Animals & Secret Policemen

Back from Bandipur. It was good and my trust in Jungle Lodges & Resorts quality is still intact. The drive was quick with a "pucca" road most of the way. The accomodation was outside the park with cottages set in a hilly area, each one with an inviting hammock outside. Food was good too. In the late afternoon we went for a 2 hrs drive in the park. There were plenty of animals although not so exciting except for the wild jungle dogs. Spotted deer was abundant as usual. We also saw bisons, some elephants and a bunch of moongoose. In the evening there was a campfire and Esbjorn fell asleep before dinner. The next morning we went for another long drive but didn't see many animals. The scenery was good though with lakes and deep gorges, and with the Nilgiri mountains as a backdrop. Before we went home there was a short elephant ride. The kids enjoyed it but I don't like the way these poor old tuskers are treated. The mahout more or less pedalled the elephant's ears with his feet around the track.

There was a story about a haunting ghost in the local newspaper which triggered the kids' fantasy. Some estate supervisor whose ghost was captured in a bottle by an excorcist, and put in a grave sealed by a big chain. If the chain was broken the ghost would be free again. During the rains this year a tree had fallen on the grave causing the chain to break. Now the ghost, whose name is Robert, is on the loose again! Esbjorn constantly talks about ghosts, especially zombies for which he has developed a special fascination.

Today I was caught by the Indian secret police, IB. They too demanded to see my permit as well as xerox copies. Even so they seem to be pretty incompetent as they didn't even ask what I was doing with my computer and other gear in the Representative's office.