During the night we were woken by the bedroom door rattling, so, thinking it was our wake up call, Pete shot out of bed, only to discover that it was 3:00 am and that some wild life had been playing on our thatched roof!
We woke as planned at 5:00 and our tea arrived 15 minutes later. We dressed and assembled cameras and binoculars and were in reception by 5:45 to wait for our pickup; it was full moon and one of the hotel naturalists had a Telescope and showed us how to take a picture through the telescope with our mobile phone.
We had been told that our pickup would be anytime after 6:00. Our naturalist and driver duly arrived at around 6:30. We were given a bag with water and a sandwich and we started off towards the park, with two other couples, Pete paying his 1,000 rupee video camera fee at the entrance to sector 1.
We were full of anticipation as we drove on a very bumpy road, parts of which were still flooded from the aftermath of the monsoon rains, which had been particularly heavy this year, but our driver still went at a back-shattering pace, which the guide described as a free massage.
Seen at a distance were spotted antelope, deer, a basking crocodile, five ringed squirrel and lots of monkeys. Lap wings were close by at the water’s edge. We were told that the tiger population is increasing and that there are over 70 somewhere in the park, but none wanted to come out to play this morning. We twice visited the border between sectors 1&2, where the guide was convinced they might turn up, but to no avail.
So it was back to base with some interesting pictures, but not the ones that we really wanted! We were greeted with refreshing towels and a good range of choice for breakfast, including fresh fruit, eggs many ways, toast, bread and cheese for those who wanted it.
After breakfast we had our showers, rested, updated our diary and blog , tidied up, did some shopping at the hotel concession, which sold items made by the women of the local villages and before we knew it was time for lunch! Cucumber soup, home made pizza squares and a salad, breads and rice pudding.
Our Jeep for the afternoon safari drive arrived shortly after 2pm and this time there were only four of us, a tiger enthusiast with his two cameras and rather long lenses was taking up the entire middle seat. Pete once again got out his 1,000 rupees, but then realized that he had left the video camera on charge in the room … a sure sign that we would see tigers this time!
As we headed into sector two on an even bumpier terrain that was suitable only for jeeps and not the much bigger canters, all the animals were much closer to us; we saw black storks, peacocks, partridges and then all of a sudden came across a rare sight of a sloth bear digging up a termite mound, totally oblivious of our presence.
We were told that sightings of sloth bears are even rarer than tigers, but nevertheless it was time to head back out of the park, in a convoy of three jeeps. Suddenly the Jeep in front stopped and started to reverse : “tiger tiger get your cameras ready” shouted the guide. There on the road in front of us was “Arrowhead” slowly walking towards us, then passing to the side of the Jeep towards a nearby tree on which she rubbed her face then sprayed her scent, before walking slowly on, completely unfazed by our presence. Alison was standing on the front passenger seat trying to take pictures while the Jeep was reversing over boulders.
The sun was setting so it was a little gloomy meaning the pictures could have been better, but we returned to our hotel feeling very pleased and that there was something worth celebrating this evening!
So off to the bar for an aperitif before dinner, which was curry soup, plain rice, cauliflower, potato and cottage cheese, spinach in ginger. Dessert was a chickpea roll (less said about that there better).
Off to the lounge to use wifi, but the iPad for some reason was virtually discharged, so blogging was suspended for the night. Repacking to do than early to bed as another 6:00 start tomorrow.