God, another big day on the road, arriving late in Ranthambore National Park ready for Tiger safari tomorrow. There isn’t any WiFi here and we’re here for 2 nights so that is a bummer. I may be able to get it in the reception area tomorrow…I’ll try.
We set out this morning after brekky and drove for a little over an hour to Fatehpur Sikri which is another of those fabulous Moghul cities. This one built by Akbar The Great in C16. Again superbly carved sandstone palaces, harem, kings quarters etc. Very impressive and easy to imagine it when it was buzzing with life. It was only occupied for 14years and cost a fortune to build but they believed water was scarce so moved back to Agra…such a waste!!
From there we went to a Raj-style hotel for our lunch and then moved on again to Chand Baori in the town of Abaneri. This is a step – well with over 3000 steps leading down to the well. It is truly an extraordinary sight. As it happens it was the Abaneri Festival and we were entertained by boys dressed in female finery, dancers, costume dancers…all lots of fun. That was a nice stop.
Back on the bus and we went on and on until 8pm. It took so long because there were roadworks all the way and the traffic chaos was even worse as we narrowly missed passing trucks, cows ambling out in front of the bus, millions of bikes wobbling along, roadside vendors and just the usual seething mass of humanity.
Just as we were all getting a bit tired of being rattled about in the bus over corrugations and potholes, the guide, Hassan, produced a large bottle of Indian Rum and some coke and insisted we all have some. Pretty soon someone put on some music and very cornilly the bus was singing along to Abba. Sounds awful but you go with the flow and it is quite fun(arent you proud of me??).
We finally got here to Tiger Den Resort at 8pm, had a meal and headed to bed. Hot water finishes at 9.30 so it was a race for the shower. No WiFi as I said which always freaks me out!!
Safari x 2 tomorrow. Hope I can get myself up into the bloody Canter!! But more and more people are looking out for each other and there is always a helping hand available.