Clean Elephants

At last, a day with decent weather.

Yesterday we took a chance with the weather and set off to Dubare forest and the elephant camp. It was drizzling when we got there and the Cauvery river was fast flowing. Nevertheless we shuttled across in right in time to see the big animals have their breakfast. Then the mahouts took them down to the river for a bath. They asked if the kids wanted to join them scrubbing, and Esbjorn was ready to go. If we had known we would have brought some swimming trunks and towels. The whole place was pretty muddy but the weather cleared for a while, and Anna and the kids went for a ride around the compound. It was OK but the mahouts were asking for tips all the time. The fact that the old tuskers had take another bath when a new group came across made the place a tourist trap more than a genuine elephant camp with the purpose of preserving the traditional craft. But they were some clean elephants!

The power situation has improved a lot since the electrician fastened the cables in the pole. Got some ant powder finally. The Indians call it DDT-powder. I thought it was illegal but, hey, this is India. Laws are made to bend. Tsering is visiting from Chennai tomorrow. It will be the first time she meets the kids and they are looking forward to it. I have met her regularily through the years but I think the last time she met Anna was in 1994.

We have confirmed bookings in Tamil Nadu now so we will leave Bylakuppe for good on 3 August. Tenzin has become part of the family so it will be tough, I'm sure.