After a nice breakfast, we packed up once more and headed for Allahabad. This drive was not as smooth. As we tried to leave town, we were told to take a different route. Then, our drivers had an argument with a young man who had pulled a rope across the road and demanded a parking fee. Then, the other car stopped and we drove back to see why. They were watching wild cranes in a field. Then, we had to stop for gas. Then, a bolt broke on the other car's suspension....

The drive was about 6 hours long but we stopped for a nice lunch in Satna and then stopped at a Hindu Temple that told the holy story of Ramayama through beautiful paintings, base reliefs and dioramas. After checking into our hotel, we went for a boat ride on a disgustingly unhygienic river called the Mandakini. Chitrakoot is known as a mini Varanasi because of its many temples and ghats and is a popular Hindu pilgrimage destination. Everyone was blessing, wash...

We travelled for a few hours to our next stop, the Ken River Lodge. After dropping off our bags, we went on a game drive through the Panna National Park - a dry deciduous forest with tigers, leopards, jackals, sloth bears, nilgais, chitals (spotted deer), chinkaras (Indian gazelles), langur monkeys and samburs. It apparently was the inspiration for Kipling's Jungle Book! We saw antelope, spotted deer, a peacock and various other birds - but no tigers! It was nice...

We were up early and made the kids have breakfast even though they were not thrilled. We told them they had to get their bodies going again. By 9:00 am we were on the road - for about 3 seconds - before we realized that Sandy was not with us! After she jumped in, we made the 4-hour, 180 km drive to Khajuraho. Yes, it takes that long to get anywhere. There are lots of little towns, many vehicles that must be passed, and cows, goats and pedestrians to honk at and s...

Morning came with Connor, Tessa, and Kate still not feeling great so we voted for private jeeps instead of public buses for the next leg of our trip. The trip to Orchha was wild, as usual, but our drivers got us to our new home without incident. We stayed at the Orchha Resort in Swiss-style tents. Picture big canvas tents, like out of archaeology movies, except with air-conditioning, TVs and showers! The beds were beautiful and we felt like royalty! The resort is...