Happy Indian Christmas

Hello everybody,

a quick email to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a great New Year 2008! Have spent the last few days in Bharatpur, which is next to an important wetland national park, which usually has loads of birds in it, particularly migrants, but unfortunately the last monsoons have failed and Rajasthan is going through a bit of a dry patch, so much of the wetland is reduced to puddles. Still, the wildlife is fun, lots of birds still, if no water fowl, and plenty of mammals, reptiles, insects... saw lots of jackals again today (spent the entire day in the park with my new mate Ryn (somehow an alternative form for Kathryn) from the States, also currently my roomy, cause that halves the hotel bill (which is cheap as chips anyway, but rooms are often full around here)), and also a mongoose, which really made my day. Ryn not being used to the cycling managed a few comedy falls off the bike and into hedges, which provided entertainment throughout the day.

Had a day off the park yesterday and went into town, which was rather interesting. Went to see the maharaja's palace, had a sit and look over the city of Bharatpur (in India, this is classified as a town I think, needless to say, villages here are huge!). We bumped into a Sikh wedding, which was all very interesting, a band playing and the groom to be paraded around on a horse, receiveing money gifts. We also thought it was time to have a first go at Indian street food (and as of yet, there have been no consequences). We had some really spicy stuff, and the samosas were even spicier, so with cleared sinuses we went on to have Indian sweets for dessert. All in all the gourmet experience cost us about 25 rupees. That's not a lot.

Said bye bye to my bird friends, as am setting off to Ranthambore National Park tomorrow morning. Hopefully, the hotel there will remember me booking, as well as the tiger safaris, so if all goes as planned I might se a tiger for Christmas (well, boxing day!). Will keep you guys informed.

Happy Christmas again, have lots of mulled wine and Christams dinners for me.

Monni