After another 6 hour bus trip (that was billed as being only 4) we arrived at Chitwan and were picked up in the limo for the Eden Jungle Resort.
Heather had mentioned the beautiful saris and how drab we looked in comparison. Well, today when we showed up for our dugout canoe ride and jungle walk, this is how one of the ladies was dressed. Later we figured out that many of the Nepalese people were here not because they were wildlife nuts but because it was New Year's Day. The year for Nepal is 2070 and the calendar is the same as the Chinese calendar. We figured that was the same reason four Chinese ladies showed up at dinner (think summer camp dining hall for a rough equivalent) really dressed up. The next night one of them showed up in pink and white flannel pajamas. Go figure.
The dugouts were all lined up ready to go. You could see the carving marks, obviously made with all hand tools from a single tree. Our wonderful guide pointed out egrets, kingfishers, ibis, and other birds.
When we got to the jungle walk part of the adventure he pointed out tiger claw marks on a tree next to our trail and rhino prints in the dirt on our trail. We felt safe because he had given us the correct response for any threatening animal encounters. Rhinos, climb a tree to a height of at least 9 feet or get behind a very big tree as he charges. Tigers, look them in the eye and back away slowly. Sloth bears, fend them off with a stick, and he demonstrated using his walking stick. The Nepali who were with us immediately went about breaking branches to arm themselves with ample sized sticks. They also kept yakking the whole walk inspite of the guide's repeated "shushing" them. He said in an aside to us that the Nepali, Indian and Chinese will never be quiet on the walks.
Part of the walk included the elephant breeding project. This young baby is only 5 weeks old. Very cute.
Another stop on the safari was the crocodile breeding project. We are not really sure why they want to breed them, but there were an impressive number of pens with crocs from foot long babies up to these adults. This variety with the long narrow snouts are "lowland" variety. Another variety inhabits rivers and lakes in the highlands.
While we saw a number of deer and a huge water buffalo, the most impressive sighting was a group of three rhinos. The rhinos here only have one horn vs. the two-horned African variety. We also saw a baby rhino at an army camp alongside the road but were forbidden to take pictures of him. Army security and all that. He had been saved from a tiger and after being brought up in captivity would probably go to a zoo since he wouldn't adapt well to being sent back to the jungle.
Besides being New Years, this week was also the Nepal Scout Jamboree in Chitwan. Thousands of boy and girl scouts were in town. Quite a sight.
After a delightful clean, new hotel in Pokhara, the Eden Jungle Resort is, as I mentioned regarding the dining room, more like a summer camp. No hot water, a very limited menu, rock hard beds, a fan but no AC, warm beer (well, that's not like summer camp). At first we felt a bit let down, then we said why not treat it like summer camp rather than the nice resort we expected based on the name. It all works. As our guide in Pokhara said in jest, "This is the New Nepal, we have peace (they had a long civil war here) and 16 hours of electricity most of the time." Just as our driver in India referred to crazy drivers with a sigh "Ah, Incredible India" we have now learned the phrase "Kathmandu, what to do?" It is a question with a note of frustration vs. a "Just do it" type of statement. We just go with the flow.
Heather had mentioned the beautiful saris and how drab we looked in comparison. Well, today when we showed up for our dugout canoe ride and jungle walk, this is how one of the ladies was dressed. Later we figured out that many of the Nepalese people were here not because they were wildlife nuts but because it was New Year's Day. The year for Nepal is 2070 and the calendar is the same as the Chinese calendar. We figured that was the same reason four Chinese ladies showed up at dinner (think summer camp dining hall for a rough equivalent) really dressed up. The next night one of them showed up in pink and white flannel pajamas. Go figure.
The dugouts were all lined up ready to go. You could see the carving marks, obviously made with all hand tools from a single tree. Our wonderful guide pointed out egrets, kingfishers, ibis, and other birds.
When we got to the jungle walk part of the adventure he pointed out tiger claw marks on a tree next to our trail and rhino prints in the dirt on our trail. We felt safe because he had given us the correct response for any threatening animal encounters. Rhinos, climb a tree to a height of at least 9 feet or get behind a very big tree as he charges. Tigers, look them in the eye and back away slowly. Sloth bears, fend them off with a stick, and he demonstrated using his walking stick. The Nepali who were with us immediately went about breaking branches to arm themselves with ample sized sticks. They also kept yakking the whole walk inspite of the guide's repeated "shushing" them. He said in an aside to us that the Nepali, Indian and Chinese will never be quiet on the walks.
Part of the walk included the elephant breeding project. This young baby is only 5 weeks old. Very cute.
After raising the young elephants in captivity they are used by the government to patrol the park for poachers. Here are two patrolmen one with a sensible umbrella. The first clearly had his iPod on as we could see his ear buds.
Another stop on the safari was the crocodile breeding project. We are not really sure why they want to breed them, but there were an impressive number of pens with crocs from foot long babies up to these adults. This variety with the long narrow snouts are "lowland" variety. Another variety inhabits rivers and lakes in the highlands.
While we saw a number of deer and a huge water buffalo, the most impressive sighting was a group of three rhinos. The rhinos here only have one horn vs. the two-horned African variety. We also saw a baby rhino at an army camp alongside the road but were forbidden to take pictures of him. Army security and all that. He had been saved from a tiger and after being brought up in captivity would probably go to a zoo since he wouldn't adapt well to being sent back to the jungle.
Besides being New Years, this week was also the Nepal Scout Jamboree in Chitwan. Thousands of boy and girl scouts were in town. Quite a sight.
After a delightful clean, new hotel in Pokhara, the Eden Jungle Resort is, as I mentioned regarding the dining room, more like a summer camp. No hot water, a very limited menu, rock hard beds, a fan but no AC, warm beer (well, that's not like summer camp). At first we felt a bit let down, then we said why not treat it like summer camp rather than the nice resort we expected based on the name. It all works. As our guide in Pokhara said in jest, "This is the New Nepal, we have peace (they had a long civil war here) and 16 hours of electricity most of the time." Just as our driver in India referred to crazy drivers with a sigh "Ah, Incredible India" we have now learned the phrase "Kathmandu, what to do?" It is a question with a note of frustration vs. a "Just do it" type of statement. We just go with the flow.
Great post! Fancy limos, fancier ladies dressed up for the canoe, summer camp with warm beer (I'm sure that is the part that upset Mom the most), crazy Chinese people dressed in their pj's and talking on safar...and sticks for weapons! Or perhaps you should both just climb 9 feet up a tree. Can't say you're not having an adventure. xo
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