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Published: October 24th 2010
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So I haven't written a blog entry in quite a while as I've been having such a great time, and there hasn't been that much internet access available, but I am back! Back in Chitwan to be precise!
I arrived in Chitwan from Pokara and the bus finally pulled up, in the middle of nowhere and here I was. We were basically in the middle of a big field, and there were a million touts and jeeps and men shouting and reps and it was all a bit too chaotic. Especially as I had just spent two days unfolding and calming my mind in a meditation and yoga retreat. Anyway, I sort of somehow found my self on a jeep. I was meant to be meeting Lizzie, this lovley English girl I had met in Pokara and the jeep man said that he would drop me at the lodge she was staying in. So we are 8 tourists, packed on this jeep, it's been 5 minutes since I have gotten off the bus. They literally just throw the backpacks on top of the jeep, and we were not surprised that in just 30 meters, a big backpack fell on the
bonnet of the jeep, everyone looked forward, the deep did an emergency stop - then there was a smack from the back and a car hard just crashed into us....! Everyone was in a state of shock, which wasn't helped when the backback fell off again in another 20 meters (why don't they just tie them up?) and we were dumped in a hotel that no onw was expecting!
So that was my welcome to hot, sweaty Chitwan, a car crash (it's okay, I'm fine) and being left in the middle of nowhere! Anyway, I'm a big girl, and I eventually found Lizzie, somehow, and after sleeping in a 'hut' full of spiders, she had sorted us a lovely resort, which a nice room (with a hot shower!!) and it's all fine now. We booked a package and it's been brilliant!
Today, I went on an elephant safari! We got on this massive 35 year old female elephant and walked through the jungle in the hope of spotting the one horn rhino or some deer, or even a tiger maybe! It was very jerky and at one point the elephant took a pee, and we could feel it
vibrating! Unfortunately we didn't spot any rhinos, but I saw a few bambi's and a big type pf deer, grazing in the bush, and some monkeys. Did I mention I rode an elephant... :-)
Yesterday I was very frightened as we tood a canoe ride early in the morning. That was very peaceful and nice, I saw some wild birds like the heron, ingrite and peacocks high up in the trees. But after the canoe ride, we got off in the middle of the jungle for a jungle walk and I must admit, I was holding my breath! It's a totally different world, with rules and signs and I felt totally out of my depth. I am a city girl, I know how to get from A to B on the tube. This was the jungle, where smells, footprints, the dew on leaves, whether the guide stopped or decided to run were the norm! We where told that if a rhino runs at us, we must run and climb a tree! Great! Anyway, we didn't get into any stampedes, but it felt like any moment, some could happen, it was exciting. The best bit was seeing a leapords footprint,
it was really cool to think I was walking where a wild leapord walked just 4 hours ago!
Anyway, Chitwan is very small and hot and I am always worried about getting denge fever or malaria. There are elephants just casually walking down the road all the time (as if motorbikes and cars were not enough of a challenge) and there are geckhos scrabbling about too. There are two in our room, and they kept waking us up by making this loud sound with their throat every hour, it sounds like a big pot beig banged. Even now as I write this, there is a big one, wondering around.
So that's Chitwan! After that, I am off to Kathmandu tomorrow and I fly to Delhi on Friday so I am really sad to be leaving Nepal so soon. It's great country, full of beauty, so much flora and fauna to be enjoyed.
Anyway, I need some dahl baht (rice and lentils) soon to keep me going so I'm off.
Lots and lots of love to all xx
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Sophie E
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Chitwan - yay!
Hi Serpil, Hope you're having a brilliant time! Sorry to hear about the car crash, i'm sure riding an elephant made up for it! We loved Chitwan. Joe saw a tiger footprint, but sadly no Tigers. Have fun in Delhi xx