Welcome back lovely readers!
Cheeky monkey.
Fortunately we were still able to have breakfast, and it was pretty funny. We then went on a safari to look for tigers and leopards! No, we didn't get on a jeep Jurassic park style, but we rode in this large camo bus, and were completely silent the whole time. No tours, or conveniently placed lions and tigers and zebras, just silence and searching. It was really cool actually, and made sense, considering that we were looking for real wild animals and not ones that kind of hang out in their invisible enclosures (or tear through their entrapment and try to kill everyone like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park). Though we saw no leopards, we did see a giant squirrel, Gar (a type of bison) and spotted deer! As well as a peacock :D
After our safari, we checked into Hotel Tamil Nadu, that was dormitory style complete with bucket showers (as in, your shower is a bucket of water!) and bunk beds. The room was really nice, and surrounded by greenery, fields and a small river where we could see some of the domesticated elephants washing themselves. Speaking of elephants, we got to see elephants get fed! The domestic elephants of the reserve that help keep the villagers of the reserve safe and act as park rangers themselves, get fed a big ball of barley, wheat, rice, coconut, and other yummy cereals that elephants like!
It was really cool to see how they feed, even though the chains on their feet were a little sad to see. But, the people in charge of the elephants treat them humanely from all that we saw and heard.
We then ate and went to sleep (the beds were so comfy) and woke up early to go on another safari trip with the reserve. Apparently the night before a predator, most likely a leopard, had killed a carcass, ate some of it, then left the rest for later (leftovers in the wild? who knew). Because of this, we thought we might see the predator come back early in the morning. We didn't, just the carcass, but saw more giant squirrels and deer!
We then went and packed up, where mini adventure number two occurred. Danielle, being her trusting self, thought the indoors meant the indoors, and so left her handy ziploc full of toiletries open in her bag that was lying on the floor. When I returned, my perception of indoors/outdoors was destroyed, when I realized a lizard had crawled in and left a cute little present all over my toothbrush and other toiletries. That's right folks, a lizard pooped on my toothbrush. Fortunately Alex had a spare from the airline she flew on, and I can still have clean, lizard free teeth! I thought it was rather entertaining, and a once in a lifetime experience if you put it in a certain light!
We then embarked for Ooty, where we went on a boat ride! Because this was essentially the Pigeon Forge of South India, it was misting and a little chilly, but of course beautiful
I thought it was the perfect temperature, but apparently the native people of India found it rather nippy.
Men were all wearing these hats, and the women were wearing shawls and scarves and hats. I guess it is rather cold for someone who lives in the hot desert.
Anyway, after going on our boat ride, we went shopping for lots of souvenirs, had lunch and traveled home!
Overall it was a really exciting and restful weekend. Ooty and the surrounding area has some really interesting terrain that I will put up pictures of and talk about tomorrow. In the mean time, I need to get some sleep, I start part two of my internship with Dr. Victoria at Janet Nursing Home tomorrow! Here's to part two!
I have returned from the land of Ooty (sounds like it is spelled) where I embraced the spirit of adventure! This weekend, the awesome and gracious Dr. Relton (the man who has made all of this possible along with Dr. Jones) gave up his weekend to drive 6 hours to show the four of us the Nilgiris Mountains, specifically Ooty and an awesome Tiger Reserve! Now you have to understand, India is a very diverse place ecologically, for example, we went from this
To this
It felt kind of like travelling from Florida mixed with Colorado desert, to a tropical Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. And, like Pigeon Forge, Ooty is a big tourist attraction too! (it is also colder and mistier, as it is in the smoky mountains back home) It was a really nice and gorgeous change.
First, we get up the mountainside (yes we went around at least 36 hairpin turns...and yes..they were literally shaped like hairpins)
And then get to Hotel Tamil Nadu, located on the Tiger Reserve 36 miles away from Ooty. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the cutest monkeys, who got a little too close for comfort. We came upon our first mini adventure, when one especially resourceful monkey jumped up into the trunk of our car and stole an entire loaf of bread we had brought for our breakfast the next day.
Cheeky monkey.
Fortunately we were still able to have breakfast, and it was pretty funny. We then went on a safari to look for tigers and leopards! No, we didn't get on a jeep Jurassic park style, but we rode in this large camo bus, and were completely silent the whole time. No tours, or conveniently placed lions and tigers and zebras, just silence and searching. It was really cool actually, and made sense, considering that we were looking for real wild animals and not ones that kind of hang out in their invisible enclosures (or tear through their entrapment and try to kill everyone like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park). Though we saw no leopards, we did see a giant squirrel, Gar (a type of bison) and spotted deer! As well as a peacock :D
After our safari, we checked into Hotel Tamil Nadu, that was dormitory style complete with bucket showers (as in, your shower is a bucket of water!) and bunk beds. The room was really nice, and surrounded by greenery, fields and a small river where we could see some of the domesticated elephants washing themselves. Speaking of elephants, we got to see elephants get fed! The domestic elephants of the reserve that help keep the villagers of the reserve safe and act as park rangers themselves, get fed a big ball of barley, wheat, rice, coconut, and other yummy cereals that elephants like!
It was really cool to see how they feed, even though the chains on their feet were a little sad to see. But, the people in charge of the elephants treat them humanely from all that we saw and heard.
We then ate and went to sleep (the beds were so comfy) and woke up early to go on another safari trip with the reserve. Apparently the night before a predator, most likely a leopard, had killed a carcass, ate some of it, then left the rest for later (leftovers in the wild? who knew). Because of this, we thought we might see the predator come back early in the morning. We didn't, just the carcass, but saw more giant squirrels and deer!
We then went and packed up, where mini adventure number two occurred. Danielle, being her trusting self, thought the indoors meant the indoors, and so left her handy ziploc full of toiletries open in her bag that was lying on the floor. When I returned, my perception of indoors/outdoors was destroyed, when I realized a lizard had crawled in and left a cute little present all over my toothbrush and other toiletries. That's right folks, a lizard pooped on my toothbrush. Fortunately Alex had a spare from the airline she flew on, and I can still have clean, lizard free teeth! I thought it was rather entertaining, and a once in a lifetime experience if you put it in a certain light!
We then embarked for Ooty, where we went on a boat ride! Because this was essentially the Pigeon Forge of South India, it was misting and a little chilly, but of course beautiful
I thought it was the perfect temperature, but apparently the native people of India found it rather nippy.
Men were all wearing these hats, and the women were wearing shawls and scarves and hats. I guess it is rather cold for someone who lives in the hot desert.
Anyway, after going on our boat ride, we went shopping for lots of souvenirs, had lunch and traveled home!
Overall it was a really exciting and restful weekend. Ooty and the surrounding area has some really interesting terrain that I will put up pictures of and talk about tomorrow. In the mean time, I need to get some sleep, I start part two of my internship with Dr. Victoria at Janet Nursing Home tomorrow! Here's to part two!
Nice stuff........your photos are superb:). Ooty has rich flora and fauna. For a nature freak Ooty tourism offers Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary where you can explore lesser known animals. Thanks for sharing such a great post on Ooty.
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