India tour 14-30 November 2018

Mandawa in Desert

Day 4 bus to Mandawa, located south west from Delhi about 242klm.As always before embarking on the next leg of a tour the assembled members have to identify their travel cases to be loaded into the holding bays of the bus before boarding the vehicle. Travel cases had to be outside hotel room door by 7.00am, for collection by the hotel staff. That was the start time for breakfast being provided in the dining room. Bus departed on time at 7.45am. Fresh bottles of “spring” water were handed out to all tour members on the bus.

The first drive out of Delhi was to the India Gate monument, houses of parliament and high official’s residences. All very large and set in splendid gardens. Traffic was less hectic being a Saturday but the tour bus driver with his assistant were very skilled in negotiating the mayhem that was still Delhi traffic.

From Delhi the main south west road continues for several kilometres then a turn south on what could be called a back road. The average speed on the bus was reduced to approximately 35kph. This was necessary to avoid enormous pot-holes, wandering cows, motor cycles, other means of transport ranging from camel drawn trays to overloaded trucks and utilities and speed bumps before and after any small village passed on the way.

Tour bus for next 2 weeks India Gate monument Houses of Parliament Delhi traffic on Saturdays.

Lunch was available to purchase at a “Hotel” pit stop at a place called Chandi Resort. The usual selection of Indian spicy food or a mushroom soup to salvage one’s taste buds. (Alan’s choice). The countryside begins to get more arid the further away from Delhi the bus travels.

Chandi Resort Hotel for lunch. Lunch area under canvass. Small village market. Another village market.

Wild blue (male) antelope type. Traffic stopper. Farmers scratching a living Road side rubbish appalling.

Arriving at the Mandawa Vivana Culture hotel, each member of the group walked separately up a small ramp and through a huge gateway with overarching block work. A turbaned viol player greeted the guests with a song and rose petals showered on each guest from above as they entered the inner courtyard. After settling into the rooms allocated a further call to re-board the bus was made for a tour of the local merchant houses called Haveli. Magnificent walled buildings that looked like a fortress outside but had beautiful tiling and ceramic art work inside.

Walled entrance to Haveli. Inside gate with mosaics walls. View of ceiling inside. Entrance to men’s side.

Women’s side with shutters. Tiled walkway. Main meeting room ceiling. View from top floor.

WALLED ALLEYWAYS TRAFFIC HAZARD. ENTRANCE TO 2ND HAVELI. MOSAIC WALLS.

Dinner back at the hotel was served in the inner courtyard (refer to “hotels” journal for photos) after 7.20pm as the tour of the Haveli was longer than expected. The same choice of several different Indian spiced dishes placed on the table to be sampled.

After the main course an entertainment program was provided. The viol player who welcomed the group as they arrived at the hotel in the afternoon began his viol performance with a female assistant also singing a refrain in Hindi. Unfortunately they were located high on the wall of the courtyard and could not be seen by the diners in the dark. Later a puppet show was performed at the side of the inner courtyard. Several of the group purchased souvenir puppets to take home (250Rupees about $5OZ).