Black Buck Harem

Almost slept through this morning, but I didn't mind waking up with a shock to discover that I wouldn't be able to leave at 09.00 as I'd said I wanted to.  We did manage to leave at 09.30, so not too bad.

The Rajput was thinking of lunch in Agra, which would have been halfway to where we were headed, but seeing how I napped the whole time in the backseat, he simply stopped for a cup of tea while I looked at souvenirs (I bought nothing), and then back to driving and napping till we reached our destination for the day -- Mela Kothi, where they have the Chambal Safari tours.  I didn't book this.  It's a little 'gift' from our travel agency, as well as a nice way to break up the drive to the real destination, which we will reach by tomorrow afternoon.

Within 15 minutes after our arrival at 14.50, I left with the jeep, another tourist (with an enormous zoom lens), and the local naturalist, to shoot black buck and birds.  It wasn't the first time I saw black buck, as AW and I had our fill of it when we visited Sikrander four years ago, but it felt good to see some again.  I must practice more with birds, though.  There's an extra, one of the better ones.

No WiFi in the room but enough of it here in the outdoor 'lounge', but I'll turn in soon as it is still wintry cold in the evenings.

Short message from Mimi in MNL, about how her drunk husband, the Butcher, is rampaging around the flat, insulting the security guards, and generally being a nuisance throwing silverware around and trying to break something, totally forgetting that it is not his flat and oblivious to the fact that if the administration reports this to Jay, he could have HER thrown out.  I told Mimi to have HIM thrown out instead, but the poor dear is terrified.  The feeling is awfully familiar, as familiar as the cold realization that I can't help her if she doesn't decide to take matters in her own hands.  I'll be seeing her in about 9 days, and we'll need to think of a solution together.  Ladies and gentlemen, in case you didn't know it, THAT was my old life with the stepparents.