that we would spend the morning scrambling through 15 kilometres of jungle hills.We left at about 7:30 AM, in the relative cool of the morning. By 9AM we were sweating like we have never sweated before. Along the way, we spotted a panther prints, buffaloes having a good 
mud wallow, all sorts of flowers, and some of the most spectacular scenery we have encountered so far. And that's the short list!
mud wallow, all sorts of flowers, and some of the most spectacular scenery we have encountered so far. And that's the short list!We puffed our way up and up and up. We came to a road where a 
troop of monkeys were grooming each other. We paused to take a photo, and our guide warned us "stay away, very dangerous monkeys". Yet higher up was a tiny village clinging to the edge of the mountain. Past a small temple, a river fell in a series of pools, where people bathed and did laundry. Higher still, past stalls selling coconuts, flowers, and other offerings, was the natural Shiva temple, a tiny cave from which springs holy water. On our way up, we bought a coconut and incense to offer. Our guide had us hide it until we reached the temple because the bad monkeys. Once in the cave, we offered our coconut (symbol of leaving our ego behind), and 
our incence, and washed our hands in the holy water. On the way back down the mountain, we stopped in the man-made part of the temple where a holy man blessed us with saffron, tied a string around our wrist, and fed us sugar sweets. Throughout it all, we were the only foreigners, and I believe even the only people not from the village itself.
troop of monkeys were grooming each other. We paused to take a photo, and our guide warned us "stay away, very dangerous monkeys". Yet higher up was a tiny village clinging to the edge of the mountain. Past a small temple, a river fell in a series of pools, where people bathed and did laundry. Higher still, past stalls selling coconuts, flowers, and other offerings, was the natural Shiva temple, a tiny cave from which springs holy water. On our way up, we bought a coconut and incense to offer. Our guide had us hide it until we reached the temple because the bad monkeys. Once in the cave, we offered our coconut (symbol of leaving our ego behind), and 
our incence, and washed our hands in the holy water. On the way back down the mountain, we stopped in the man-made part of the temple where a holy man blessed us with saffron, tied a string around our wrist, and fed us sugar sweets. Throughout it all, we were the only foreigners, and I believe even the only people not from the village itself.Back in the village, we exchanged pleasantries with the locals (mostly with hand gestures). A little child clutching a handful of flatbread with one hand and his mother's sari with the other stared and stared at us. Just outside the town's 
gates, as we waited for the jeep driver to take us back to town, a huge monkey snatched the child's snack and ran back up his tree. The whole area was teeming with theiving monkeys. Several nibbled flabreads, one hopped on the handlebars of a motorbike - we even caught one trying to steal a jeep!
gates, as we waited for the jeep driver to take us back to town, a huge monkey snatched the child's snack and ran back up his tree. The whole area was teeming with theiving monkeys. Several nibbled flabreads, one hopped on the handlebars of a motorbike - we even caught one trying to steal a jeep! The road back into town was bumpy and crowded. A tractor full of locals drove by and our guide quickly covered my face. No luck though. A big ball of pink powder came whizzing through the open side of jeep to slam into my leg. Apparently anyvehicle with any girl in it was subject to such pelting. It was all very good-spirited with much laughing on both sides, but I still haven't figured out what the occasion was.
After another lunch in our hotel, we trekked back out again, this time not so far, to the local reservior lake. It was very beautiful, totally surrounded by mountains and jungle. We didn't see them, but apparently some crocodiles live there too!
On our way back, we stopped by a local Dhurrie weaver. Dhurrie are a type of rug made of all-natural fibres and all natural dye. Several families produce the dhurrie, and each one has their own particular style. After some cheerful haggling, we bought a small rug, and negotiated shipping to the US. We have no apartment yet, but we have a very nice bedside rug!We raced the daily monsoon squall back to our hotel for a final pack-up, and by 4pm were on the road again. The 100KM to Udaipur passed slowly due to the road being under construction. India is trying to build a network of roads connecting all cities. Unlike in the states where a paved road is kept open for traffic while the new road is being built, in India, one simply drives through the construction site. I don't want to even consider the environmental impact of cutting this new swath through the hills. I was also very surprised at the relative lack of heavy equipment. Much of the work was being done by ladies in saris scooping dirt and carrying it away in baskets on their heads.
Udaipur is a pretty city perched on the shores of three lakes. We checked into our hotel, and then had a late diner right on the shore of the largest lake. The food and view were both excellent. Someone wrote that Udaipur is one of the most exotic places on Earth, and in India it is kown as the honeymoon city. I don't think I would go quite that far, but it is lovely, and I am looking forward to seeing it by daylight. 
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