In order for us to reach the park in time for the opening of the gates we needed to leave Mungeli at 2:30am at the latest. We didn't leave Anil and Teresa's home until nearly 11:30pm the night before and when it was all said and done we were all looking at a quick nap before we would have to rise and set out for the park. The other logistic here was that when we returned later in the day we were going to have a very short turnaround to catch a train in Bilaspur to Bismantuckett(no clue on the spelling!). So we were all running around putting this bag together for the safari and that bag for the train ride and it was 2:15am before we could even blink. We all gathered at the front gate and spoke briefly with the night watchman before we loaded in Anil's Range Rover-esque vehicle and set out for Kahna. We were all pretty tired, but we also were a little loopy from all the running around to get ready for the next two days, so the first hour of the ride was lots of laughter. We had an addition to our group and what an addition she was. Jan Campbell came with the group from Atlanta, but is staying until the 23rd of February before returning back to the states. So we sort of adopted her with our group and it was the best decision we ever made. Riding across the Indian countryside at 2 in the morning is quite peaceful because believe it or not, there is really nothing on the roads except for an occasional semi-truck or random cow crossing the road. Our driver made sure that the accelerator and the horn both worked for most of the morning so we knew we were still in India.
Driving to Kahna is an adventure in itself. We had to leave the state of Chhattisgargh and once we entered the new state of Madhya Pradesh we encountered one police check point and 4 additional check points as we entered the reserve. We also had to traverse a mountain road that winded and winded forever up and around this mountain. It had guard rails and 2 lanes so it wasn't nearly as bad as the Indian roads on World's Deadliest Roads, but you still held your breath everytime we came around the corner and there was a semi coming right at you. We came arond the one bend and there was one of these massive transport trucks dipped over on its side. I didn't have much time to think about it or react because we were already passed it and moving along.Most of us nodded off in and out of sleep during the 3 hour drive to Kahna. There interestingly enough is a stretch of road once you get into the preserve for about 25 miles or so that is easily the worst stretch of road I have ever encountered. I use the term "road" loosely to describe this. There were just traces of pavement that once was there before......the great tiger war? the bombing of Madhya Pradesh? I mean I can't figure out how these roads became so awful and living in the norther United States, you also realize that these roads don't endure the beating of the snow plows every winter either. It was one of the bumpiest rides we have experienced yet. I think we all just had to sit back and laugh it off as another adventure in this incredible place. Watch for video coming soon!
We arrived at the gate to Kahna a little before 6:00am. Our driver spoke with the workers at the ticket office and informed us that we could purchase tickets beginning at 6:00am. Once the ticket office opened I filled out this long form to get us into the preserve. India has taken great lengths in the past several years to preserve and restore their Royal Bengal Tiger population. They take great lengths to ensure the safety of these majestic creatures, so filling out this lengthy form to gain admittance to the safari was not surprising at all. We spoke with another family from Jaipur who was there going on their second trip into Kahna. They had driven to the resort the day before and took an evening safari and didn't see much. They explained to us that the forest service sends in teams of men on elephants at 4:00am with flashlights to search for tigers. If they are able to locate one of the nearly 100 tigers in the preserve, they will radio back to the other drivers to inform them of their location. We would all meet at a central location and you pay an extra 600 rupees to load up on the back of an elephant and go out to see the tiger. I was pumped. To actually see a living Bengal Tiger in the wild would would be ridiculous.
So we set out - the six of us, our driver and our spotter. In any animal setting the early morning and late evening are the best time for sightings because it is when they are the most active. Especially in India where the brutal heat in the middle of the day sends most of the animals to find a good resting spot. So our excitement levels were at a maximum. Oh and I should mention that it's really, really cold at 6:30am in India. Not Cleveland, Ohio type of cold, but cold when it's 89 degrees during the day. We drove around and saw several different types of deer, peacocks, monkeys, a big water buffalo type of creature called a Gaur and enjoyed the beauty of this reserve. The real goal though was of course.....a tiger. Our guides would stop periodically from time to time and point out fresh tiger tracks. We would stop the jeep and just listen. At one point we came around a bend and there was about 6 other jeeps stopped and looking across a small plain and onto a hill. Our jeep stopped and our driver kept whispering "listen.....tiger." We were hearing a very loud and audible "whooph" sound. It was very distinct and sounded like someone was blowing a short burst of air through a pipe...but that was no person and a pipe, it was the sound of a tiger. Every few seconds we would hear this distinct sound getting louder and louder. Our guides grew excited and continued to point and look to the hillside. At any moment I was waiting to see a tiger emerge from the hillside. After a few moments though, the sounds were farther apart and growing fainter and fainter. Our tiger was moving in another direction. Some of the jeeps set off in other directions, while we waited patiently with several other groups hoping the that tiger would appear. Eventually we decided to move on and continue our search. About an hour later we all gathered at a little rendezvous point and enjoyed some of the snacks we brought along, most notably peanut butter and crackers. All the guides gathered to discuss their plans after lunch. We took a few group photos and set-off on the search. The weather was warming up and it was a very pleasant drive through this beautiful piece of India. I was so impressed with the upkeep and the cleanliness and the care for this preserve. The park has rangers who live strategically in locations all throughout the property, serving as protectors, guards and stewards of this important area. Tiger poaching nearly drove the animal to extinction in the early 1970's. The tiger had a population of over 40,000 in India in the early 20th century. By 1972 that number had declined to 1,872 tigers. The government seized the opportunity and created Project Tiger. Kahna Tiger Reserve became the first of nine parks and sanctuaries designated by the government to start this project. The work of the project has helped to grow the tiger population to over 3,600 in recent years.
I would love to tell you about seeing a majestic tiger in it's natural habitat, but today was simply not our day for seeing a tiger. It's ok though - because the safari was still an amazing experience, the ride through the park was beautiful and the day was a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Mungeli. It's ok as well because simply tracking and searching for a Tiger was enough of an adrenaline rush for me. I haven't paid that much attention to something for that length of time since....well.....I don't think ever. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity, something I have always had on my "bucket list" and just another one of millions of reasons on why I plan to return to India someday.
We returned back to the ticket office, unloaded our gear from the jeep and packed up the range rover for a looooooooonnnngg, bumpy ride back to Mungeli. Our driver, well all of the drivers at the hospital for that matter, are incredible. He drove us all through the night to the park, slept in the car and then drove us back that afternoon. About halfway back on our ride to Mungeli the air conditioner went in the jeep. This was a luxury in the first place, and having the windows down isn't bad with as fast as they all drive, but it was an extremely dusty day it seemed in India, so we had some finely grated Indian dust for a nice afternoon snack on the way back to the hospital. Once we got back to the hospital we quickly showered and prepared for the trip to Bismantuckett. Lisa had been dealing with some indigestion and heartburn for most of the day. By the time we got back to the hospital she wasn't really feeling that good at all. We decided it would be better for her to stay back and rest, so she called it a day and slept for the rest of the day and night. I of course, stayed back to take care of her and was able to catch up on some things around here. Shane our neighbor next door who is staying here for a few months with his family (I mentioned them in an earlier post), called for me to go with him on a ride into town. Oh what adventures could await me this time. We drove a few blocks from the hospital to a small brick building with an overhead door open. The outside of the building was littered with stray dogs and when you enter the place there was sinply a desk with a cash register to the left and to the right was a counter with a large tree stump behind it. Beyond them was a room full of chickens running around. It was time to get dinner! I will spare you all the details, unless you really want them, but it was something else! Let me tell you! So while the butcher was preparing our chicken order, we rode into town to pick-up some limes. Nothing like riding a motorbike in Mungeli during the 5 o'clock rush hour. Wow. We stopped back at the butcher, picked up our fresh bag of warm chicken and headed back to the hospital to get ready for dinner.
After dinner, we enjoyed the company of Teresa Henry and we played some really fun games including Betty Ford....can't wait to play it with all of you back in states. I crashed around 9:30pm - it was awesome.
So that was it. Another eventful and exciting day in India. Tomorrow we will be making the trek into town to get things for Friday's school fair and other necessities. Watch for a guest post from the Reverend Kelly Brill tomorrow after she returns from her trip to Bismantuckett. Enjoy the pictures below and stop over to http://revgregg.wordpress.com for more from all of our adventures.
Until next time.....much love,
Nate
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