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Rosemary's Ramblings
To continue....
so i had a nap - its already been a long day, then i got up and ready for the french couple to come and pick me up to go on a safari - not sure how much its going to cost me but at this precise moment i dont care! They arrived a little late but it gave me enought time to get some more film i suddenly realised i was nearly out and the last thing i wanted to do was run out of film during my saffari. the only thnig was the guys at the hotel wouldnt let me go as they were expecting me being picked up so one of them ended up gonig to get the film for me.
it wast long before sandrine and husband arrived in there jeep to take us into Bijrani - one of three parts of the park. it wast long before we were immersed in jungle and wildlife - we saw spotted dear first, in abundance there are thousands of them in the park. the park is home to 4 species of deer, spotted, sambar, barking and hog deer - of which i saw all four - quite a privelidge - i was told that there was no way i saw a hog deer but they are quite distince from the barking deer which someone assured me it was (they wernt there) aparently the hog deer are only found inthe dikhala part of the reserve (so deer know where boundries are?) anyway i am sure i saw all four but i according only saw three - either way i was happy. then came the birds (the french coulple love birds) we saw hornbils, lapwing (two kinds) erm and others. it was while we or they at least were tryign to decide if it was a buzzard or an eagle i think when the guide looked round and said "TIGER" i turned and sid oooh ohhh and aparently much to the frenchies ammusment i started clicking my camer before i finished the second ooh! i however dont remember i was awe struck by the tigre which was stolling along the dry river bed before it turned into the bushes, i thought it was urely gone but to my surprise it turned and came to an opening and sat down to watch us for a while. this all happened in a very short space of time. i was still stood up in the jeep aparently the guide had been sayign sit down but neither i nor the couple had heard - he said it again with more force and we all obeyed without taking our eyes off the tigre. it was amazing to see it there acting much like adomestic cat wantign its tummy stroked - rollig over and pawing the air. ti wasnt long before other jeeps pulled up, we sat watcheing for ages then made the desision to move on.
we turned round and headed off in a different direction feeling vvery elated by the encounter. we hadnt gone very far when we came accross a large tusker - bull elephant - which was eating away and throwing dust over itself - it was quite hot after all. we sat and watched him for a while and ltook lots of piture before he decided he had had enough and ambeled off into the undergrowth - its amazing how quickly and quitely an elephant dissapears. you would expect to find great big elephant shaped holes in the undergrowth but not so.
various deer and other creatures were seen as we headed toward the way out - the sun had started to set and it was time to go home :-( but it had been a fantastic day!!! we got to the gate and the guide was paid - walking off before i could tip him, and we headed to the hotel. we arrived faster than expectedand i asked the couple how much it was and how much i owd them and thanked the prefusely. they laughed and said i had more guts than both of them put together to be traveling on my ownand that they didnt want any money towards it. so i tipped the driver and thanked them again for a fantastic experience. they laughed and waved as they drove off. i was exhausted and hungry, i dropped my bag in the room and headed towards the market area along the main road.
i dont think that the people that travel to the corbet reserve walk around the town very much at all and its certainly no a back packers scene from what i can. although i have been regarded with curiosity through out india it was mor intense here. the men stared harder and burst into fits of giggels when i responded to there hellos. the children came up to me and walked next to me. but it was when i saw a crowded food stand that the fun really started. i expect the usual tourists wouldnt have been walking round town and they certianly wouldnt have stopped to look at the food - never mind actually eat it! it ws delisious a mashed potato and onion pattie that was shallow fried, this was served wita sprinkling of salt, a dollop of a curry sauce type thing and a splash of curd, it was served in a bowl made from leaves and presented with small wooden spoon. i ate it on the side of the raod and was approached by some school girls to chat about me of course. i really was glad of ther company while i ate even if i did have to answere the usual questions, i washed this down with a fresh sugar cane juice, freshly juiced right in front of me, hmmm delicious. And now it was time for bed!
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