Leaving Kachchh

I always seem to be a few steps behind.  We are now in Ahmedabad and tomorrow we leave Gujarat altogether and head for Udaipur.  Now, in the last week of my trip, courtesy of our new guide, I am in possession of a mobile internet stick .... which would have been very useful right from the beginning.  Problem is finding the time to use it however.  Tonight we have been very generously taken out to dinner by a friend of the tour organiser for a really top class version of the vegetarian Gujarati thali, after a very full day.

On 28 October we said goodbye to Bhuj and moved on to charming mud hut accommodation at Rann Riders, near the village of Dasada.  Many features at Rann Riders are inspired by the culture of local communities, including the mirror mudwork wall in the dining room.  One of the most charming features of our hut was the alfresco bathroom - open to the stars.  With not a hint of rain the air and the weather still pretty warm, we loved it.

En route to Dasada we met a full camel train progress - a group of Rabari herders on the move ... have a close look at the camels to see all the children and furniture up top!!

Once arrived in the area we travelled around in the Rann Riders jeep.  You can see how much fun Leslie and one of the other tour members were having!!

We loved Dasada - a true rural working village complete with doctor, tailors, potters, weavers and so on.  I bought a bit of bling at the local market.  We were guests in the home of one young women who showed us her collectin of embroideries - not as detailed as we have seen elsewhere but certainly the most sparkliest and most colourful.  There was no running water, fridge or stove in her small village home, but it was absolutely immaculate.

We drove home via the water source for the village, a bit out of town, and met the women at the well ... not exactly the case, but this scene is thousands of years old.

Next blog coming up right away!!

I