Set our alarms early as we were off to volunteer at Animal Aid Unlimited. Started off by trying to negotiate a TukTuk to take us the 15km to the rescue centre. Jayne put me in charge of this task… Fool!!! After several attempts, I found a man who would take us for 150 INR (about £1.50). First stop? The petrol station where he requested his money. Gave him 50 INR and told him we’d give him the rest when we were AT Animal Aid. Good thing we did too because about 3km up the road, the TukTuk died a spectacular death!! He then found us another TukTuk to take us the rest of the way for the remaining 100 INR. As we got closer, it became clear that our new driver had no idea where he was going. As he stopped and jumped out of the TukTuk to knock on a house to ask for directions, the TukTuk slowly began to roll back down the hill with us inside. Seeing no handbrake, Jayne jumped out and used her brute strength to stop it rolling back.
Arrived at Animal Aid and were given a welcome talk by one of the founders, Jim. We then went on a tour of the rescue centre, seeing all the different areas that are used to treat and rehabilitate the dogs, cats, cows and donkeys. There are also goats, 3 tortoises, 2 pigs, 1 (blind) monkey and some pigeons and parakeets that are used to teach Indians about animal care and cruelty. Our jobs as volunteers were very different. Jayne, being forthright, was helping the vets change bandages and administer medication. I was working mainly with the dogs that are paralysed, helping them to move and massaging muscles and basically given them loads of love and affection. We both got to feed the calves which was adorable until one of them stepped on my foot and another nutted Jayne in the arse!!! Think the hardest part for both of us was the dying cow section. Euthanasia of cows is illegal in Rajasthan so they have to leave them to die naturally. The cows get comfy mattresses to lie on and stay in the shade whilst volunteers sit with them. 2 cows passed away today whilst we were there. Was very hard to see them lying there looking emancipated from eating plastic bags but probably not as difficult as watching the donkey that passed away in Jayne’s arms.
Came home feeling in need for a good, hot shower and a hearty meal with some sugar!! Got another recommendation for dinner from our guest house owner which was, as usual, spot on!
Less fireworks and bangers tonight but they are still going off regularly enough to make my ears sore. Stopped by an Indian sweet shop on the way home to get dessert. I was too stuffed from dinner to eat anything but Jayne ‘sample controlled’ one of everything for me! She is going to be so hyper soon from all that sugar…
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