Day Twelve - seventh day elephant trek to crocodile cafe camp

Started off almost straight away hearing alarm calls from a Langur monkey sentry sat high up in a dead tree, we quickly chased through the brush and this time both Cathy and I were eyes in when the call of tiger, tiger, tiger went up and I managed to see a beautiful proud tiger strutting away through the grass and into the deep undergrowth, we tried to follow but not one more sign of him could we spy. I suspect the monkey felt we were exceeding daft for chasing after a tiger when he had been specifically warning us to avoid it and run in the opposite direction. 

There followed a long morning of searching through the bush and thickets and although there were signs of tigers none were as hopeful. We saw two lovely kingfishers one after another, the first darted along from tree to tree by the rivers edge, a beautiful iridescent blue until he finally darted straight into the water and came away with a fish. The second was large one just sat on a low beach in a tree with a fish caught in his sharp beak, ready to devour it but kindly stopping to pose for a photo first. 

It was hot today and the morning trek seemed to drag, we were a long time in the heat and by the time we arrived back in camp I felt like my legs would no longer carry me. I skipped lunch too exhausted and feeling sick and vertiginous and wait straight to lie down, annoyed that a cold should affected me so much. One quick look in the mirror confirm Pussy tonsils so to bed before lunch was the sensible course of action!I sweated it out in the tent whilst otherwise went to do laundry. I Got up for 4:30pm and broke my no sweets rule by having a couple of small biscuits - we likened them to Nepalese rich tea biscuits- with a coffee before a walk to swim, we had to go further than planned due to a marsh mugger crocodile which slithered off into the water just before we arrived and very slippery algae covered rocks, but it was good to feel cleaner and cool down. Although I suspect my hair was cleaner before I washed it!! But enough walking for me this evening, I'm worn out again. Everyone else headed out on foot at about 5pm. The others came back having not seen much but having had a lovely view of the sunset in a beautiful spot. We had yet another scrumptious dinner, tonight vegetable  momos which were Devine and great willpower was needed by all not to scoff the whole bowlful. 

Day Eleven - sixth day elephant trek to peacock camp

Heard barking deer alarm calls and raced on elephants to try to spots it, I saw the bush moving  but the call of tiger,tiger,tiger didn't help either Cathy or I to spot it. Kate did manage to just get a glimpse of the tiger before he disappeared into deeper undergrowth. We continued hunting but then veered off course and came upon a large male rhino, who after starring for a minute, decided to turn tail and run. We then saw the usual deer, lots of beautiful butterflies and birds. Made it to camp by about 11am and felt exhausted, cold is not improving so after lunch I went to the tent, hot though it was (a mini sauna is more accurate) to try to regain some energy.

Back out on elephants at 5pm to look back where Bimh had spotted the tiger in the morning. Almost given up on spotting anything when we came down tHe river and saw a large young male playing on the river bank, happily rolling over and flicking his tail, seemingly not bothered by an audience of 8 people and two elephants. We stayed and watched for at least half and hour before the tiger got bored, went for a swim and silently slipped off up the bank. 

Day Ten - fifth day elephant trek to rhino crossing camp

Very cold morning, I couldn't get warm at all, by about 10am in the sun finally started to feel warm. Not sure if it's cold or if I have a fever, deep joy!! We happened upon a Green pigeon on her nest, a good spot by Bimh as the nest was tucked in the undergrowth, there was likely a chick in the nest although not seen by us, as empty shell could be seen on floor. Rhino was again the main game seen for the day, alongside Blue tailed beeeaters, the most daintily elegantly of birds and a swooping serpent eagle fly high above the river. There were several hints of a tiger, with lots of fresh tracks, bones, scat with deer fur but no beady eyes on the actual prize! 

Stayed behind, feeling crook, snotty nose and sore throat, can't tell what is hot weather and what's temperature. The others went on a jeep safari, and were gone so long that I was quite worried when they weren't back by 7:30pm having left at 4pm and started wondering at what point to raise a search party. Dinner and bed for me tonight, I feel like pants!

Day nine - Fourth day elephant trekking to Reflections Camp

The normal routine of up at 5:30am, breakfast at 6am again today although brekkie seemed to take a bit longer so we left around 7am. Today was my first day on Ram Kali and immediately the Howrah was more roomy and comfortable. Cathy and I sat back to back and quickly found our groove. Sitting atop an elephant is a bit like hula-hooping but be prepared to go double speed if the hunt takes over. We quickly lost sight of the elephant and headed into the forest and within 30mins quiet but insistent chant of "Tiger,Tiger,Tiger!" Could be heard from Bimh on the back. He pointed out the elusive tiger which had been walking away but sadly we couldn't see it, what ensued was effectively a fast dash through the forest on elephant back chasing th tiger which Bimh saw on three separate occasions. We even saw two of its lairs, one with the bones of a midnight feast. The other we spotted from the cacophony of noise coming from the overgrowth. I thought it was a swarm of bees but in fact it was the back legs of a baby elephant covering in excitedly buzzing flies.  Bimh said he had never seen a tiger catch a baby elephant, normally the mother elephants are too fierce and protective, so they somehow must have been separated. He has seen it with the occasional brave tiger who attacks a female rhino by biting her mouth and scratching her flanks in order that the baby rhino runs away in another direction, allowing him the escape the female and catch the infantAfter a further half an hour search we gave up and continued on our journey.

We saw blue tailed bee-eaters and pied chats as well as circling woolly stalks that looked like vultures in the bright daylight. We passed under a large bees nest and were informed by Bimh that the honey is quite alcoholic and a teaspoon full had him drunk for several hours half in and half out of a waterhole wth his friends equally drunk suffering with bad stomach ache. 

We reached the river again and were treated to the sight of a large rhino have a bath and managed to follow him for a little way into the bush before he gracefully flicked his tail and ran, spraying scent as he went. Apart from a few more tiger tracks and some nervous deer we spotted nothing else substantial until with emerged from the bushes on the riverbank opposite camp. A truly peaceful spot, similar to an English forest camp except for the occasional tropical bird noise, but otherwise the crows, peacocks and jungle foul noises sound like home in an Autumn forest with leaf debris crunching underfoot. The river is a cool green and reflections of overhanging trees and vines like children's swings dot the bank. 

A chill out afternoon with a magnificent pork curry lunch, time for a bath in the river and washing clothes as well as reading and relaxing. The plan this evening is to do a short elephant safari back to the spot with the baby elephant carcass to see if we can spy a tiger.

We went back out on the elephants in the late afternoon, the baby elephant Carcass had moved but no tiger was spied, we saw a rhino on way back to camp bathing in the river a bend away from camp where earlier the men had seen a mother and baby rhino crossing. I'm beginning to feel ill, only I could get a cold in the jungle in 30deg heat!

Day eight - third elephant trek day to Thunderstorm camp

An early wake up followed by a large offering at breakfast before we hoped back on the same elephant as yesterday todays adventure.

Very windy in grasslands, lost hats. Still and joy in forest and more jungly due to rattan. Addition of foot rests not a success ?too high or just not needed. Very relaxed and tired. Spent a long time looking and saw lots of spotted and swamp deer, occ jog deer. Despite being across the river could see us and followed despite being nervous, except for brave young spotted deer at the back so curious she nearly lost the rest of the group. Withered the forest we saw another Indian Eagle Owl and a magnificent Crested serpent Eagle just perched low in the branches of a nearby tree. 

Saw three majestic samba deer larger than a tifer and seemingly as big as a horse, no wonder when a tiger catches one he doesn't need to eat for a week!

Returns to camp, half hour later others arrive having seen a leopard and her cub. Jealous much of our samba deer haha. The camp is very shady and again close to a flowing river but the river is silent and there is no breeze and lots of bugs (the bitey variety!).

After a "continental lunch" - salad, chicken kebab, walnut bread, focaccia and a version of a quiche with a stunning hummous like spicy dip, we sat back to theink about a plan for the afternoon when the wind started to whip up gently as it usually does around 2pm but it was accompanied by thunder and some large fat round drops of rain. 

At 3pm we headed to the river the wash ourselves and the elephants and the thunder and lightning continued, never had a bath with an elephant in a thunderstorm before? I would highly recommend it and I hate thunderstorms. The elephants and ourselves thoroughly clean it was time to change for our ritual evening trek. The elephants meanwhile having got clean then covered themselves in dry mud - natural sunscreen and insect repellant in one. Cathy is definitely considering the merits of it as part of her decent towards being the wild woman of Nepal! On return to camp a dining tent had kindly been erected in case of rain.

We set off down the river bank on foot tonight, the evening much cooler due to the thunderstorm earlier and sat in a quiet spot, I must admit I think I drifted off few a few seconds after sitting on the floor observing the ant highway I had suddenly dumped a large leg like obstruction into. Watching the ants beaver away trying to get around the problem was fascinating. Meanwhile elsewhere in the riverbank a solitary male peacock wandered down the bank and a few birds flew across but little else although crashing so in the jungle from the opposite bank promised much but failed to deliver. We walked back and jumped in the jeep to walk to another waterhole, today the main hunt being for tigers but despite staying til dark our only treat were the swamp, hog and spotted deer on the drive there and a solitary rhino who payed a fleeting visit. 

On arrival back at camp we had dinner, a masterpiece in Nepalese curry once more, followed by a well earned sleep. Tonight I feel I have been bitten by the Tstse fly, falling asleep whenever stationary for more than 30 seconds. 

Sleep was broken we several mini squalls although no further thunder.

Day seven - second elephant trek day to Running River Camp

Lovely to be woken up at 5:30am with a quick "good morning madam" outside the tent. Beautiful large breakfast and then straight onto our ellies for the day's journey. Back on Sham Kali for the day and excited about the prospects ahead.

Lots of bird life - woolly necked storks, open billed stalks, little egret, honey buzzards, owls, green beeeaters, brown bar its and their loud call (such a little bird such a big voice!). A large rhinoceros (no consensus from the men whether it was a bull or cow) but it wasn't happy being disturbed by two elephants and called and snorted its disapproval at us before turning tail and stomping off in the opposite direction.

We then did some proper off roading and I have the scars to prove it. Sham Kali is quite keen on forging her own path with the help and encouragement of her Mahjot Suklal. No obstacle to big to be pulled down by trunk and snapped or stamped upon. Sadly of me that's not compatible with Capri pants and so although some ice old man once said to "leave nothing but footprints", I also left half of the skin from my shins too and now look like I've been self harming.

I was at the point where I was beginning to feel that I could quite happily pass on seeing anything exciting to get back to camp immediately as I wasn't sure how much more shin de gloving and rib bruising I could take (the Howdah is small on Sham Kali so sitting at the back when moving at pace, you tend to get flung into the wooden rail around bra level) when Ashik our guide started sayings "tiger, tiger, tiger" very excitedly, we had to stop the mahoot and get him to back up and low and behold, beautifully camouflaged in the long grass between the trees was a magnificent striped cat. It took me a while to adjust my eyesight but finally saw him relaxing, tail flicking and ears twitching. We tried calling the other on the mobile - bizarrely there is reception but clearly not in whatever forest they'd trailed through but after about 20 minutes of watching and stomping down some trees to get closer the other finally arrived. The tiger had been aware of our presence, at this point we were on an elephant only about 20 metres away but apart from lying down haunches up for about 30 seconds he was unphased and certainly not "bovvered", the arrival of the second elephant though was a different matter as they drew nearer he felt stuck in a wartime pincer assault, raised himself up roared at them and ran sideways towards them but not forwards as a warning and then disappeared into the jungle. High on life we let him escape and turned around and headed towards the nearby river and across to our camp.

The camp is a truly magnificent spot high up on a bank right over a fast running but shallow river, with plenty of shade from trees to keep the tents cooler. Then men have cut away steps into the sand bank to step down to the toilet tent and the dining table is positioned in a dappled spot close to the edge of camp and the river. 

After greeting us with glasses of chiso pane, Lunch again a massive affair with several courses was served by the stewards (we have three!!) at our riverside restaurant. Chill out after lunch, each of us separate but united in our ways. For me it's togs on! Chillaxing in a chair writing this blog whilst intermittently Oning out and go using on the nature surrounding me. It is so so peaceful here, with the sound of running water, birds gently calling and beautiful large butterflies gliding through camp. The air is still and warm, like a thick woollen hug cosying you into a dreamless sleep. One could easily waste a lifetime here and yet not have wasted a single moment. The chance for reflection and contemplation is like a mindfulness wish come true.

After starring at nature for an hour or so we walked down to the river to have a special bath with Ram and Sham, who very much enjoyed their massages and elephant showers, not sure quite how clean we were after Ram Kali defecated in the water next to us!! After drying off we took the jeep for a safari. We sa lots of wild boar, spotty and  hog deer but sadly no more tigers!! We went to some beautiful spots and did a long walk though the jungle past giant tree with large trite/ant mounds and hollows where, deer, Tigers, rhinos and elephants had been gouging out bits of the clay for the salt and minerals contained within. We walked to a rickety old bridge that Bimh had lakes across with another client clinging on for dear life, it was tempting and D took a few steps but soon dismissed the idea. A rafting crew silently drifted beneath the bridge as we sat in quiet awe if e beauty around us. Back to the jeep and another waterhole, this time where there were known to be tigers but sadly as the park rangers had been fire lighting, only a few brave (or daft) deer were to be seen.

Finally we headed to one of the elephant watchtowers and climbed up the rickety old structure as the sun was setting, the views were amazing, especially as the tower gently swayed in the breeze like a precarious house of cards, ready to topple T any moment. We survived the backwards stairs back to terra firms and saw Nightjars darting off the tracks in front of the jeep as we drove back to camp.

Dinner was another triumph and sleep came easily and was full of tigers.

Day Six - our first Elephant trekking day to Firefly Camp

Up before wake up but I still managed to be late for breakfast. Sadly I couldn't face a large spread this morning and settled for a slice of toast and a large mug of coffee. After breakfast we tried quickly again for the Internet and after a first abortive attempt we had success and Cathy managed to email her planning application concerns and I sent a quick "Hello" to home.

Quick snap we jumped into our jeep and drove to the Entrance to Bardia National Park, through the village and lots of giggling children and brightly dressed ladies in small cafes and shops. At the gates with met Bimhs brother briefly and walked to meet our Elephants ..... Ram Kali and Sham Kali. The David and Goliath of elephants!! In true memsahib style we mount the elephant from a proper elephant stand, D and Kate on Ram Kali and Cathy and I on the compact and bijou Sham Kali. Aft some rearrangement due to weight distribution issues, we set off at a pace. Losing the lead elephant we ventured out on our own, through forest and grassland. 

Sham Kali moves stealthily and sore footed ply and when I dropped my water bottle (bimbo gene in action at all times and places!), she stealthily picked it up and threw it up to her Mahoot, fortunately she hadn't expected me to catch it or we'd be at it all day.

Today's safari on Sham Kali produced a couple of Swamp deer bathing in the river, hairy little wild boar that tore through the forest. A well spotted common Indian Monitor lizard. Open billed stalks. Bush chickens - the ancient ancestor of the common chicken. Some spotted deer. A magnificent Hog Deer replete with a fine set of antlers, Rhesus macaques and the piece de resistance a solitary young female white horned Indian rhino who we disturbed from her bathing in the mid morning heat. Some tiger foot prints and a well used motorway with elephant, rhino and tiger foot prints. 

We arrived in camp after a couple of hours, waist work out complete and had the fun of the first dismount. I. Not saying it was elegant but it worked and no one got injured!!! A glass of cool water (chiso pane)sitting out looking over the dried river bed with Sham Kali wondering to the water for a well earned rest - is this what a paradise looks like???

After a large lunch of chicken curry rice dhal and vegetable curry , we sat at the table and tried to learn the game backpacker, the humidity and temperature continued to soar and a mistral wind which instead of cooling you down seemed to scorch the hairs off ones sweat glistened arms!

Bimh would check back in periodically to see we were alright before disappearing off to check out yet another watering hole to see if there were any creatures occupant worth visiting. At 4pm we jumped in the jeep and drove 10 minutes to another sort of watering hole - this of the human variety (and No! before you think it they don't have a pub in the middle of the Nepalese Jungle!!), as we arrived a magnificent peacock flew across our view of the small tributary of the Karnali River we were to use as a bathtub. Swimsuits already donned back at camp we strode into the lukewarm water and sat for half an hour or so getting beautifully clean before putting dirty clothes on over the wet togs and collecting half a river bank in our now damp sandals. 

We hopped back into the jeep with silty damp butts and stopped for a walk to visit a couple of watering holes, a tigress and her cubs had been spotted at the second one  recently but when we arrived it was like the queue for Leicester Square cinema on the opening night of Star Wars. Too many people locals and tourists alike crammed into open spaces on the river bank hoping to get an elusive glance of the tiger. We soon have Jo and opted to head back to camp before it got too dark.

Dinner again was a multi coursed affair by gaslight. Followed by lemon Tart for dessert - very old colonial sat at a table and chairs being served classic French patisserie!!! Dinner ranged from the lighthearted to the serious whilst fireflies danced around us,mbut my favourite anecdote of the day - specially for you Mark - is the story of the first women's fundraising trek. Haven produced brochures and tried to advertise it in the press it turned out that the newspaper assumed that JoLt stood for "Jolly Old Lesbian Travellers"!!

  

At 9pm we retired to our tents to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the jungle - including the bush rooster.