Bundi

 considering the day ahead

early morning at the vegetable market

kota dora loom weights

weaver at work

patterns

girl with sewing machine

just what you need to start the day!

rangoli

welcoming Rangoli patterns on front doorsteps

beautifully made with coloured powder

Tech note - Instagram still in teething stages

A rest day today at the Most Exotic Marigold Hotel.    It's quiet, only us, the Manager and the builders.    So funny last night we had supper in the newly build restaurant (avoiding the large hole that will become the swimming pool).  Furnished in an equestrian style, complete with a view into one of the stables, housing a big black horse.   Guess what we watched?   The second Marigold Hotel film, the horse enjoyed it too.

Two weeks on the road

What a fortnight it has been.   After a a few days meeting and greeting in Udaipur, we set off in a southerly direction to the next state,  Madra Predesh.   On Diwali - were we mad, yes I think so.    The roads crowded with every form of transport you could think off, each vehicle held more people than possible, all wanting to be home with their families.

We thought the journey might take eight hours.  Ha, ha!    Some roads were brilliant, others full of potholes.  We had frequent breaks for chai and birdwatching, yummy curries in road side Dhabas.

No. 1 rule when travelling on the road, never travel after dark.   That went out of the window.

Arrived in Indore at 8pm, continued for another hour and meeting up with our host in Satawab to find everything was closed for Diwali and our host hadn't finished building the guest bungalow.  Ah, this in India.  Tomorrow is another day and we plan to visit the ancient city of Mandu, a mere five hours away.

Diwali Cows and a goats