Jaipur

We've had a fine day of exploring Jaipur, including seeing classic sites like the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort, as well as visiting a textile works and a painting studio. Though the architecture and history are impressive, I was most impressed seeing men tying individual, inch-long loops of yarn to the warp of a huge intricately patterned carpet, one that will take a full year to complete. Seeing such carpets in the past, I never envisioned people sitting for months on end working yarn with their fingers.

Our group has mostly emerged from a wave of intestinal malaise that passed through us like a stampede of elephants in a jungle. Fortunately it was brief and I don't think will hold any of us back any longer. The incidence of homesickness, though, may take a bit longer to shake.

So much happened away from Internet access that it seems ridiculous to try and recapture it, this late evening in an archaic storefront in Jaipur. Perhaps I can catch up in a future post. For now, I will identify a rough outline.

We traveled from Delhi to Haridwar to Ghansali. There, in the Himalayan foothills, we stayed in the village -- with essentially no English speakers -- for five days. It was a lovely if challenging time, and a great introduction to Indian village life. We were able to spend time at the Jaknyali school working with kids and planting trees. We also got up into the high hills on a gorgeously clear day and cast our eyes toward the not-very-distant peaks of Nepal and Tibet.

Then we passed back through Haridwar to get to the Corbett Tiger Reserve. This is a huge expanse of unpopulated and undeveloped land, comprising forest and savannah, rich in wildlife. I would call it wilderness but for the jeep tracks that lace through it and which we used for our two-day safari. Given the population density and environmental degradation that characterizes so much of this country, being in Corbett was a delightful experience.

From Corbett we returned to Delhi, and now we've had three days in what is known as the Golden Triangle, visiting cultural and historical highlights. I think I'd best sign off, partly to get some sleep before tomorrow and partly because this computer is starting to act up and I don't want to lose this post!