We had a bittersweet end of our time at Kotri Raola. After completing all of the work that we began at our construction site (and taking many photos!), last night we had our official farewell ceremony.
The girls invited all the village friends they’ve made over the course of their time here, from Taraji to little kids that they met the first day. The girls put on the outfits that they made at Taraji’s — a top, skirt, and intricate scarf —and came down to the courtyard to snap some great photos in front of the Raola. Then, the guests piled in and we began our ceremony! The girls got up and performed the traditional dance that they learned with the two local dancers and afterward there was a magic show, which provided us with a lot of laughs. Finally, some fireworks were lit and everyone said their goodbyes.
Margaret (or, as she is called here, Mara-ji), gave a drawing to two local children as a parting gift
The next morning, we had a quick breakfast and cleaned our rooms and packed our bags. We said goodbye to Fatehji, Mahandraji, and all the other important people that made our stay at the Raola so special. Then we boarded our bus and drove about 100 kilometers to Jodhpur. We stopped at Mehrangarh Fort and had a great, leisurely tour. We stopped at a bazaar where merchants were selling rugs, kurtas, and scarves, and then we had lunch and boarded the bus once again to continue our journey to Jaisalmer. After stopping for a chai break, we arrived at our hotel in Jaisalmer late at night and had a dinner in the outside courtyard before retiring to our rooms.
Today, we have a lot on the agenda! After sleeping in a bit, we got up and headed straight outside to the bazaar. We had a great time wandering around and getting to know the streets and people of this city. Tonight, we have our famed camel trek! We’ve all been excited for it since day one. We’ll drive about an hour on the bus to the perfect area right as the sun is setting, get on the camels, and ride off!
Tomorrow, we’ll have a busy day ahead of us before we take an overnight train back to Delhi, where we’ll have a day to explore before going to Agra. We’re very curious to see how the girls react to the city on the return end: when we first arrived in Delhi, the city was exciting but also still so new and unfamiliar, but this time around, we think that their new perspective of India will allow them to approach Delhi like a pro. Since we’ve seen so many of the heritage and tourist sites of Delhi, on our second trip, we plan on being more like locals, perhaps stopping by for an in-theater Bollywood film, or visiting a local cafe. The journey isn’t over yet!
– Lizzie & Ady