Elelphant Wind an American Babe & Dudhsagar Falls

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26th December 2008

Boxing Day and time to move out of the apartment. Luckily we were only moving down the road to at apartment owned by a guy called David who earlier in the month offered us a free room. We were a little apprehensive as we really didn’t know this guy, but needs must and our lease had run out at Premudes.

As it turns out David couldn't have been a nicer guy and made us feel very relaxed and at home, he even purchased snacks for us which was very thoughtful. David is approx 60yrs and worked in England for many years in an English hospital. David has a great sense of humour and has a talent for portrait and botany photography.

The rest of the day was spent at the beach just recharging ourselves; it’s been a hectic Christmas.

27th December 2008

In the morning we meet an English guy called Alan who is living out here with his partner Evin. Alan shows us an apartment that I’d enquired about for my buddy John. It’s a really nice place, well priced but unfortunately a little off the beat and track for John’s liking.

For the rest of the day we were back at the beach. Our new friends Dee & Steve are off today but sadly we miss them and don’t have a chance to say goodbye.

At sunset we moved into the beach shack to join French Cut John and have one of the excellent curries that is on the menu. John starts chatting to a young American girl called Carly. She’s been travelling on her own through India which we feel shw is either brave or naive. We ask Carly to join us on our table and we all hit it off straight away. I ask her to join us tomorrow for a trip to see, ride and wash jungle Elephants and then visit the famous ‘Dudhsagar Falls’. She was very excited and agreed immediately. I made a phone call to our driver Vinny and it was settled, although someone might have to sit in the back luggage compartment of the taxi.

I forgot to mention something that has been happening to me that is becoming a little strange. Today and not for the first time I’m being approached by groups of Indian men who at first stand and stare then asked for a photograph with them. It turns out that I have a passing resemblance to a Bollywood actor called John Abraham. A couple of other names have been mentioned also, one is an Australian cricketer and another is an American wrestler. It’s all getting a bit creepy and a little reminiscent of my encounter with the transvestites in Tonga earlier in our trip. I think it’s the long hair but I’m keeping it anyway. I’m just going to walk around with my mono pod (whacking stick) or a least get a hat! I don’t even know who these famous guys are, it must be a real pain in the ass for celebrities being hassled all the time by strangers, I don’t think I could ever get used to it. Of course Pili thought it hilarious as it’s usually Pili who get all the male attention, how ironic!!!

28th December 2008

Pili and I meet at 7:30am F.C. John and Carly outside Coffee Days. Vinny arrives in minutes after collecting Geordie John who’s been up early to buy somosas for snacks for the long journey, what a star he is. Geordie insisted that he ride in the luggage area as with the five of us the vehicle was a little cramped. Apart from a brief stop to buy a whole bunch of bananas for the Elephants and Monkies, the journey takes about one and half hours. When we arrive in Molem we stop for delicious breakfast of Masala Omelettes and coffee which we were all gagging for.

Fully fuelled we take a short drive to visit the Elephants. I take the first ride on ‘Ambika’ who is 15yrs old. Elephants have always been one of my favourite animals, when you look into their big brown eyes you can feel the intelligence looking back at you.

Even though the ride was only short it was a great thing to do, especially here in India. I talked to ‘Ambika’ throughout and she seemed to answer me with her low frequency rumbling voice. You can feel the sound go right through you.

Pili followed me on Ambika and Carly took another Elephant called ‘Mala’, I think both of them were a little unsure at first but within moments they were both screaming and laughing at each other.

After dismounting we were taken for a short walk through the jungle to a shallow stream. It was time for us to give ‘Ambika’ a well deserved bath. We all stripped off to our swimming costumes and waded into the stream with our gorgeous pachyderm. Geordie was up first. As ‘Ambika’ lay down in the water John walked around the back of her and suddenly felt the full force of an Elephant digestive system, Ambika farted straight into his face; it nearly took him of his feet, thank God I was up wind filming at the time. We are all falling over laughing while John is literally gagging and trying to keep his breakfast down. I’d have paid just to witness this today, it’s all on film and will definitely end up on YOUTUBE at some point, of course I’ll clear with John first.

We all took in turns to give our Elephant friend a good scrubbing; she obviously enjoyed it very much.

Next up it was Ambikas’ turn to bath us. One by one we all get climb up on her back. She then proceeded to suck up a trunk full of cold river water and spray us, totally soaking us. The first spray is freezing but then it’s just a relentless deluge that you just hang on through, to be fare it was a relief from the jungle humidity. Pili screamed through to whole shower. We all really enjoyed our close encounter with this beautiful animal but felt that she must get bored with the Mahoot who owns her constantly shouting orders at her to please the tourists. We gave the Elephants a few more bananas and she a fond farewell.

Refreshed we jump back into Vinny’s cab and head off to Colem and the ‘Dudhsagar Falls’ (meaning ‘Ocean of Milk’). We’re dropped off and jump into a jeep that takes us on a thirty minute drive through the forest to the falls. The jungle road is very rough and would have been impossible without the 4x4. The falls are 600 metres high, the second highest in India. The water comes from the Mandovi River and fans out into three cascades down the vertical cliff into an icy cold pool. By the time we arrive we are all very hot so it doesn’t take much persuasion to strip off again and get into the water, did I mention it was VERY cold!

We spent about half an hour in the water, the men in our group emerged not looking our most masculine if you know what I mean. Before leaving we spent time feeding peanuts to the crowd of Macaque Monkies that had arrived. They eagerly took everything offered, even peeling back our fingers to obtain the nuts. They all stuffed as many as possible into their check pouches, Pili thought they look like testicles, delightful isn’t she.

We head back at 2:30pm stopping only briefly for a cold beer and to hand out the remainders of the bananas to the local kids.

In the evening we all meet up again at The Big Banana beach bar for steaks. Carly brings along a friend called William. William is an older gentleman who she met as they have opposite apartments. William lost his wife this time last year and has also had a leg amputated caused by diabetes. He’s a really nice guy and is very welcome to join us. It’s the first time he’s seen the beach as he finds it very difficult to walk on the sand. After eating we are also joined by another couple, Peter & Neena from Finland, she's a journalist and I have a very interesting conversation with her about the World political environment.

At about midnight we all walk up to Captain Lobos’ and Neena insist that we have Margarita’s, we drag on until 3am, it’s been a long but memorable day. We say our goodbyes, especially to Carly who we’ve really bonded with, she’s off to a wedding in Mumbia tomorrow, we’re all sad that we don’t have more time together. Pili has especially taken to her, they seem to have a lot in common.

29th December 2008

We met Carly for a quick breakfast at Bobbies and then again said our goodbyes.
We spent the rest of the day changing money, spending time with David and just resting. Pili had a bit of a headache so we also visited to chemist.

In the evening we were entertained again by the Johns at KC’s bar. We bought a couple of pizza’s and shared them around. I also met a really nice guy from Salisbury called Nick. He was here escaping a messy break up with his wife. He’s doing a trip around India on a Royal Enfield Bullet motor bike. I didn’t realise that this famous bike was designed in Redditch, then again anybody who know me knows that cars and bikes and other such boy toys excite me about as much a bad case of gangrene!

We retire at 12:30am and sleep like the dead.

I forgot to mention that Stanley the engineer called and told me my hard drive was beyond his repairs skills, it looks like I’m going to have to get it back to the UK for a full data transfer. This is bad news but at least Stanley managed to get a replacement hard drive for me and it only cost me 7000Rs which is about £100 - not a bad price and at least I can continue my photo archive.

30th December 2008

Today was mostly a none event. Pili felt ill and off colour so after having lunch at the beach we went back to the apartment and rested up.

In the evening I left Pili to rest and I went down to see William. He was in Captain Lobos’ when I arrived sat with an Indian couple who had taken the apartment above him. Ajay was a captain of ocean going cargo ships. He told me about all the environmental rules he places on his crews, for example, not throwing waste and rubbish overboard or flushing out the tanks while at sea. He’s trying to influence the industry to follow his lead, I hope he succeeds. Preity his wife is a film and documentary producer (this I found out several days later). We all sat around talking until the wee hours, they are both really fascinating people and I had a great time with them; I only wish Pili had been there, she’ll get her chance tomorrow as I’ve arranged for them to join us for New Years Eve on the beach.

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Photos

Breakfast in Molem
Masala Omelettes, toast and coffee

Never walk behind an Elephant!
The film will go on Youtube