At 6:30 this morning, just as it got light out, we embarked on our 6 person jeep safari into Ranthambore National Park. There are many jeep and truck tours so they're spread out among different zones. We bumped over rough terrain for 4 hours. We first saw an antelope which was much bigger than we expected - closer to a moose than a deer. Then we saw deer, a peacock, monkeys and a bear. Apparently seeing a bear is very rare, much more rare than seeing a tiger. Although other groups that we talked to who went to other zones saw tigers, we were not so fortunate. We really didn't care that much. We had a good time and talked with an older Indian couple and a young couple from France while we bumped along. In France, teachers get 16 weeks holiday per year while just about anyone gets 5. They're certainly all about quality of life.
We've also included a picture of a camel pulling a cart, which is a very common sight on the streets of Sawai Madhopur.
I was able to eat a plain omelette, toast and tea when we got back to our hotel, so we're hopeful that I'm finally on the mend. It's only mid-afternoon and we've already had a great day. It's cool in the early morning here but now every afternoon it's sunny and in the low 30s Celsius. In May and June the daytime temperature is apparently 40-45C. After that the monsoon rains begin. This is a good time of year to be in Rajasthan.
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