Day 7 – Travel to Jaipur and Delhi belly arrives …….. !!

After a wonderful breakfast on the balcony overlooking Jaipur (photo attached and please remember this is 3 star!!), Sukhvinder collected us at 9 am for the 6 (!!) hour journey to Udaipur.

What promised to be an educational and picturesque journey on which was the main road to Mumbai (Sukhvinder tells us it is a 24 hour drive from Jaipur to Mumbai), the dreaded Delhi belly decided to hit Hannah with a vengeance. She was able to sleep for the first part of the journey and we past through villages such as Kishangarh which is famous for its marble mining. We past miles and miles of gleaming white marble and then granite and stone. Was quite tempted to stop off and pick up a few slabs for my long anticipated pergola but thought John might already have sourced all this? The mountains were spectacular and so much quieter than the noisiness of Jaipur.

We had to screech to a stop for Hannah to be sick and the poor girl just ran towards the hills. We had stopped next to a rickety hut with cows and wild dogs and an elderly gentleman. I ran after Hannah, dodging the various wildlife, and stood aimlessly! I then realised we needed the hand sanitiser and wet wipes so had to run back down the hill towards Sukhvinder who was standing like our our personal bodyguard by the car all smart with his bright turban so vivid in the heat. Back up the hill with the hand sanitiser and Hannah begging me not to fuss! Awful thoughts running through my mind; where was the nearest hospital and where for goodness sake were the toilets? The elderly gentleman then came up the hillside with Sukhvinder offering a cup of water – “it is not for drinking but for Hannah to wash her hands” explained Sukhvinder. I could have hugged the man he was so kind and he just kept smiling. We all walked back down the hill and got Hannah into the car.

I wanted to offer the man some money for his kindness; I thought a bag of Haribo a little insulting, but Sukhvinder told me not to offer money as this man was a barber and, therefore, not a poor man. I wanted to cry – he was living at the side of the road with cattle all around him with an old wooden chair and broken mirror and yet he wasn’t a poor man – I just wanted to hug him but, again, thought rather inappropriate. I felt very humbled.

It was that time of day again for our rationed M&S mints but Hannah declined and just lay on the back seat and slept whilst Sukhvinder and I sat in silence with our mints. I am beginning to think Sukhvinder will decline any future jobs driving English women.

We arrived at our super hotel and definitely the best one so far. We were greeted with garlands of marigolds but Hannah just had to rush to the room. She was so so poorly and I was extremely worried; I have never seen anything like it – so brutal. After what seemed like ages she feel into sleep again and my wonderful friend, Susanne, was at the end of WhatsApp (hallelujah for wifi!!) and talked me through what was needed.

Whilst Hannah slept I went up to the rooftop of the hotel and sat quietly listening to the chanting of the evening prayer, watching the sunset and munching on a packet of Haribo (needs must, my friend, needs must ).

The big news for today is WE HAVE HOT WATER – never whooped so much stepping under the heat of the water – we smell devine!!

Worrying and upsetting news from home ended a rather miserable day and I hope with all my might Hannah is better tomorrow.

Today’s worry – Hannah has survived Delhi belly but is it heading my way? Time to refill the hand sanitiser and reload the first aid kit ……….

Udaipur is beautiful and I long to explore.

Love and good health

SA

Xxxx