Sunday, March 18: Last Day in Ranthambore; Luxury Camping

I decided to try and get some exercise before our 10:30 AM departure.  I headed for the pool, where three older women who were sweeping the area looked at me with friendly curiosity.  It was one of those East Meets West moments.  I don’t know Hindi but I think they were surprised to see a grey-haired lady throw off her cover-up and jump in and start swimming.  (Our guide later confirmed this.)

Something was wrong, though.  I lasted only 20 minutes in the pool and had to stop and rest a few times.  I got into my room and flopped on the bed.  I felt weak and a little faint.  Eventually I was able to finish packing and headed out to join the group.  Our guide and Odie, a doctor in the group, confirmed my suspicions:  dehydration.  Mary Beth and the doctor went off in search of Gatorade but there was none to be had.  A glass of orange juice helped and at our next stop the guide got me a bottle of water and some electrolyte powder- just what I needed. 

I'm not sure what was in this stuff but I need to buy more of it!

I was very glad I was able to enjoy that next stop- it was a co-operative that trained women in needlework and fabric-printing crafts and sold their beautiful handmade goods.  They served us lunch and one of the women approached the doctor, who was a very gregarious woman, and began a conversation with our guide as an interpreter.  When the doctor mentioned that she didn’t have a husband but had two daughters the lady asked why; she was very surprised when the doctor told her cheerfully that her husband refused to work so she divorced him.

The birds enjoyed the last of our lunches!

Crafts for sale

Our guide had told us we’d be staying in tents tonight.  They weren’t like any other tent I’ve seen- they were the size of a small hotel room, built over a section with a tiled floor where the indoor plumbing was located.  

Checking in.

Not like any tent I've ever seen!

The "front porch" of my tent.

I immediately turned off the A/C (yes, the tent had A/C) and then joined the rest of the group where we were entertained by a troupe of men from the village who performed traditional dances and songs and then had a wonderful dinner. The night sky was so clear I could see many of the major constellations.  Earplugs were provided to shut out the noises of critters, but I enjoyed hearing birds, ancient piston engines and the occasional barking dogs in the night.

Mary Beth joins the locals.  (I did, too, later.)