Got up really early again, 5am. Took a bus to Bharatpur at 6am, no tourists but me. Luckily I overheard a local who was going to the same place when he said the name of he city and manage to jump of the already moving bus when I arrived to my stop.
Arrived at the train station with time to spare so I found a place to make a phone to try to make a reservation in Sawai Madopur, the city next to the Ranthambore National Park. Right before I started to get worried the third hotel I called had rooms available, booked one and a pick up rickshaw that wasn't there waiting for me in the end.
While I waited for the train I had of course little girls and boys asking for money the whole time. I didn't give them anything but I did make this little girl an origami camera out of one page of my book, she loved it. As I was showing here how to work it a small crowd of about 15 people gathered around us, all smiles. Then, after refusing to get my boots shined for the 400th time, the train finally came only 45 minutes late.
A rickshaw driver wanted to charge me 30 rps to the hotel, got it down to 10. The recepionist was impressed (on the folowing day he would pay 40 for the same distance) (??) The room was the most expensive one so far and, accordingly, the best. I had a late lunch at the hote;l, it really goes a long way when u try to speak the language, however little u know. I said my room number in hindi, and threw around the things I have learnt and they were all cracking up. Every time the waiter when back to the kitchen to tell them what I had said I could hear their laugh.
Took a nap and read some and then had dinner. They brought me all kinds of complimentary treats, spring rools, chapathi...I guess they liked me.
Went to bed early.
