Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Time-out

Born in Pachmarhi, my love for jungles still runs through my bloodstream. One of the reasons I get sweepingly sentimental over weekends if I don’t get to go out of the concrete walls of my home. I need to breathe directly beneath the sky and refresh my olefactory system in the vicinity of huge trees as often as  possible,seriously.

Wish I were paid to travel as much as I want to. I’ve yet to cover many jungles within India itself. Kabini river lodge (the hunting lodge of the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore) which is hardly 220kms from Bangalore was also on my wish list for long till recently when I made a 2-day trip.
River Kabini in the morning!

 A wildlife enthusiast appraised me of the allures of wildlife in Kabini and since summers are best known for sightings, I made my plan to visit in March and stay at Jungle Lodges Resorts.

Kabini River Lodge in March
Either  tigers have some problem with me or I’m more scary, as other than the tiger we saw most  animals. This is despite the company of very optimistic people on our safari jeep who kept reiterating ‘today we shall definitely see a tiger’. Until 2 days before, the tiger was seen on the tiger tank there every evening. Now I know the 'japa' was because of the doubt,we were all believers of probability more than anything.And as they say,

The good things that you expect …it is on your way
The things you fear about or doubt….. that is also on your way.
In the wilds of Nagarhole

Anyways,  jungle beauty sans the tiger is equally mesmerizing and we really missed having  tele- photo lens this time to be able to capture the same .
Kabini- Savior to so many species

Bangalore to Kabini is a nice road except that the last 12km stretch feels more like a ride on the moon - huge craters really!
But all that is worth in order to experience staying in tents, going on jungle safaris, listening to the wild melody and no TV, no cricket!! I loved it.
Jungle Lodges tent

From Kabini, I paid my customary  visit to Club Mahindra Madikeri(Coorg). There is something about  the energy of this place, which is just so refreshing. Have been to Coorg quite a number of times before, hence Abbey falls, Raja seat, Talcauvery  etc. were nothing new ; this time we explored the Golden temple (Namdroling Monastry).
Golden temple

Beautiful temple and surprisingly huge Tibetan establishment at Bylakuppe , on the way back to Bangalore.Reached home by evening and then back to the grind.


Do want to go back to Kabini again and meet Mr Tiger……this trip was just an appetizer. Anyone interested in coming along??