We are back out on the canters and in the park by 2:30. Fortunately it is warmer now, but still a bit chilly with the wind in our faces. Blankets still a necessary accessory. We know our chances of seeing a tiger are slim now, they normally don’t come out in the afternoon, but in for a penny, in for a pound, we’re all keeping our eyes peeled for anything!
We are assigned a specific track to take by the park rangers, and while Bittu had said we’d take track 2 in the afternoon, we actually end up on track 5 because they’ve had a tiger sighting there. This track takes us by a big lake and up into the hills of the park, so maybe…
It’s far rougher going out here though, and we are being bounced around like a bunch of bingo balls in a spinner. We’re all going to bruised after this trip, I’m telling you. We get some minor rewards for our black and blue arms and legs though, as we find a really large herd of Sambar deer and huge bucks along the lakeside.
We even see some crocodiles out by a couple of deer feasting on lake weeds.
But no tigers. We drive some more, over hills, up steep slopes, stopping occasionally to talk to other guides who either point us in another direction, or tell Bittu there is nothing out there (in Hindi of course, we don’t know what they are saying, but we can guess!).
We sit at the top of a very steep ravine looking over a riverbed and valley where the tigers normally roam. It’s beautiful, but if we did see a tiger it would be so miniscule down there in the valley, you’d be hard pressed to confirm it as a sighting.
We actually go up and down this steep valley look out twice. The first time actively looking for wildlife, the 2nd time, scaring the hell out of us when the driver was coming awfully close to the edge of the ridge while he tried to back up and maneuver the canter in a turn around to leave. To make matters worse, we think that time we were only there as a time wasting diversion. Yikes!
Bittu will eventually tell us stories about some of the famous tigers – like Machali, the matron leader of the tigers who passed away in 2016, leaving 3 female offspring who have carved up her territory. He also tells us stories about the females who can’t find a territory and are fighting with others to regain domination. He tells us about the park, and how they are trying to expand,, what they do with the tigers they can’t support, etc. It’s all very interesting – really and truly – and helps pass the time as we sit, staring at the scenery.
We finally leave the ridge, heading back down around the lake, spotting another monster size deer in the distance…
…then we had a little moment of excitement. Bittu stopped the canter suddenly and told everyone to be quiet. He had heard something. The deer were calling an alarm. They sounded like birds or dogs, but it was the deer calling out that there was a predator somewhere. Very exciting – but where? We listened for a bit, then reversed back up the track for a while, but couldn’t spot anything, then the calls stopped. Bummer – that would be as close as we would get.
Oh well, more deer on the way out, and stories about how the deer follow the monkeys because a) they sound alarms faster than other animals, and b) they jump on the trees and make the leaves fall, making it easier for the deer to eat.
Then it was back to the hotel, greeted by cows and oxen on the way…
…and that was our grand safari. Disappointing, but not totally unexpected.
Back at the hotel, we were not disappointed. Not only was there an excellent buffet waiting for us, Bhanu had also arranged a cake for the group as our one week anniversary (it was really only 4 days, but who’s counting?). Pam, Maggi and I got the honors for blowing out the candles…
Then, the highlight of the night for me…Jalebi! Bhanu and I had been talking about desserts and sweets earlier in the trip, and I had told him how much I loved Jalebi. So, out in the courtyard, the chefs were making Jalebi, and we get to have a cooking class to learn how to do it. Now that is the sign of not a good, not a great, but an excellent tour guide. He made that happen just because I had told him I loved the dessert. Over the top, and so, so appreciated! We got our lesson – I totally messed up the batter in the oil, but the chef fished it out and gave us the real thing, freshly cooked and oh, so, so, good. Those little round crunchy disks of fried batter soaked in sugar syrup are totally addicting. I really could have made myself sick on them. We made sure everyone knew just how appreciative we were by eating more than we should, and then even taking a plate to go – which we took up to our cute little bartender – because it is another dry day in India, but not for foreigners. So, we are sort of making the bartender stay because we are typically the only people up there! We give him his dessert, sneaking a bunch off of the plate for us, just as a sweet night cap to go along with our adult beverage night caps.
And the piece de resistance? The best up close tiger sighting of the day, right there in the hotel! (FYI – it’s a painting hanging in the hall outside the bar)
LOL. Although I really shouldn’t make fun, because later we found out that a woman was attacked and killed by a tiger that very same day on the other side of the park…so…maybe these sightings were really all we needed.
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