GAME FOR YOU: LOOK AT OUR PICTURES AND SEE HOW MANY ANIMALS YOU CAN SPOT. :)
If we would have stayed in Delhi for a couple more days, I would have gotten really homesick or I would have become a hermit inside a little air conditioned hotel room. Delhi was difficult. It is probably the most difficult place I have ever been. I had never experienced such poverty amongst so much commotion, and I had also never been so hassled. I do believe that all challenges are learning experiences though, and I know that our time in Delhi will stand out a lot compared to some of the places we have visited this year. Amongst all of the commotion and frustrating days, it was also fun meeting up with new and old friends in Delhi. There are always times that end up standing out, and it always fun meeting up with friendly faces.
We arrived in Ramnagar at 5 AM, and even though Tola and I were tired after a few hours of sleep on the train, we were both anxious to see what Ramnagar had to offer. We made the little journey to Ramnagar for one specific reason: The Corbett Tiger Reserve. The Corbett Tiger Reserve is one of India's national parks, and it is one of the best and only places to spot wild tigers in India. It is also one of the only places to see Bengal Tigers. Besides seeing tigers in the wild, it is also possible to see many other kinds of wildlife such as elephants, crocodiles, many kinds of deer, and bear. Tola and I were both excited to be out of the city and in nature again, and we were really looking forward to a couple of days in Corbett National Park.
As we settled into the little town of Ramnagar, we booked a two day safari in the national park. Our goal was to spend two days in the mountains and grasslands for some relaxation, fresh air, and some wildlife viewing. Tola and I both read that only 10% of visitors actually see tigers throughout the year, but Tola and I were still excited about spotting other wildlife.
On the first day of our safari we loaded our belongings into a 4-wheel drive Wrangler and headed for the hills. A driver drove us through Ramnagar and into the deep forests of Corbett National Park. It felt rejuvenating to be in the middle of thousands of trees as we drove along bumpy dirt roads. Our first stop was a remote fenced in area that included cabins and dorms. Tola and I dropped off our bags and scoped out the surrounding area. We realized that the electric fence was used to keep out animals, the elephants, bears, and perhaps tigers. :)
After checking out our accommodation, we jumped in the jeep again and headed for the grasslands. As we spotted numerous deer along the way, we also saw a crocodile relaxing in the river. Tola and I had both recently been to a crocodile farm in Thailand, and after seeing crocodiles eat, I was thankful we were not too close to the crocodile! Continuing along the windy road, we suddenly came upon a small family of wild elephants. They ended up being right next to our jeep, and it was quite the surreal feeling. I immediately became confused because I have seen so many elephants in zoos, but we were now watching elephants in their natural habitat. It was fun to watch them walk through the forests. Elephants are one of my favorite animals, and they always seem to look so happy to me. One of the elephants also had beautiful white tusks, and I don't actually remember ever seeing an elephant with tusks.
Once our one hour long jeep ride was over, we came to the main grassland area. It was an incredible spot to hang out for the afternoon. Tola and I sat on two wooden chairs overlooking the large grassland for about one hour. We saw a few smaller herds of elephants walking along a river, and it was amazing to watch them. Time went by quickly as we looked for other types of wildlife, and soon it was time for our first real safari.
Tola and I again hopped in the jeep and became overly excited. We drove off into the tall grasslands and we began our search for animals and tigers. As we drove around searching for animals, I worked up this excitement inside of me, and our safari became extremely thrilling as we searched for grassland dwellers. For some reason I had pictured a tiger jumping out of the bushes or something, but we ended our first safari without spotting any tigers. We did however see many more wonderful elephants, 4 kinds of deer, and beautiful exotic birds. We saw some of the largest deer I have ever seen. They almost looked like they were female elks or moose. The sun set beautifully over the beautiful grassland, and I had to pinch myself, so I could remember where I was. This trip has made me appreciate wildlife a lot more, and Tola and I have both had amazing wildlife experiences during our trip. As it was time for our safari to end, I only became excited for the next day of animal searching.
The moon began to shine as we made our way to our remote accommodation spot. Tola and I were both exhausted, but we knew we needed something to eat. We arrived back to our dorm area, and there were about 10 Indian men playing cards and talking loudly. I will admit I suddenly wasn't looking forward to sleeping in a room full of loud and strange men, but I knew it would only be for one night, and I also knew I would probably sleep very lightly. As everyone went to the cafeteria for dinner, Tola and I decided to stay away from the commotion and create our own little meal. We ended up eating banana, butter, and bread for dinner, and I might add that I do not recommend for anyone to try this combination (peanut butter is much better). After forcing down a few small dry banana sandwiches, we decided to call it a night. Throughout the night it rained and stormed, and the thunderstorm created a perfect atmosphere for our safari excursion.
We woke up at 5 AM to a cloudy morning. I was perhaps a bit grumpy because of lack of food and sleep, but I had a feeling that our second safari day would be special. I just kept telling myself this as we got ready for the day. Getting into the jeep again, I noticed lightning in the distance, and I began to get a little nervous about driving around in an open top jeep in the stormy forest. I tried to relax as we began to drive along the wet and dark roads. Morning suddenly felt like night as it began to storm again, and Tola and I looked at each other with worried faces. We didn't want our second day to be canceled by the rain, but our driver still continued along the road. We caught up to another vehicle as we rounded a corner, and they motioned for us to stop and keep quite. The drive of their vehicle whispered "tiger," and frantically Tola and I stood on the jeep seats as we hoped for our tiger spotting. Lightning continued to flash around us, the thunder grew closer, and we did not see the tiger. I will say that this was the most suspenseful moment of the safari, and the lightning storm came at the perfect time. The area surrounding us felt a little eerie as we peered into the high grass looking for a orange animal with black stripes.
We soon decided that it was time to move on, but at this moment, the skies also opened up and rain began to pour down. Our driver informed us that he did not have a rain cover for the jeep, so we made our way back to our accommodation area. Tola and I both tired and hungry rested on a small couch as we waited for the storm to pass. I sat and wondered what the day had in store for us, and Tola kept me calm as I worried about the storm and the safari. Soon the skies cleared and the rain let up, and Tola and I, and our driver quickly got in the jeep again.
Our second safari led us to the grasslands again, and we spotted numerous elephants, deer, and incredible birds. We also explored a new area, and the flat land we drove across was like so many pictures I have seen. Our driver seemed to only be on the lookout for tigers, and after a while he seemed to give up hope. I started to realized that we were probably not going to see any tigers, and Tola and I both noticed that time was ticking and our safari would soon be over. Our driver pulled into the rest area a little early and he seemed to be done for the day, but Tola requested one my drive through the grassland. The driver agreed and quickly ran and got his friend for the last minutes of our safari.
Driving along the grassland for one last time felt overwhelming. I was exhausted, but I was also thinking of the past two unforgettable days of experiencing unique wildlife in India. Just as I could have dozed off, our driver's friend jumped excitedly and whispered loudly "TIGER!" I nearly jumped out of my seat as I looked to where his finger was pointing. As I followed the glances of others, I spotted a bright orange head sticking up over a rock. The large tiger was sitting about 20 meters away. "Tiger," I gasped inside, and I was immediately mesmerized by the beauty of the massive animal sitting in front of us. The tiger happened to be cooling off in the river in front of us, and it was sitting just behind a rock, so we could only see it's head (at first). We were able to watch it sit for about twenty minutes, and then after it was finished relaxing in the cool water, we observed it walk through the water and into the grassland. The tiger was absolutely stunning as it walked through the water. It moved gracefully and quietly along as birds flew through the sky and deer rested down the river. Watching the tiger for twenty minutes was definitely one of the most beautiful experiences I have had in nature.
After waiting to see if the tiger would show itself again (and it briefly did two more times), we made our way back to the resting point for some lunch. Tola and I were both in shock after seeing a tiger as our safari ended in a surprising way. We were excited and thrilled to share our story as other tourists asked to see our tiger pictures. Yes, our safari day was over, but our time on Corbett National Park felt complete.
We sat and enjoyed an Indian meal and chatted about our two packed safari days. As we were eating, we also were entertained by monkeys chasing each other. Tola ended up taking a few hilarious pictures of them causing mischief.
Our safari days are over, but I will say that the past two days are definitely some of my favorite days from our trip so far. I am excited for our next stop, but I am looking forward to a day of rest, so I can take in all that we have experienced recently.
P.S. Tola also ended up getting chased by a monkey on our first day in Corbett National Park. It is strange, but we only learned after 4 1/2 months that you are not supposed to looked at monkeys in the eyes (especially when you have a bag of cookies). Yes, the monkey showed its teeth and starting coming at Tola, but fortunately we both ran away quickly, and the monkey didn't run far. I am so thankful that nothing really happened, and now Tola and I learned our "monkey" lesson. They are much cuter from a safe distance!
Right away Shimla felt like a place where we wanted to be. They have laws against plastic bags, littering, spitting and smoking. This sounded too good to be true to us, but it actually worked. Shimla might be the one city in India that is very clean. Also, aside from the occasional "-Sir, madam, hotel?", we were pretty much left alone. It felt liberating not having to say "-No, thank you" for a while.
After another restful day of shopping, we felt like it was time to get active. We decided to go on a hike around the area with our guide Nazir. He convinced us to take a long walk around the city because there would be no Indians tourists. This amazingly turned out to be true. We walked through a beautiful pine forest where we enjoyed the smells, sights, and tranquility of being alone in India for once. Emily seemed to have left on her safari goggles because she spotted a deer around 30 meters into the forest. This was according to our guide, a rarity in these parts.
2 hours into the walk we reached a viewpoint where we looked over the beautiful landscape. It was a bit hazy, so we did not see the snowy mountains, but the view was still amazing. After another hour we reached the city fort. Shimla used to be the summer capital of India during the British rule, so the town is filled with old colonial buildings such as churches, schools, and a fort. The building was of huge historical significance as it was here that the British gave India and Pakistan their independence. We got to see the table where it all was signed and the table itself is divided into two parts, the Indian and the Pakistani sides. A lot of famous people have spent time in the fort, including Gandhi.
