On March 31st, we had an amazing jungle safari in Bardia. We had booked the Bardia Jungle Cottages, but for a variety of reasons switched to the Bardia Wildlife Resort Paradise. I’m sure there are books written on the tourist options in Nepal (and I write this from Pokhara Lakeside where there are dozens of trekker hotels), but I haven’t read them.

This first set of pix is from “Paradise” which is situated on one of the river tributaries that flows from the Himalayas and which draws the wildlife from Bardia National Park…

Rather than just book the half day with the guides at the park gate, we booked with our safari with the guys at our hotel and it was great. Shots from the jeep, rhino dung, and the jungles…

This was our first rhino sighting, a big one who wallowed for the whole time we were there in part of the river. Unfortunately, I do not have the fancy camera equipment of many tourists, so these pix are with an iPhone 6 zoomed thru some binoculars…

More pix from our view points and from the jeep. Note termite mounds, soil erosion under rocks and trees, tiger claw marks, etc…

More (including lunch)…

In total, we saw six rhinos, here are two who crossed the river from our main view point…

Eventually, after waiting quietly for almost three hours, we saw a tiger. It crossed the river (opposite direction from rhinos) further up stream about 300 yards away. Beautiful through binoculars and with the better camera equipment, but again, these pix are with an iPhone thru binocs…

Not long after the tiger sighting, we walked the three miles back to the park entrance. It was beautiful and we saw more deer (of which we saw many dozens of 3 of the 5 species there), some monkeys, various birds, and more telltale signs of tigers, rhinos, and elephants…

At the end of our walk we went through park headquarters where they have a couple elephants used for safaris and work, and rhino that was orphaned and can’t seem to make in the wild (and who killed a man a few years ago). The next day, April 1st, when we drove to Lumbini, we stopped at a dam and saw crocodiles, a wild river turtles, a variety of fish, etc…

 

Study Questions:

1. Research wild animal parks in Nepal & India. Discuss extinction, poaching, and conservation efforts.
2. Specifically, research the biology and ecology of tigers & rhinos. Discuss.
3. Where would you like to take a safari? Why, how?

 

After more than three weeks “on the farm” – at the Good Shepard Agricultural Mission, we left early morning to cross the border from India into Nepal. Thanks to Eugene George, one of the key figures at GSAM, we contracted a driver to take us all the way to Kathmandu (via Bardia, Lumbini, and Pokhara). Here are some pix – Rick & Clifton seeing us off, sunrise over Nepal and sunset over Bardia, Charlie with monkeys at the border, and various shots from the car…

 

We arrived just outside Bardia National Park and my next post will be about that. After two nights and an amazing day there, we drove to Lumbini where Siddhartha Gautama – the Buddha – was born in 623 CE. However, some dispute that claim. In any case, there is a huge area dedicated to various temples, monasteries, and museums which is still under construction. We stayed right next to this large park, drove in and looked around, but simply did not have the time to visit the temples. I felt like Horse Badorties in The Fan Man by William Kotzwinkle when he doesn’t show for his big performance because we’d gone there to see the sights, but we’ve had to miss others on this trip. I’ve spent as much time thinking about what we don’t do as what we doodoo. Perhaps, referring to the famous koan, I did not want to meet the Buddha on the road? Perhaps its just a big tourist trap? Interestingly, that part of Nepal has remained Hindu (or returned to it?). I reckon the Buddha would understand. Here are some pix around Lumbini, from the road, and our driver Raju’s dinner…

 

After Lumbini, we drove to Pokhara. We went from flat plains to steep hills, straight roads to very windy ones. Here are some pix (most are just shot from our car, one is a spelling test found at rest stop)…

 

References:

Nepal, Lumbini, Heritage Site, Sacred Site, article questioning findings, Huff Post article, Buddhism.

 

Study Questions:

1. Nepal basics: people, culture, religion, geography, bordering countries, capital, famous sights (check the link).
2. Buddhism basics: history, founding, beliefs, tenets, followers, etc. Go beyond the link
3. Check other links about Lumbini, and the articles about the debate over the site of Siddhartha’s birthplace. What does it mean? What do you think? What would the Buddha say?
4. Research terraced agriculture. How’s it done, by whom, where, what, when?
5. How do you decide what to do, what to see, what to experience? What are the opportunity costs of how you spend your time?

This will be my last post about the Good Shepard Agricultural Mission (for now). Again, these pix & clips are somewhat random, but most came from our last week on the farm. It was a wonderful and meaningful time that I imagine will continue for all of us in various ways.

One project I initiated was to help the boys clean up some of the rooms on top of their hostel. One was a former classroom that had become junk storage. Here are a couple before and after pix, and then on our last full day I taught a few lessons to some of the kids. Wish I’d been able to teach them more, they’re so good…

Here are just some of the wonderful kids at GSAM (a couple staff members – Sunny & Anish, and fellow volunteer Auntie Sarah)…

Miscellaneous parting shots…

 

Here are some video clips!

In church on a Sunday…

Amir’s homemade slingshot (wait for it)…

Tiki-wallah time…

Schooling up…

Sunny & Anish having fun with Auntie Violet…

Crazy bus ride…

 

Happy Birthday Veronica!