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Published: June 11th 2009
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From the amazing Varanasi we made our way west to the Madhya Pradesh region. After a 12 hour train journey we arrived at our destination - a small rural station in the middle of nowhere. As our train had been delayed three hours it was 1.30am and there were no rickshaws, so we bunkered up and slept on the floor of a waiting room until 4.30am when we could get a taxi to take us to Tala, an even smaller town, which is surrounded by Bandhavgarh National Tiger Park - our final destination. After breakfast, a nap, lunch and then another nap, it was afternoon and time for our tiger safari! Motoring along the dirt tracks we saw multiple types of deer (tiger food), monkeys, wild boar, vultures, eagles and one tiger, however, he was about 200 metres away so visibility was poor. As we were coming to the end of our three hour safari our guide decided to try one more place where he knew there to be the den of a six year old male. Upon nearing the den we saw heaps of other jeeps and our guide confirmed he heard the warning calls of monkeys so a tiger
was close. Our driver angled for a good spot and minutes later the tiger came out of the shrubs about a metre from our jeep and walked right in front of where we were parked (literally about 2 metres away!). After meandering around for a few minutes he decided he had enough and went back into the jungle. Although these few minutes were enough to make all three of us well up at the magnitude of seeing such a rare wild animal so close - especially considering it is not uncommon for visitors to see no tigers at all. A thali for dinner and then it was off to bed, only to awake at 3.30am to go back to the train station to depart and venture North to Khajuraho...
As our train departed so early, and we were only going to be on it for a two hour journey, we couldn't get reserved seats, as all the passengers onboard were already sleeping in their bunks. So we bunked up with some un-suspecting sleeping passengers and shoved our packs under seats already overflowing with luggage - we are totally getting the hang of the Indian way! After a relatively uncomfortable
two hours (at one point I was sitting on a rather fat mans bunk and every time the train wobbled his large stomach would protrude into the small of my back) we bordered a small, yet intensely crowded bus. However, our minds were kept off the colossal crush of bodies by the arrival of two teams and camera men from a European version of 'The Amazing Race' (a TV show where teams of two travel with no money and have to race to certain destinations). Rose was even filmed paying for the rickshaw of our favourite team on arrival in Khajuaro to help them out - so look out for her if your watching in Europe!
Unfortunately this exciting bus journey was not indicative of our time spent in Khajuraho. The town was full of young people home from their schools and universities (as it is Indian summer here and they are on holiday) so we could never leave our guest house without being chaperoned by at least four or five guys. They weren't in anyway threatening, just bored and wanting to practice their English. However, the novelty of being tailed everywhere soon wore off and just became plain
annoying. However, not all things were negative about the small town of Khajuraho - we managed to get the nicest room out of anywhere we have stayed in India to date (it was absolutely massive, with marble floors, two fans and a big bathroom) for an insanely cheap price, the lassi's from vendors on the side of the road were the best and cheapest we have had and we saw some amazing temples. Built between the tenth and twelfth centuries AD the temples, for which Khajuraho is famous for, are renowned for their uncompromisingly erotic carvings - they were definitely worth the trip. After two days we once again packed up and left the comfort of our Khajuraho mansion to head further north to Orchha. We made a slight mistake, however, and took a local train for the first time. It should have only been a three hour journey, but it was hideously delayed and the rest of the trip was very slow, full to the brim and we had to endure the hardest wooden slat seats. However, we eventually arrived in Orchha relatively unscathed, except for extremely sore behinds.
Orchha is another small town based on ancient ruins,
although the village had a far better atmosphere than its close neighbor Khajuraho and the people were far less invasive. We spent our one full day in the peaceful town romping around the ancient ruins of the semi-ruined former capital, which is surrounded by jungle. The days high was 47 degrees so other tourists were few and we often found ourselves alone in ancient 15th century palaces, temples and even bathrooms, which were once used by the kings and queens (the toilets still looked scarily similar to how they do now - two places for your feet and then a big hole in the middle!). Orchha was also home to the best Indian sweets we have tried so far (we ensure we trial some wherever we go!) and their Indian take on fudge was beyond incred.
From Orchha we once again traveled North. To Agra!
More soon,
Claire xx
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