitting flu, and it put me under for the night! I felt better in the morning, but decided to ride in the van just to give my body a little more recovery time, and it was a pretty short riding day anyway. So, I was able to get a couple of good roadside pictures, and then felt good after that for the next 2 riding days.
Our first night out of Agra, we stayed in Bharatpur, home of the world-renowned Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary. The entrance was just a few hundred meters from our hotel, so we were able to ride through the park. It was an amazing experience. The park is a huge wetlands, which fills up during the monsoon and then dries up in the heat of the summer. This time of year there is lots of water, and thousands and thousands of large migrating water birds. We saw countless numbers of pelicans, storks and cranes, some herons, kingfishers, quail, and many others.
The park is also the quietest place we have been in India - we couldn't hear one car horn! It was a wonderful respite from traffic, and quite amazing to see so many birds. Our hotel was called "The Birder's Nest", and our key fob was a small stuffed bird of some kind - very cute.
The roads we are traveling are becoming more and more rural, and the villages are small and frenetic! It is hard to describe how impossibly narrow and twisting the roads through the villages are, and we are sharing them with motorbikes, the occasional car, cows, pigs and piglets running around, dogs, pedestrians, children, push carts, etc. The roadways are periodically bisected by 4-5 inch wide drainage cuts - a definite wheel grabber if you aren't careful. Thankfully, our bikes seem to be able to take any kind of punishment we send their way! No flats yet, and nothing broken!
In Jaipur, we had to visit the Amber Fort, another massive construction that defies the imagination. It is quite a climb up a series of wide walkways, which at times we shared with elephants.
It was interesting seeing the elephants carrying people up, but we had to wonder what their lives are like, and if they are enjoying what they are doing. Inside we once again saw courtyards, gardens, and amazing carved marble work. A common sight is the intricately carved honeycomb windows, which allowed for cooling breezes while also providing privacy, especially for the women. We visited the Hawa Mahal, which is basically a 5-story façade of these carved windows, so the royal women could watch the goings on in the town without being seen.
After leaving Jaipur, we are now on day 2 of a 4-day ride to Jodphur - where we'll have a well-earned rest day. The roads now are very rural, and we are closer to the deserts of Rajasthan so it is getting quite dry. Because it is winter, the fields are bare, but have been plowed. We have seen countless herds of sheep, often mixed with goats. I love looking out into the open fields and seeing a herd of goats/sheep, with the shepherd nearby, dressed all in white (loose shirt and pantaloons) with a bright red turban and long shepherd's staff, on his cell phone!
We also saw a large herd of camels (20 or more animals) being herded along. I thought about stopping for a picture, but we are finding that almost time we try to take a picture we get asked for money, so I didn't. And sure enough, someone coming along behind did want a picture but was asked for money. It seems simple enough to give someone a few rupees for a picture, but we usually have a very limited stash of small bills so it becomes problematic.
Sandi
2019-02-04
Wow! What an experience! I am very curious about the painted elephants and that they would be still for such intricate painting. Sorry You were sick, glad that's over!
Sooze
2019-02-04
Just so amazing. Thanks for sharing all dear ones.
Cat
2019-02-04
Glad you’re feeling better. I love all of the wildlife. Also glad you found a moment of quiet space:). Pictures are awesome!
Patty Nightingale
2019-02-04
Great pictures. It amazes me just how much weight one of those oxen can pull. I loved the painted elephant. Glad to hear your sickness didn't last any longer than a day or two.
Yvonne
2019-02-04
Your blog makes me remember everything again Love yvonne
Camille
2019-02-04
I'm sitting here saying "Wow"! How you are maneuvering all the traffic is beyond me. Sorry you didn't feel well, but glad it didn't last long. Keep having fun.
Cousin Bill
2019-02-04
Great blog entries and great pics. What have you been eating?
Sally k
2019-02-04
Wonderful again and glad you are well again the only advice I can give you is don’t drink the milk or eat unpeeled fruit. Have fun.