March 29, 2010
Finding people to share jeeps was less of a problem than anticipated. The methods are just different here. The trick I was told was simply to show up at the main gate a few minutes before opening time. This worked rather well and I ended up sharing with an English couple for the next three Safari's. Surprisingly enough, there are more foreign tourists here than Indians on safari, in similar ratio to Kujaraho. Since tiger safari's are rather low on sexual content, I must conclude that something else is going on. Perhaps Madhya Pradesh simply lacks a near enough pool of wealthy Indians. It is one of the poorer states.
The first safari was unimpressive. No tigers and little consolation other than remarkably close photos of a Indian Rollers. (A common song bird here).
The second trip out, there were two several month old cubs resting in a cave. Barely more than heads and bits of tail but unmistakably tigers. Later we found their mother hiding in the grass. For a moment, we stood up and we could see the body but mostly it was just ears. The fourth was the one that got away. He was out in the open, just leaving a watering hole and none of us were paying attention. Before I could focus, he was gone. Cat 5 was wandering along the hill side at sunset. Despite interfering twigs and other jeeps, I managed some surprisingly clear photos in the dimming light. The price for the last feline was a mad rush to the gate and dust everywhere.
The next morning, we saw a male tiger on the road. There were amazing views for somebody, just not me. There were three jeeps following. I was in the in back of the last jeep. “Framing” consisted of whatever opening I could find among arms, legs, and motor vehicles.
The English couple moved on but a fresh crew of foreigners arrived at lodge. I had ready companions for an afternoon safari but I needed to sort out transport to Kanha. I stayed out.
They saw a leopard.
Make a kill. It caught a langur in mid-air.
Oh well. You just can't predict these things. The remaining safari's were rather less successful. The following morning brought nothing interesting our way. Ditto for the afternoon. My companions were getting rather depressed because they still hadn't seen a tiger. Some left empty handed. They skipped the next morning to ease the transit out. The rest earned their stripes.
The cubs were back, along with their mother. And the paparazzi. On that first, early morning pass, viewing was quite difficult. Limited light, unlimited branches and jeeps. In between, there was not much going on. Bandhavgarh is almost exclusively a tiger park. When the tigers are away, there is not much to see. Near the end, we circled back to the den. Tiger family was still in attendance.. So were the jeeps and branches but at least there was light. Unfortunately, there was also a forest ranger vehicle parked in the only spot with consistently clear views. They were doing no research. They were just taking their own snap shots and using their authority to prevent other vehicles from maneuvering into more useful positions. Despite the impediments, I did manage a few usable photos.
And it was off to Umaria by bus then a train to Jabalapura were I spent the night. Jabalapura is not my favorite town. It isn't especially dirty by Indian standards. It is small and fairly easy to get around. Unfortunately, the rickshaw drivers are as bad as mosquitoes. Rickshaw drivers are a pain everywhere but, in Jabalapura, they actually follow you making more requests even after you've expressed complete disdain for their service. Navigation and maneuvering through traffic is complicated by the close presence of unwanted wheels.
The next morning brought a seven hour ( supposed to be five ) squeeze bus to Kanha. I had a seat, at least, but it was definitely not pleasant. Kanha is a bigger park and I hoped to see more than at the tiger obsessed Banhavgarh.
In a freaky coincidence, six foreigners, including myself arrived on the same bus and checked into a dorm that was previously empty. That meant cheap safaris.
The first morning safari was something of a dud in that there were no tigers or similarly spectacular animal sightings. However, it did reveal that Kanha has more to offer than just tigers. We saw swamp deer close up, previously seen from far away in Kaziranga. Gaur were very close, much better viewing than the “nearby planet” shots from the boat in Periyar. The backdrop is green and often spectacular, a far cry from dry, drab, and dusty Bandhavgarh.
The afternoon was hot hot hot, as afternoons are but more of a classic win. One collared female tiger half submerged in the water. Just as the light was leaving, one more female tracked along side and then crossed the road at close range. She snarled at us for impeding her movement. It took every trick I've learned but I managed one clear, if somewhat underexposed photo of the tigris as she crossed in front.
The next morning, I was on my own. The Austrian couple had left. One of the Swedes was sick and her two companions stayed behind in support. I repeated my plan from the early Bandhavgarh safaris. I found a “group” in a father/son team but it never felt as comfortable as the British couple at Bandhavgarh had been. The safari wasn't so great either. This group had seen wild dogs earlier but not this time. We saw one tiger via elephant back “tiger show”. There was some novelty to seeing a tiger from elephant and a little more to see one sleeping but, in all, I think it was a poor use of six hundred rupees.
The next day was rather poor. No tigers except for barely detectable bits of orange in the grass. Not much in the way of and new oddball creatures. A monitor lizard. One Barking Deer. I think the endless supply of langurs and the herd of gaurs that wandered into camp were actually more interesting.
My safari companions, being more interested in comfort than budget booked a long haul taxi. I braved the bus.
As I arrived in Jabalapur it occurred to me that I should go to the Internet cafe and lookup the trains before checking in to a hotel. It's a good thing because I discovered that all the trains to Bhopol (none direct to Sanchi) left in evening. Since it was only 3:00pm, a night spent here would mean a wasted day, unless I was unable to book a ticket. It was Wait List 7 less than six hours before departure but, less than an hour after I booked, the chart was drawn up and I had my berth. I even managed 2AC for the price of 3AC. Auto upgrade actually happened. Until now, it looked like a “do nothing” option on the form. Even more surprising: the train arrived in Bhopal on time. That's the second time this has happened. For some reason, trains and even buses seem to run a more reliable schedule in Madhya Pradesh than anywhere else I have been in India.
As I write this, I am waiting for my room to be ready. I arrived in Sanchi just before 8:00am, a consequence of the train arriving in Bhopal at 4:25am. I think it would have been more convenient if the train were the usual 1.5 to 2 hours late. The room isn't exactly posh but I think it will be OK. There seems to be a dearth of moderate hotels here. Most are “cheap cheap” and one is Expensive.
There is no shortage of heat. After checking in here, I found a reference in the guide book to a Rs 350 AC room in another hotel. Maybe that would have been a better bet.