Bundi

Saturday 28th November continued

After lunch, 4 of us rented bicycles and headed out of town. The bikes are very old and the handlebars are at a 90 degree angle compared to normal. We bounced along the narrow streets, ringing our bells at people as much as possible to get revenge for all the tooting we have to endure each day! We passed alongside the lake and then out into the country, past people working their farms. Occasionally there was no sound of close or distant horns and engines and you could hear the birds sing. But quite often tuk-tuks and tractors, with colorful decoration and booming music would whistle past us.

We made our way to Akoda, a very small village. We asked where we could buy some food and a guy ushered off the street and round the back of his house to his garden and yard. He sent his wife off to get some groceries and it was clear that he wanted us to be his guests. He spoke a bit of English and we exchanged pleasantaries, then I asked if he had a cricket bat and ball, which he did have. The ball was old and the bat was battered but we played in his garden among the cows, the poo, the straw and buckets. We even got the two Irish guys and Belgian girl to play. The guy didnt speak much English but he knew all the cricket expressions like "slip", "owzat", "the nets". Oh, and he chucking the ball rather than bowling!

We sat in the small courtyard and his wife made chapatis on an open fire, and she cooked us some spicy sauce with some veggies. His mother came to visit as did a really old guy who I think was like a village elder. Their hospitality was fantastic. They invited us to stay the night but we preferred to head home (bearing in mind the previous night's curfew!). So off we went into the dark, no lights. At times we couldnt see a few yards ahead. On the main road, cars and tuk-tuks coming up behind us help to light the road, but when something came the other way it blinded us for a few seconds. Lets say it was an adrenalin rush when the tractors and tuk-tuks stormed past us in the darkness with their vehicles booming to Hindi music. Still, it only took an hour to get back and we were well-satisfied with our day out.

We had moved hostel and this time I decided to just ignore the curfew if there was one, and nobody came to get me so I slept on the soft cushions in the cafe.

Sunday 28th November

Cute labrador puppy trying to grab my shorts off me as i am trying to get into them this morning. Came back across to the hostel and slept in. Back to the Rainbow Cafe for breakfast and to hang out with the cool kids. Had a bit of a wander with the guys and had 2 samosas. Slept in the hotel.

Monday 29th November

Sleep in, then sat around at the Rainbow Cafe then said goodbye to my new friends. I know its a cliche but the last few days have been cool, hanging out with other travellers who are relative strangers and swapping stories and taking it easy and wandering around the nice town. Then it was time to leave Bundi. I got a tuk-tuk to Bundi bus station, then on the local bus to Kota, 45 minutes away. Managed to squeeze into the corner with my bag acting as an airbag. At Kota got another tuk-tuk to Kota train station, where they told me my ticket had been cancelled. Its a long story, but i wasnt that surprised. Tried to book another train to Mumbai but they are all booked up for ages. So i dragged myself all the way back to Bundi, partly to get my train ticket money back, and to hang out at the Rainbow cafe while i think about what to do. Another long story, but it took some wheeling and dealing to get my money back. Another evening of sitting round drinking. My whiskey was certainly the worst drink, though not too bad with sprite.


Tuesday 30th November

Woke up again to Hindi music playing in the cafe; a version of Give Peace a Chance, man! Booked the train to Indore. Slight change of plan but i reckon I will see more of the countryside this way. At lunchtime Ciaron and I got the pushbikes and rode out to the countryside. The family that fed us the other day had asked us if we could printout and bring them some of the pictures we took of them. So we did. Unfortunately there wasnt a colour printer so the pix are black and white and they didnt seem to impressed. Oh well, they gave us pappadums and chai then we left. We cycled on and took a turning to a temple and a waterfall. A few red-faced monkeys around; they are the aggressive ones. Went a bit further and stopped in a small village and had chai. As often happens, people appear from nowhere and sit and stare at you from a few metres away. They didnt speak English so we watched them watching us then we then cycled all the way back home, up a few hills on a bike with no gears, lots of pain in the legs! Had a spin around the crazy part of town to get some booze. We dealt with the mad traffic really well; you just have to go for it.