Tuesday 13th September

My favourite day by far. We arrived to Jhasi train station 2 hours later than scheduled, but I had slept so well on the train, I didn't really care.  We hopped off the train and I was able to wheel my bag down the ramp to the auto rickshaw. Woohoo! It really is the simple pleasures that count. 

We arrived to the hotel where I promptly  booked us a massage. We got settled in our luxury tents. Slipped into my bikini so I could take a plunge after my deep tissue and head, neck and shoulder  massage. 

Ok, so the massage started with he therapist telling me not asking me to take off my sarong. Ok, language barrier perhaps. Then she pointed to my bikini top and to my bottoms. I nodded recognition. I was waiting for her to leave but she just stayed and stared at me. Hmmm, so I turned and took my top off, then my bottoms, expecting a towel or wrap...nope still standing there. Thank god I am not shy. Then she told me sit on the chair next to the massage table. This I did for my head massage,neck and shoulder massage. Hmm, one has to wonder, why was I sitting stark naked for this? So now that the hair tugging was over, now down to the real massage. Or not so much I could go on and on...basically I got some oil on my back and some circular rubbing mainly concentrating on my coccyx and my cervical vertebra and a little in-between the two spinal spots. WT...

So what made this day so great...the palaces that we visited in Orccha. This was after lunch and a dip in the lotus shaped pool. We had a great guide, a Hindu named Indu.  Ric found this particularly funny. This small town is exactly as I had envisioned India  from history I have read and photos I have seen. I think I could have sat with Ric all day and just watched the day pass from the roof of the 3rd palace which was built over 22 years and used for only one night. Oh what eccentricity. Our day continued with a visit to a dead hindu temple (one that is no longer in use). Seeing such wonderful specimens of craftsmanship, design, architecture,  forethought, beauty, has me filled with such appreciation and admiration for the Moguls. We then returned to one of the palaces which is nowadays a hotel called the Sheesh Mahal to enjoy dinner. 
As we left the moon was up over the turrets of the 3rd palace. A truly memorable site to end the evening as we sauntered back to the hotel avoiding the cows and their holy patties.
Ais