gypsygirl762

I am done with my safari and now I am headed back to Khajuraho to catch my flight to Delhi. Now I have an extra day here just so I can see the temples that were built over 1000 years ago. These are very unique temples, there's none like them anywhere else in India. I have to admit that the temples almost don't make sense to me since India is such a repressed country. It's rare to see men and women holding hands in public and yet these temples portray some very erotic scenes. Now let's just clear up a few things... The temple carvings portray everyday life, from war, to celebrations, from the erotic, to the mundane. Out of 800 plus carvings that are on the 24 surviving temples less than 10% are erotic carvings. ... read more

The trip to Bandhavgarh National Park was a long one. I took a 2 hour flight from Delhi to Khajuraho and met up with my driver for a 7 hour ride into the middle of nowhere. By the time I arrived at the Jungle Lodge it was pitch black and so quiet. They gave me masala tea and some cookies which was so nice after such a long trip. I settled into my room, which was a cute little cottage. It was lovely, and the bed looked so comfortable. One of the staff members came and took me to the dining hall where a very hot dinner was waiting for me. My naturalist, Vi, was waiting for me, the hotel pares you up with a naturalist during your stay which is pretty nice. Since there was ... read more

“Please note that while the above mammals are found in the Bandhavgarh National Park, their sightings are a matter of chance. We have had guests that have seen most of the mammals, while others have seen fewer. Please do not have very high expectations. With high expectations come bigger disappointments, so do spend time taking in the sights and sounds of nature and enjoy the forest in its totality.” That is what was written in the booklet that was given to me when I arrived at the hotel. So I thought “fair enough, I will enjoy the ride.” I was woken up at 5am (I thought this was a vacation) in order to be ready to leave by 5:45. The reserve opens at 6:30 but you have to get a number that determines which route your ... read more

I mentioned to Zakari that we should take advantage of our last day in Derhadun and go check out Rishikesh, which is only about an hour or two drive away. He agreed and I talked to the school who arrainged for a driver right away. I told Sandeep that we're going to Rishikesh and that he needs to come with us. Especially since he wont have anything to do since his students won't be in class. So after some convincing he agreed. I really enjoyed myself. We insisted that our driver, Raj, join us and he was a lot of fun as well. The whole time we were laughing and joking, Sandeep became our photographer. Which was so funny because all you heard was 'click, click, click'. So I was off the hook and didn't have ... read more

It is hard to believe that I only have a few days left. I will not say that time has flown by, because it hasn't. There have been times that it felt like time stood still or even gone backwards, but the rest of the time has moved so quickly. I've met so many interesting and fun people. The memories that I have made here and the stories that I can tell are worth all of the inconveniences. Hey, I got to see the Taj Mahal, and the Himalayas. How cool is that? So far I've visited 8 sites, 4 cities/towns, ridden in taxis, trains, plane, rickshaws, and a tram. I've also had the 'normal' virus (stomach), visited the doctor's office, taken 4+ gig of pics, passed 7 exams, and I am now MCSE certified. Wow, ... read more