Day 13: Jojawar
Trip Start
Sep 21, 2006
1
14
228
Trip End
Jun 01, 2007
We're heading into rural land, the green and gold of crops broken by the striking reds, yellows and blues of saris and advertisements for cereals and underwear painted on the plastered walls of hamlets.
After a four-hour bus journey, we switch to jeeps from Deogagh for 20km along slim, often rough tracks and through fords to our next rest stop, kept as a surprise by Binu. Rumour had it we were staying in a farmstead. Instead, it's the palace of the local tribal leader (our chauffeur!) At the halfway point of the tour, we're indulging. There's a pool to lounge in, swings outside our rooms and cushioned alcoves.
We veer out to the local village for a stroll. It stinks of effluent and the flies are persistant. The local kids are smartly dressed and don't ask for rupees, though. They seem keen to shake hands. A buffalo charges past us and into someone's courtyard.
The contrast between settings could barely be larger. We retire to our luxury but, with a bottle of bog-standard wine at 15 quid, it's another sober night for me. We must be the cheapest guests they get here.
After a four-hour bus journey, we switch to jeeps from Deogagh for 20km along slim, often rough tracks and through fords to our next rest stop, kept as a surprise by Binu. Rumour had it we were staying in a farmstead. Instead, it's the palace of the local tribal leader (our chauffeur!) At the halfway point of the tour, we're indulging. There's a pool to lounge in, swings outside our rooms and cushioned alcoves.
We veer out to the local village for a stroll. It stinks of effluent and the flies are persistant. The local kids are smartly dressed and don't ask for rupees, though. They seem keen to shake hands. A buffalo charges past us and into someone's courtyard.
The contrast between settings could barely be larger. We retire to our luxury but, with a bottle of bog-standard wine at 15 quid, it's another sober night for me. We must be the cheapest guests they get here.

