Madumalia National Park

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So as I dashed onto the bus from my tea shop luggage storage centre and made my way down yet another mountain pass full of hairpin bends, I found myself suitably alone for the first time in weeks. Dom long gone, my ashram buddies dispersed, Gail on her way to Cochin and the Israeli couple a few days ahead of me.... Its me alone on the bus with lots of cold Nilgiri locals - looking curiously at this mad South African woman travelling on her own.... "what is your place?" Indeed I ask myself!

So I head over to Gudalur where I change buses to Theppakadu which leaves me slap bang in the middle of the national Park. An abundant place filled with the most gorgeous woodland and wildlife. Having reserved myself the dormitory in Ooty the day before - I make my way to the forestry office to confirm everything and get the key to the digs! He checks his carbon copy book .... everything is in triplicut in India - Carbon copy copies of everything. It is surprisingly efficient in the chaos of India!

Sure enough my name was down - thankfully - so he directs me to cross the bridge and walk "over there" where I will find the "accommodations" Now its a lot hotter on the plains and the bag is now full of warm clothing, blankets and hats and scarves - so no easy task!

Off over the bridge where monkeys are chattering over nuts and down "over there" past a delapidated old hotel and there it is... right over there is the dorm - but its locked and there is no- one around to unlock it. So over there and back around here - I eventually manage to find a man who holds the key but won't hand it over until I hand him a piece of carbon copy receipt to prove it is me that has booked and paid for the room! OH BOLLOCKS!

So just when my tired little back and body was about to fray the fuses - I remembered my yoga practice - keep calm and give the man love. Right then a man stinking of cheap Indian Booze volunteers his help and more importantly his jeep! So we head over to the office get the relevant copy of carbon paper and jobs a good-un! I'm in!!!

I headed down for dinner a little later where a nice man cooked the best dahl I have tasted yet. I read my book and reflected on my time. Suddenly there was a giant roar of a large cat and lots of water splashing in the river and then several bambi deer ran past the window - Tigers looking for dinner!! Now the deer were long gone - but the Indians in the kitchen rushed out - stinking of cheep booze. One of the men thought he saw the preditor in the bushes on this side of the river.... I on the other hand wasn't so sure about standing around whilst a hungry tiger was just "over there"
The bright spark then jumped in the car - got the engine all firer up and did some 15 point turns to get the car and more importantly the lights in the right place to see the tiger or whatever it was...... Of course to his amazement the thing was long gone. So I left the confused Indians to their search and returned to my yummy dahl! Bon appetite!

Now a night in a dormitory in the middle of the wildlife reserve sounds like paradise - if you are with a strong strapping man who can lovingly put his arms around you and say "never mind that noise" in the night and give you a warm reassuring cuddle..... When you are on your own however, there are elephants trumpeting and big cat noises scratching and then some little footsteps - which sound like they are in the room with you.... yes that is a different story all together! Luckily there was a nice Australian couple next door - and whilst he didn't reassure me in the night- it was enough to know if there was any clear and present danger - he may have leapt up and said "G-day mate" NO WORRIES!

The game drive in the morning was more eventful than my last Wildlife leech adventure of recent weeks. We saw lots of spotted deer - Bambi indeed, lots of wild boar and the cherry on the cake - WILD ELEPHANTS having their breakfast in the forest - 3 of them! It was wonderful and made the sleepless night in the dorm all worth it! Madumalai is great and I will return to explore more with a strong strapping lad one day!

So on the bus to Mysore to see what the Maharajahs Palace holds!

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