We slept well, but really did not want to get up when the alarm went off at 7am. However we were certain that the research would start today. Back to the ‘RelaxInn’ for breakfast, which consisted of buttered toast. None of us were feeling quite up to par, with rather fragile stomachs and this started a trend, which we carried on for the rest of the trip. I can now confirm that if you are unsure what to have buttered toast will generally be ok.
A then told us his plan for the day – to fill out surveys in Banswara and then in Dungapur, we were relieved. It started off a bit slow, A could not comprehend the layout of some of the questions and the responses the boys wanted did not seem to be clear to him. The first place we stopped was a small village, we were brought to the village chiefs house where we filled out about 4 surveys. Whilst Ch was filling out the questionnaires with A, Cl and I sat and watched. The village children came in flocks and in turn watched us. Cl took pictures of some of them and when he tried to show them they looked physically scared of the camera, we felt bad so stopped trying to make friends with them, after all our intention was not at all to scare them. We filled out about ten surveys in Banswara then crossed the border into Dungapur.
Here our first stop was at the Indian equivalent of a French Marie, or town hall. Here the village leader greeted us and we were all seated, whilst people involved with MGNREGA were summoned and started forming a line. It was here that we first witnessed an ‘episode’. We because aware that As child, once again without a nappy had started to pee, whilst standing on a chair. It went everywhere and when we pointed this out to A, who seemed oblivious to what was occurring, he just chuckled and said ‘She is finding her way’, we were not entirely convinced. Later on that afternoon she was to repeat the episode but this time with a number two!! It went everywhere and both mother and father seemed a bit unsure what to do, father dangling his child at arms length, and mother trying to locate a source of water. They ended up using a bucket to clean off the young girl, then sent her off still but naked to run around again. Whilst the mother found some soap and washed her hands, she failed to wash her daughters bottom with the soap though!!
Mid-late afternoon A decided we had answered enough questionnaires and could stop off at a hotel for dinner. His daughter, once again, relieved herself of liquids, in the middle of the floor. This was whilst playing football and it was spread everywhere, once again it was ignored. We ate grilled sandwiches and buttered toast. We were not looking forward to the 12 hours journey back to Jaipur but were happy that our, or rather the boys’ research, had been done. A assured us that his friend would fill in the remaining questionnaires.
It was about 6pm, after she had demanded we hand over money for petrol that As wife let slip that we were not going back to Jaipur that night. She said that we were going to go to Mt Abu, which was on the way home, just past Udapur. This turned out to be, just around the corner – NOT!!! IT was a five hour drive. Had we know that we would have said we would prefer to just go straight back to Jaipur, but it was too late. We got to Mt Abu at 11pm, checked into a rather expensive hotel, which stank, Cl had to sleep on the floor and there was not hot water!! We did get to watch India’s Got Talent thought which was cool as a clip which had been filmed whilst I saw the recording in Mumbai was shown – way too cool! Ch felt so unwell he went straight to bed, whilst Cl and I had dinner then joined him - we were exhausted.
A then told us his plan for the day – to fill out surveys in Banswara and then in Dungapur, we were relieved. It started off a bit slow, A could not comprehend the layout of some of the questions and the responses the boys wanted did not seem to be clear to him. The first place we stopped was a small village, we were brought to the village chiefs house where we filled out about 4 surveys. Whilst Ch was filling out the questionnaires with A, Cl and I sat and watched. The village children came in flocks and in turn watched us. Cl took pictures of some of them and when he tried to show them they looked physically scared of the camera, we felt bad so stopped trying to make friends with them, after all our intention was not at all to scare them. We filled out about ten surveys in Banswara then crossed the border into Dungapur.
Here our first stop was at the Indian equivalent of a French Marie, or town hall. Here the village leader greeted us and we were all seated, whilst people involved with MGNREGA were summoned and started forming a line. It was here that we first witnessed an ‘episode’. We because aware that As child, once again without a nappy had started to pee, whilst standing on a chair. It went everywhere and when we pointed this out to A, who seemed oblivious to what was occurring, he just chuckled and said ‘She is finding her way’, we were not entirely convinced. Later on that afternoon she was to repeat the episode but this time with a number two!! It went everywhere and both mother and father seemed a bit unsure what to do, father dangling his child at arms length, and mother trying to locate a source of water. They ended up using a bucket to clean off the young girl, then sent her off still but naked to run around again. Whilst the mother found some soap and washed her hands, she failed to wash her daughters bottom with the soap though!!
Mid-late afternoon A decided we had answered enough questionnaires and could stop off at a hotel for dinner. His daughter, once again, relieved herself of liquids, in the middle of the floor. This was whilst playing football and it was spread everywhere, once again it was ignored. We ate grilled sandwiches and buttered toast. We were not looking forward to the 12 hours journey back to Jaipur but were happy that our, or rather the boys’ research, had been done. A assured us that his friend would fill in the remaining questionnaires.
It was about 6pm, after she had demanded we hand over money for petrol that As wife let slip that we were not going back to Jaipur that night. She said that we were going to go to Mt Abu, which was on the way home, just past Udapur. This turned out to be, just around the corner – NOT!!! IT was a five hour drive. Had we know that we would have said we would prefer to just go straight back to Jaipur, but it was too late. We got to Mt Abu at 11pm, checked into a rather expensive hotel, which stank, Cl had to sleep on the floor and there was not hot water!! We did get to watch India’s Got Talent thought which was cool as a clip which had been filmed whilst I saw the recording in Mumbai was shown – way too cool! Ch felt so unwell he went straight to bed, whilst Cl and I had dinner then joined him - we were exhausted.
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