Friday 24 April 2015
Highlights: Playing cricket with the locals, tractor ride, drinking under the stars.

A late start today leaving our hotel at 10.30 am ulitising the hotel facilities one last time before heading to the rural village of Sawarda.  The drive gave me a chance to see more of the countryside as we got deeper into rural communities.

We arrived in Sawarda before lunch at Fort Sawarda the local chief’s home.  It was both magnificent but also basic for example a bucket shower system but it also had all important air conditioning.  The family that runs the Fort beyond said to the Khangarot Clan and no longer have official power but are still respected by all.

Before lunch, Jess, Ashleigh and myself got involved in a street cricket match.  Ashleigh called her shot off my bowling and put me away to the boundary / truck to the joy of the local kids who’s laugh was like music.

After lunch the three of us walked around the village and we were like royalty, everyone wanted to wave to us, people came out of there their houses in the midday heat the greet us,children wanted us to take their photos and to see the photos. Older children wanted to shake our hands and talk to us.  No one was asking for money or trying to sell us anything they were just curious.

At 5 pm the entire group, including Dianne who had disappeared on arrival with Dehli belly, headed of to explore with Manu and a local guide.  This allowed us to watch pottery being created with Ashleigh and Yani having a go.  Like earlier everyone was interested to see us.  We also saw the local Hindu temple and drank tea watching the sun going down and discussing life, India and the world.  A tractor ride back made for an enjoyable way to travel and see even more of the village.

At dinner we dressed like locals, well the guys only had to wear Hindu headwear.  Dinner was made by the chief’s extended family so was more like a home meal.  Although my stomachs was starting to groan, hopefully not a sign of things to come :(. The rest of the night was spent chatting and drinking under the stars.  People seemed much happier in the village, children laughing, parents laughing, maybe at my expense 🙂

At great end to the activities of the tour bookending well with our start in the Dehli slums.