Elmer Fudd in India

We never made it to lunch with the gov as Brooke needed to get an x-ray, and as it is India, it took some time.  As suspected, she broke her collar bone during her spill.  She got taped up, given some drugs and that was about it.  Luckily nothing worse as the hospital sounded like a real treat - apparently the x-ray technician cut himself on some machinery and just bled over Brooke rather than clean up.

After finding out the extent of the damage, we headed back out to the tent resort as we were promised a free night in the tents and perhaps some hunting with the Maharaja.  The gov had made his way there earlier, so we just showed up for some lunch, beers and to chill for a bit.  Eventually at sun down the Maharaja came around with his Jeep to take us on the hunt.   I boasted a little too much over whiskys the night before that I am a huntress and shot a deer last time out, so the Raj was intent on taking me out.  We set off, four of us and he, in his Jeep with a shotgun and some rum.  We drove and drove until we were pretty much outside of town in the middle of nowhere and met up with some men waiting on motorcycles.  The Raj took this opportunity to have more cocktails while fidgeting with his shotgun, unable to open the chamber to load it.  Were we nervous at all?  Most definitely.  Ryan, the least interested in hunting due to his fondness for animals, volunteered to help with the shotgun, hoping it would stay jammed.  Unfortunately he managed to get it open and the Raj loaded it up with some bird shot.   However, we were hunting rabbits!

Because of my boasting, I was volunteered to ride, you guessed it, shotgun and have the first go.  So we drove in the night on the road with Ryan holding the spotlight, the Raj driving, and me with a loaded shotgun between my legs, looking for rabbits.  I secretly prayed we wouldn't see one as I was not so sure about this shotgun, but I also wanted to get a shot off just for the hell of it, so I sat and watched with the rest, just wondering how I ended up here.  As it turned out, neither I or the Raj saw a thing, but apparently Ryan, in charge of the spotlight, did see a few but quickly moved over them, not wanting to shoot any.  I laughed when I found that one out later.  It was still fun to be out hunting with a Maharaja in India!

We then got back to another warm fire and more rum drinks.   Brooke hit up bed early and I stayed up with the boys, getting very hungry by then.  Finally at one a.m. we got to eat dinner.  Now the Raj never eats with us, only drinks.  Ryan explained later the fact he is the Raj and we are but peons so this is why, but I still thought it odd given the fact he drank so dang much.  After a quick late night snack (we hurried since the servants were literally shaking cold), we headed off to bed.

Now the Raj had told us our tent numbers, but as it was dark, he told me he'd show me where mine was.  Ryan and Aaron headed off to theirs, and the Raj pointed inside a dark tent. I walked in and he switched on the light and I quickly realized it was not my tent.  I noticed the bottle of rum right away as well.   The Raj laughed, oh, sorry, this my tent, and then said, oh, would you like to sit and have a drink, as if none of it was planned.  I quickly said no and asked to see my tent, which as it happened, was conveniently located next to his away from everyone else.  Note there were 20 tents available!  He showed me mine and then I said goodnight profusely, and he left.  I was taking pictures inside the tent, which by the way was absolutely amazing, and in walks the Raj.  Oh, I went in the wrong tent again...yeah, right.  I said goodnight again, many times, and then he asked if I wanted a little rum, NO!  Off he went.  Seriously. 

I finally got to sleep only to be awoken with the worst stomach cramps ever.   I'll save the details, but just know that I spent most of the night on the toilet, sometimes with the trash nearby just in case something came out the other end.  I thought here I'm in this resort, a magnificent tent that usually goes for 5,000 rupees a night, and I'm on the damn toilet!  The next morning I found the boys with the Raj, and after inquiry  about my night, told them I'd finally gotten sick (been anticipating it since I landed in India).  Apparently Brooke suffered the same fate, and actually so did Aaron, but he didn't seem to want to admit it to the Raj then as we were certain it was the food he served us. 

About noon we set back to town and I laid around, trying to recover enough to make it up to the town's palace/fort at sunset.   The others decided to stay another night at the resort, but as I was sick of fending off advances, I decided to stay in my room in town. I ran into some of the guesthouse staff and they asked why I wasn't out there.  I explained some of the details, and was told they wanted to warn me about the Raj, but felt they shouldn't say anything.  Apparently he is well known as a drinker and likes the ladies. 

This morning I bid farewell to my guesthouse owners.  They saw little of me I'm afraid, yet they were some of the kindest folks I've stayed with yet, so if you swing into Bundi, hit up the Haveli Prince.  I had another six hour ride onto Jaipur, praying my cramps would finally go away, but not so good.  Now Jaipur is a big city.   I was so enjoying the smaller towns, but this place is supposed to be beautiful.  It is called the Pink City, actually colored in pink, a welcoming color, and really lights up at sunsent.  However, after I found a room requring much negotiation, I settled in only to find I have some channels that play American movies.  I'm letting myself fully recover tonight by enjoying some tv watching  (it's been a long time!) but will check out what Jaipur has to offer tomorrow.