5th-8th March Little Rann Sanctury

When you thought it couldnt get any better we enter another sanctury this time for Wild Asses and birds. The sanctury is on the Kutch plains of Gujurat. The plains are flat & barren "A place without a counterpart on this globe" The locals make a living out of filtering salt from beneath the soils running it into slat panns then sweep it through to evaporate the water. This is very hard work in the heat of the desert. The families live near their claimed salt pann until the process is finished then they shovel all the salt onto a lorry and get paid RS 300 per tonne.

A child I stopped to speak with, gave her some fresh water and biscuits her eyes were empty she was only 10yrs old her skin white from the salt air her lips cracked and sores around her eyes made her look really old.!! I couldnt put her photo on our site she is too sad... ( the other side of Incredible India!!)

The wild life however was well worth the journey out here..!! We are staying with a man in his 70's Devji He works as a conservationist here. He has written books on the plight of the wild ass and their deminishing grounds... The assess are very shy of humans which is probably their saving grace.. They herd in 6-8 of the same family. We were lucky enough to see several herds. Unfortunately not so lucky with the lesser Flamingo's and Pelicans wrong time of year many have migrated. The ones we did see were beautiful..

We spent an extra day here it was so peaceful eating under the stars. up early to see sunrise.. perfect..!!!

Next stop Udaipur back to reality