Travels with Tavish

After seeing the tiger on 6/11, we got back on the bus for a 6-hour drive to Jaipur, home to many grand palaces and forts. We arrived late and had a very late dinner at a traditional Rajasthani restaurant. The food was very spicy and definitely distinct from other regions of India. One of the specialties of the region is Lal Mans (lamb in spicy red gravy), which translates to “red meat.” My favorite dish was a large sphere of ground lamb surrounded by dough. The meat was tender and spiced deliciously; the spicy red gravy served on the side was great too. In general I have enjoyed North Indian food more than this type of Rajasthani cuisine, but I am glad I got to try this delicious dish. On 6/12, we started the day by visiting the Amber Fort, a large fortress built in the late 16 th century. We drove to the base of the hill on which the fort sits then rode elephants up the hill to begin the tour! The elephant ride was great—Rose and I had an older elephant so we were moving more ...

In the morning on 6/10 we got up early to drive to Ranthambhore National Park, home to 58 Bengal Tigers. The drive was approximately 6 hours through the hot Rajasthan desert. At our rest stop (yes, singular rest stop), it was boiling outside. Buses in Delhi and the surrounding area are not allowed to have curtains for safety reasons, so the temperature on the bus can either be freezing or too warm, as the AC seems only to have two settings: off and full blast. Upon arriving at the hotel we had a great buffet lunch. Our safari began at 3:00 from the hotel, right in the heat of the day. We piled into open-air jeeps and began driving to the park. It was 108F outside and hot breeze blew in our faces as we sped down the road. The hot breeze was not especially enjoyable. Outside the entrance gate, Rose and I bought safari hats that say “Ranthambhore National Park” and have a picture of a tiger on the front. Somehow, it was a little cooler once we got inside the park, so...