Up early today to begin our long bus journey into the countryside of Rajasthan, India. The first few hours are spent on an old non air-conditioned bus. Well, if you open the windows you have air con. And that means a hot windy ride (detangling my hair later that night was a real bitch!).Luckily, we get to change over to an air conditioned bus, a much nicer tourist style bus with green turf carpet on the floors. As we get closer to our destination, I can already feel the difference. Away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, the noise, the smells…it’s just more peaceful.
We finally arrive in the small village of Tordi, and we are staying at a beautiful guest house called Tordi Garh. It is a former fort and palace from the 18th century. We walk up to the large blue/green wooden door, and sit in the reception area as we are welcomed (with a glass of cola) by the Singh family who run the guest house. We climb up the steep spiral staircase to our room.
Each of the rooms has its own unique decor.
Our room has colored tile floors, bright multicolored bedspreads, windows that open with wooden shutters. Such a cool place! We have time for a quick lunch and then it’s off on a Jeep safari to see the village and countryside. The guy from the hotel who is driving the Jeep is super hot.
As we walk through some farm areas, we see an old water reservoir, a few cows, and some locals tending the fields.
Back to the Jeep for a bumpy ride to a large lake; this is a major water supply for the surrounding villages.
We stop for a few minutes, but the sun is starting to set so we must get on our way to our final destination. Arriving at a large sand dune, I’m not too thrilled about what comes next…climbing up the dune to watch the sunset.Being that I’m 41, not in the best shape, slightly asthmatic and have short legs…let’s just say it is a challenge to get up that dune. My feet keep sinking into the soft sand, which makes it harder. Needless to say, I am the last one to the top. The hot guy (I wish I had asked his name) has set up a table serving chai masala tea and biscuits.
The sunset really is beautiful; a mix of pink, orange and lavender.
And the walk down is so much easier! Back to the hotel for dinner- we sit out on the terrace….good food, a few beers and convo with new friends who already seem like old friends. Off in the distance, we can hear some kind of celebration going on and if I had been feeling better, I’d have loved to go check it out. A few local village girls come over to brand us with their henna designs. The girl that does mine is only 14, and so cute.
It isn’t the best henna I’ve ever had done, but it is a fun experience. As it gets dark all these beetle things come out, and they are everywhere. This freaks me out; not a fan of large flying bugs. As we head to bed for the evening, I decide to stay up for a bit and write but the power keeps going out. Which is slightly scary late at night in the middle of nowhere! Also, I have an important conversation with a beetle thing (maybe a cockroach…not sure) who is on the floor near my bed. STAY THERE- DO NOT JUMP ONTO MY BED. To be safe, I zip up my backpack and hide my shoes underneath to prevent any surprises in the morning.
Up early the next day for a wander around the village. It has a warm welcoming vibe.
Women in bright colored saris doing the wash and hanging it up to dry. Men brushing their teeth on their front porch. The houses are also colorful, each unique with pretty designs.
A wave from a young boy and his grandma from their second floor balcony.
A herd of goats wandering the street.
Stopping to watch a man make clay pots on a spinning pottery wheel.
Overall, a peaceful serene experience in the middle of the chaos that we’ve seen so far in India.
Sadly, we must get back on the bus to head to our next destination ……..
