Wednesday 25 September - a rest day at Bardia park where there are elephants, tigers, rhinoceros, etc living in the protected area. We opted to go on a river cruise - leave at 0700 because early is best time to see animals. Lunch on board. Be back in camp at 1500, so there's time for other rest day chores. Sounded like it was maybe on one of those pontoon boats so we could get out of the sun and just relax while looking for wildlife...
...Well, that's what we thought was going to happen, We left camp shortly after 7, then drove around a few dirt tracks to someplace else where they tried to pick up a raft, but it was 7-person size and there were nine of us so somewhere else and they get the right size. Then yet another place to get life jackets. Bow back out onto the highway and go about 30 km back to the suspension bridge we rode across yesterday. They have to inflate the raft and launch it on the other side, but the vehicle is not licensed to cross the bridge. So they carry it and we wait around. Eventually, between 0930 and 1000 we get on board the raft. I guess just in time for the second sitting for breakfast for the wildlife that didn't eat early...
We were pleased to see some deer on the river bank, and they appeared equally amused at nine bike riders floating past in a raft...
...then an eagle at the top of a dead tree with a fish clutched in his talons. He (she...?) took off with the fish and headed home..,
...some lapwings...
...and a buck. These are middle-size deer, easily visible when they're in the open, but that tall grass behind it is well taller than any of us, so any animal that goes into the grass disappears instantly.
Cranes, not sure what type...
...and a heron that continually flew away ahead of the raft.
We went on shore for lunch and found tiger tracks - our guides said that they come down to the rivr for water but are very elusive - they're shy, and when in the grass, impossible o see - it's a matter of being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
Rhinoceros tracks too... I should have made these photos the same scale, but trust me, the rhino track is huge.
Floated down the river some more and then back to shore... everybody off... 'follow me' says the guide and we walk for about 30 minutes... no idea of where we were going but is was about half past two so I figured it was a hike back to where their jeep would pick us up and get us back to camp by 1500 as faithfully promised We were all desperately hot and humidity was at least 99 percent. And obviously the time had long gone to see animals at breakfast.
The wasn't the plan at all. We all climbed a slightly shaky observation platform and were eventually told that a rhinoceros had a habit of wandering out there in the open space around 3 pm or so. We gave him until about 3:15. He didn't show. And if we thought we'd be in camp by 1500, think again. Thirty minutes back to the raft and then another at least hour of rafting.
As much as we could see our chore time shrinking, the late afternoon lighting made the rest of the float down the river quite pleasant. This egret preferred to fly away as we passed...
...but that Emily, our tour leader who had come on the raft trip, spotted a rhinoceros approaching the river. It proceeded into the water and walked across as we approached
...and on the other side, with us now coming almost alongside, he (or maybe he's a she?) turned to give us quick closer-up pose...
...then walked up the bank and quite literally was instantly no longer visible - you could even see the grass move...
...Well, that's what we thought was going to happen, We left camp shortly after 7, then drove around a few dirt tracks to someplace else where they tried to pick up a raft, but it was 7-person size and there were nine of us so somewhere else and they get the right size. Then yet another place to get life jackets. Bow back out onto the highway and go about 30 km back to the suspension bridge we rode across yesterday. They have to inflate the raft and launch it on the other side, but the vehicle is not licensed to cross the bridge. So they carry it and we wait around. Eventually, between 0930 and 1000 we get on board the raft. I guess just in time for the second sitting for breakfast for the wildlife that didn't eat early...
The wasn't the plan at all. We all climbed a slightly shaky observation platform and were eventually told that a rhinoceros had a habit of wandering out there in the open space around 3 pm or so. We gave him until about 3:15. He didn't show. And if we thought we'd be in camp by 1500, think again. Thirty minutes back to the raft and then another at least hour of rafting.
The rafting ended not long after and it's fair to say that the rhino had made it a good day.
We got our chores done quickly. The 'resort' was pretty basic, especially for a rest day. The bed had a bottom sheet but no top sheet, just light blanket - that's why we brought sleeping bag liners, just didn't think they'd be needed on a rest day. Bucket showers only, but the staff were good and pretty quick to bring buckets of hot water.
Three riding days ahead of us now to Lumbini - first day just 70 km, then 140 and 103.
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