Couldn't get away quick enough from Silent Valley - but we had to wait for everyone else! Despite the unpleasantness of the room, the setting of the resort is magnificent with jungle all around. Awake at 4am, you could hear the jungle come awake with all different sounds, and a cock crowed at 4.45 - despite sunrise not being until 6am.
Our drive today, 230km. Early on we fuelled, as we do every day, being carefuul not to fill completely because diesel would then seep down the crack between boot and side, getting on the luggage. All cars have a black diesel film over the rear offside.
30km in our first chai stop, 20 Ambassadors on both sides of the road in a small village! Many have decorated their cars with garlands, and other bright things, one group having covered their entire car, a baloon duck on the roof (which became an elephant later) and to this was added a toy tiger on the bonnet a few days later. Ours, of course, is pristeen!
The route from here is a mixture of not to be missed left and right turns, many marked by the team, and much concentration is needed by the navigator and driver - the odometer reading on the car is not acurate, adding to the confusion!
60km in and another chai stop, outside a tea plantation. The afternoon driving is equally challenging but we are now relaxing, taking in the sites, and stopping for photos. Barbara asked an old lady if she could photograph her, and the lady insisted on 3 seperate poses, and being rewarded with 5 rupees before we could escape. At other villages, children want their photo taken just so that they can see the result in the camera, and then run away shrieking and giggling: they all smile and say thank you when given a chocolate or sweet.
We arrive at Kadkini Resort late afternoon, long before dark: another Jungle Retreat, but less than a year old, and the cottages are very nice - if a little damp. The whole complex is set around a peaceful lake with ducks. Lovely!
As we park up one of the mechanics points out that I have a broken front indicator glass - not me guv, must have been a stone thrown up by a lorry! Still, I will have to pay for it.
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