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From our 2003 Journal:
27-Oct Vadodara -->
Palitana Palitana temples 300 kms/ 5 hrs
Stopped at a small village to take pictures of the houses; once we
showed them the digital images, I was taken on a tour, showing off their
livestock - wanting pix taken w their bullocks.Raberi people – mostly nomadic, red turbans, seen with flocks
along the road
Elephant encountered slowly walking down the road [to a
temple?]. Took pix, then the sadhu
steering asked for baksheesh. I offered a 10R note which the elephant gently
picked up with her trunk, then handed it to the driver.
Salt flats and mining – lots of birds –egrets, heron, stilt, lapwing, cormorant, many tiny sandpiper -
like , grebe . Mongoose at roadside, several times, usually just a glimpse.
Shortly after leaving downtown Palitana, started taking pictures from
the car of women working at a dung pile, then invited in for closer
look, once I started showing the results, mobbed by little kids with dung
encrusted hands trying to see the camera.
28-Oct Palitana --> -->
Ahmedabad
250 kms/ 5 hrs
Morning visit to the
Palitana temples.
Left to drive to Katchchh. As it was we knew we’d arrive after dark. But then
just after stopping to photograph some camels, we discovered we had a flat tire
– turned out to be a huge gash in the rear tire. Several people stopped to try
to help including one smarmy, bejeweled guy go looked us over then began
demanding a gift – at first he wanted a camera, then wound settle for coins or
a dollar bill – finally traded him $1 for a 50R note and he left us.
After failing to find a substitute spare in several small towns – most of what
they had to offer looked worse than our spare – we decide to head for Ahmedabad
where we could stay for 2 nights and have the car seen to.
Sun sets and fun begins - cows appear outlined by headlights - everyone stays
in right lane cause the left has rickshaws and bikes w/o lights, including many
coming the wrong direction.
Ahmedabad
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