After a warm up of 20km we are rewarded with the site of a working elephant at a roadside logging station. The Mahout stops the beast working and brings him (her) to us, turning through 360 degrees, before going back to work: the foreman proudly says to us "This is our elephant". Magical.
Only a little further on we - and others - stop to investigate bunting, music and dancing. We go in and are told that this is a celebration for the 50th year of the local school: the celebration will go on 3 days and we are invited to stay for all 3! If you go into a school in the UK they call the police!
We are invited into an ante room and served coffee and donoughts, accompanied by much hand shaking: finally making our excuses, we try to leave, but run the gauntlet of the pupils, many of whom want us to take their photos just so that they can see the results.
After 50km we arrive at The Golden Temple - the Indian State of Karnatika offered a home to all Tibetan refugees, and the Golden Temple is the Indian home of their monks. It is magnificent. In the courtyard we are called over by an Indian family who want to include us in their family photograph - with arms around each other. Again, much hand shaking and we are able to get away.
We took our time for the next 70km aling country roads and through villages, constantly being waved at by the locals.
Soon we are on the highway and the last 50km into Mysore is fast - until we get to the jams at the suburbs. However, through one 30km/h limit, I am overtaken by a bius running at at least 80 km/h!
Finally we are at the Regalis hotel - 5 star and magnificent. Aftyer a wash and brush up we are in a taxi (an Ambassador, although sat in the back this time!) to the wonderful Mysore Palace - illuminated by over 100,000 lightbulbs! And then shopping for the farewell party on the last but one day.
After dinner we are shown a video on the work of the Ashram Charity who are re-locating a number of families from their dangerous Jungle homes to more sustainable klifestyles, a move that will give them a better life and also help conserve wildlife. There is then a magician and fire eater - magic!
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