Chris and I escaped the grounds of the Greenhouse Resort for a brief visit to rural India shortly after dawn on Thanksgiving. Water buffalos, not cows, provide most of the drinking milk in India.
These children were thrilled to see us. When I showed them their pictures, I wondered if they ever had seen digital images before. In any case, I felt like the Pied Piper of India as they continued to follow us and send excited word among their neighbors.
This man carried firewood to his house.
These very serious children, waiting for a school bus, may have careers as doctors or lawyers in store for them. Rajasthan has one of the highest literacy rates in India.
After breakfast everybody boarded the van for another visit to the camel fair. Thom and George didn't have any choice this time because we planned to drive back to Jaipur for an afternoon elephant safari. Tom took his cue from Lawrence of Arabia. If only the day had ended so happily!
The number of camels seemed to have multiplied overnight. Notice how their front legs are yoked together so they can't run away.
Man and beast water at the same holes.
Steven and I were the first to saddle up. The others boarded carts behind us.
I rode Krishna. He (or she) was pretty ornery and kept spitting at the the 19-year-old driver. When I observed that his camel didn't look too happy, he said "Krishna always happy."
Matthew and Thom doubled up on Krishna. She appears quite content now. Maybe she's just not a morning camel.
Thom, uncharacteristically, decided to join some locals for tea as we left the fair.
We spent the rest of the day driving back to Jaipur but by the time we got to our villa--yes, our villa-- it was nearly dusk. The Tree of Life made the Greenhouse look like a trailer park. Unfortunately, we didn't have any time enjoy it. This is where Thom and I roomed, by ourselves.
Nothing like lounging around on your window seat, after you've had an outdoor shower, been in the hot tub or had a massage.
I longed for a dip in the infinity pool but settled for a pose. That's the dining hall behind me.
But like I said. We had no time for any of this because we already were an hour late for our elephant safari, something I had been looking forward to since the Amber Fort. Nothing like the prospect of riding two beasts of burden on a day most Americans associate with turkeys to get you going!
Unfortunately, my Grand Poohbah-shot doesn't nearly begin to capture the experience of moving slowly through the fragrant brush in the dark, under a nearly full moon as you hear the call to Islamic prayer in the distance and servants hand you a bottle of beer from a torchlit temple along the way.
Here's my driver, whom I tipped heavily for offering to break the rules by jumping down and taking the previous shot while his elephant took a dump. He made sure we were out of sight of the others.
Our safari ended with yet another buffet meal. I don't think I've ever missed turkey quite so much.
Back at the villa, I marveled at this light fixture above my bed before drifting off to sleep in the second best hotel of our trip.
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