Overland to Ranthambore National Park where we stay at the Nahargarh Hotel,Sawai Madhopur, India.
We are told nothing about the hotel, just that it will be a long and bumpy road, which it was. I was starting to come down with a cold so I just survived.
Dev saw a group of colorful women in a field and saw what they were doing. He stopped the bus so we could have another spontaneous learning and discovery experience. Everyone joined the women except me because I felt miserable.
These women were digging a settling pond to catch rain water, called a bund. Each family is guaranteed to have one family member to work 100 hours per year and be paid by the government. This is a form of welfare I guess. The men were supervising while the women worked. Everyone of the women in our group put dirt in a pan and carried it up to the bund to make it higher. The men were not allowed.
We saw this work ethic at other locations. The women did the hard work, the men did the supervising or finish work.
Kamela was the one David spoke to. Everyone was having a good time. They danced, then they wanted us to dance, so Ron started doing the hoki poki.
We also stopped to talk to a camel herder who loved to pose for photos.
We arrived at the hotel for lunch. What a site! It is a genuine palace. Beautiful gardens, white marble, large open areas and long rooms and meeting rooms, a beautiful pool and spa. Our room was quite large, marble floors, huge bathroom, old locks with keys on the doors. It was built 15 years ago as an exact replica by a family who also has a palace like hotel in Jaipur. We got to stay here three nights.
I was feeling sick so I napped while the rest of the group hiked up to the Ranthambore Fort, just inside the park. Then I got a massage before dinner in the hotel.
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