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 the villagers the digital images, I was taken on a tour, showing off their livestock and wanting pictures taken with their bullocks.  These were 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 who was steering asked for baksheesh. I offered a 10R note which the elephant gently picked up with her trunk, then handed   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.

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

• Calico Museum
• Modhera Sun Temple