In the wild

It's so good to spend some time in nature again. When we get off the bus in Mudumalai National Park, there's nothing there. Just a crossing, the park office and some basic guesthouses. At the other side of the river are some houses, but no shops, chai stalls, hotels. There is no noise in our guest house room, except that of the monkeys chasing each other on our roof. Just outside our place the elephants are being groomed and dressed for the elephant rides in the park. But we didn't come to ride a tame elephant, but see them in the wild. We get up early next morning to be picked up by Vishnu and our guide. After a chai at sunrise in the next village we are dropped in the bush. Walking around the bush is mesmerizing in the changing morning light. The guide is just beautiful to watch, walking silently on his little flip-flops, going slower sometimes, bending to listen, and signaling us to stop, it all adds to the excitement. We stumble behind him in our big boots, making a lot of noise crackling twigs and dried leaves. Every time the guide spots an animal he makes a happily wide gesture to us, as if offering it to us. In a way he's doing just that. Without him we wouldn't see half as many animals. That morning we don't see the elephants, but we give it another try at the end of the day in some other, more foresty part. Again the walk alone is wonderful in the late afternoon light. And we're very lucky as we not only get to see a lone male elephant but a little later a female group as well. You feel very humble walking so close to these magnificent animals.