Baranwapara Sunset
The Wild Dogs of Baranwapara
Just a mini-updated here...
Its been pretty busy, mostly writing trying to get this big report done. I went to a wildlife park called Baranwapara with a friend last week just before they closed it for rainy season. It was pretty amazing and more amazing because the Monsoons were just starting and the sky was heavy with charcoal clouds, it made the forest seem mysterious. All of a sudden a giant Antelope came running through the woods at us, we jerked to a stop and realized it was not one but two, and they were being chased by a pack of wild dogs. Quite a sight! But one that will only be saved in my memory as you can imaine it is impossible to catch that on camera. We ran into the pack later (they had not caught the antelope) and caught some photos of them then. I was very glad to have my telephoto lens! I was told that more people see Leopards than see wild dogs and that we were very lucky to see them, even our guide had not seen them before. Funny since I had the same experience in Tanzania, we almost immediately ran into a pack of wild dogs in the Serengeti and were told it was exceedingly rare. I suppose if I were native american I would be told that wild dogs were my animal guides. We also saw wild Bison... Beautiful creatures! The night following our wild dog sighting the clouds became heavy and the wind picked up. Before we knew it the power was out but the ground was lighter than day all night long as lightening made constant strikes through the sky. The bullfrogs came out and took turns keeping the night alive with their music. Oddly enough I thought they sounded like livestock. Most of them sounded like giant Bull cows and a few others sounded like bleating sheep. A moment when I wish my camera could record sound. A very memorable experience!
I have been sitting in front of the computer writing so much and I think the sleeping on the floor is not helping, but I have had a horrible pinched nerve for two weeks now. Then I clumsily slammed my finger in the car door while getting out to take a picture of statue of a 9 headed 24 armed man on the way back from the wildlife reserve. There was no electricity in the village where it occured so no ice, but I was taken to the village doctor who kindly cleaned and wrapped it up for me. After that all my pictures turned out crooked since it was my trigger finger that was damaged. Now my finger is fat and colorful but I am happy to say that it is back to doing it's job of typing! It is the end of Mango season and they are all soft and mushy. Lychee's are coming in season though and they are a beautiful fruit! The rains have lowered the temp, to an wonderful bearable 94' but the added moisture has invited the mosquitoes back in swarms and armies. And everyone is planting their first round of rice paddy. A friend (the one who took me to the wedding) came over yesterday to show me his toe. Aparently he was walking down the street not too far from here and a car avoiding potholes somehow managed to NOT avoid him and ran over his leg. It was dark and it wasn't until he turned on his mobile phone (everyone uses them as flashlights) that he realized that his little toe was missing. Yeah, grody! And he told me this story in unflinching graphic detail! So once he found his toe he wrapped it up and took it home. Eventually he went to the doctor to get it stiched back on and now he has a nail through his foot to keep it on. OK enough of that, but these are the realities of life... Uuuuugh! When I asked him if the driver stopped he said no, but it was probably best that way because everyone on the street would have drug him out of his car and beaten him. I guess that is how it is done here.
Well I expect to be finished with all this writing that i have been doing by this weekend, then it is time to wrap things up, eat some more of my favorite Chili Paneer and leave India. So much has happened here that I couldn't write about but I will fill in the blanks at a later date. My life on the other side of the pond is already getting into gear. Visa's are ready, apartments secured, bills paid and all I need to do is arrive with great expectations for a new life (and lot's of European chocolate!... and jogging ;-)
The man who resulted in my crushed finger... it looks like maybe he can spare a finger ;-)
