I don't much like the roller coaster type rides at Disney or Can. Wonderland. I like my feet on the ground. A bus ride across the mountains of Nepal is much like a Disney ride without the benefit of quality testing and safety features. Six hours of soul-wrenching chasm jumping with 40 other passengers in a bus that must have been built in the 1950's but has been recently blessed with many manifestations of various Hindu gods got me to Chitwan National Park. My accommodations are great - a cabin all to myself. There were only two other residents of the resort at the time and the three of us were treated to a late afternoon jungle walk. We headed across the river into tiger and rhino country with our trusty guides Goudam and Azim secure in the protection of their walking sticks. We came upon a rhino wallowing in a mud hole and Goudam was about to evacuate us but a safari elephant showed up just then. Apparently the rhinos will allow the humans to approach closer if there is an elephant in the neighbourhood.
The next morning was a sunrise dug-out canoe trip for a couple of hours down the Rapti River. Mucho bird sightings and few Samba deer. In the afternoon we had our own elephant safari. I got situated at the back facing backwards so I have many wonderful pictures of the Nepali jungle over the rump of an elephant. I saw many more birds for the list including peacocks. There were barking deer and spotted deer (which I can see anytime I want at Harriston Park in Owen Sound).
Yesterday was another joy-tourist-bus expedition - 6 hours to travel the 180 km to Pokhara. A young kid hung out the door the whole way trying to coax more passengers on despite the fact that we were full already. I was offered the opportunity to sit on the roof. I am interested in experiencing local colour as long as it keeps me out of the mortuary. I was reminded of Weird Al Yancovic's song, "Another One Rides the Bus" - "and another comes on and another comes on, another one rides the bus"
Pokhara is beautiful - kind of what Bala is to Toronto. I took a 5:30 AM taxi to the top of Sarankot and caught the sunrise on the Himilayas. The walk down has taken me about 3 hours so I'm chillin' in an internet cafe with Nepali coffee.
More to come.
Scott
The next morning was a sunrise dug-out canoe trip for a couple of hours down the Rapti River. Mucho bird sightings and few Samba deer. In the afternoon we had our own elephant safari. I got situated at the back facing backwards so I have many wonderful pictures of the Nepali jungle over the rump of an elephant. I saw many more birds for the list including peacocks. There were barking deer and spotted deer (which I can see anytime I want at Harriston Park in Owen Sound).
Yesterday was another joy-tourist-bus expedition - 6 hours to travel the 180 km to Pokhara. A young kid hung out the door the whole way trying to coax more passengers on despite the fact that we were full already. I was offered the opportunity to sit on the roof. I am interested in experiencing local colour as long as it keeps me out of the mortuary. I was reminded of Weird Al Yancovic's song, "Another One Rides the Bus" - "and another comes on and another comes on, another one rides the bus"
Pokhara is beautiful - kind of what Bala is to Toronto. I took a 5:30 AM taxi to the top of Sarankot and caught the sunrise on the Himilayas. The walk down has taken me about 3 hours so I'm chillin' in an internet cafe with Nepali coffee.
More to come.
Scott
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