We had another long day of travel today. We have learned that India is a much larger country than many of the others we have spent time in so far. In many of the other countries we have traveled through, if you drive in one direction anywhere from 4-8 hours, you have usually covered the entire length of the country. However, India is so large, that we have only covered about 1/3 of the country, and we have been spending quite a bit of time each day in the vehicle or on the train.
We left Khajaraho around 9am and headed to the eastern temples. There were more working temples on the eastern side, so many people were there to worship while we were there. In fact, there were several small dormitory style rooms outside the temples that people can rent out if they want to spend an extensive time near the temples.
 |
| The eastern temples are a a mix of Hindi and Jainism. |
 |
| James standing in front of one of the eastern temples. |
We walked through the temples with our tour guide and again, tried to appreciate the intricate details crafted into each of them. The eastern temples were free to visit whereas the western temples had an entrance fee – the difference between the two was apparent. The western temples were in much better condition and the grounds surrounding them were much more impressive than those around the eastern temples.
 |
| Like the western temples, the eastern temples also demonstrate "affection" in the carvings. |
 |
| Erin and James standing in front of some of the eastern Khaharajo temples. |
We walked through the temples with our tour guide and again, tried to appreciate the intricate details carved into each of them. The eastern temples were free to visit whereas the western temples had an entrance fee – the difference between the two was apparent. The western temples were in much better condition and the grounds surrounding them were much more impressive than those around the eastern temples.
Following our visit to the temples, we had about an hour to wander around the tourist vending areas. We decided to try to find a wifi signal instead of walking around. (Feeling connected to home was more important to us than any tourist purchases). So, we sat at a restaurant, ordered a bottle of water, and used the internet for an hour. Erin really wanted to call her family using the internet, but due to the time change, she couldn't because it was still in the middle of the night at home. Once we finished our internet time, we headed back to the van for our long 5-hour journey on the road.
A few hours later, we took a lunch break. Following our lunch, we expended some energy by playing a bit of soccer with some of our tour members again. Soon after, we got back on the bus en route to Orchha.
 |
| It is not uncommon to see an entire family on a motorcycle or scooter (as is the case in this picture). |
 |
| Another vehicle full of people! No seatbelts here! |
 |
| Some of the villages we passed along the way were very different from what we might see in the USA. |
 |
| There were shops interspersed with homes along the roadside. |
We finally arrived in Orchha around 5pm. According to our tour guide, we were sleeping in tents for the night. We had no idea what to expect, and honestly, were a bit scared. We have stayed in some “interesting” places so far during our trip, and we imagined that this might be another one of those places. However, we were pleasantly surprised. The rooms were actually tents, but each of the tents had its own bathroom attached and electricity. The area surrounding the tents was quite beautiful too, as we were very close to the Betwa River and many temples and former palaces.
 |
| Erin standing outside our tent in Orchha. |
After dinner we went with our tour group to the Ram Raja Temple to experience the evening puja ceremony. It was interesting to watch another culture worship its God (in this case, Lord Ram).
 |
| The Ram Raja temple in Orchha. We were not allowed to wear shoes or any form of leather into the temple. |
Following our ceremony experience, we went to dinner with the rest of the group, and once we had eaten our fill, we spent about 2 hours in the lobby using the free wifi to do work and catch up with life at home. Then, it was off to the tent for a good night's sleep.
