Chitwan... Finally

To start, I've gotten a lot of comments lately that people didn't know there were multiple tabs to this blog! Well there are, so you should check all of them out! Especially the photos tab because it is probably the coolest of them all. So as soon as you are done reading this go go and look look!

So let me tell you the stories of that one time in Chitwan... the shortened and only the interesting stories...

The story of going to Chitwan started like this... I had heard of Chitwan National Park before arriving in Nepal, and I knew if I wanted to ride an elephant while over here in Asia, Chitwan was the key. I wanted to ride an elephant. Badly.

I waited a few weeks to get my bearings on Nepal, and quite honestly I was hoping I'd meet someone who would want to go too. Then the halfway point hit. I knew if I didn't just jump right in, I wouldn't get to go at all. So I reminded myself that I'm twenty, I'm independent, and I was going to go on a weekend trip to Chitwan National Park all by my big girl self.

So I did it. I went into Thamel one day and walked into a tourism office, paid the money, and got my bus tickets; two nights, three days, two longgggg bus rides, life changing experiences here I come!

So I woke up at 5:00 am on Friday morning, I put my big trekking backpack over my shoulders and I walked 45 minutes to the entrance to Thamel where, hopefully, my bus would be waiting. It was.

I loaded the bus and it wasn't until I was seated that I asked the man how long the bus ride was. Six hours. It had rained my entire walk there and it was early so I sat there for 45 minutes waiting for the bus to leave freezing cold with goose bumps trying to think of how hot I would be once I got there.

The bus ride was funny, a chinese guy sat next to me and kept trying to offer me food. He spoke no english so at one point he literally just handed me a banana, like put it in my hand. I looked at it confused then caught on and again reassured him I didn't want it. It was sweet, no matter how uncomfortable it made me.

Finally in Chitwan, after having panic attacks as the bus continued to stop and emptied out, that I had no idea where to get off, I found a guy with a sign to my camp. I got in a truck and we went on our way. My room was nice and I sat down for lunch as soon as I got there. A tuna fish sandwich and fries, which led to me having to explain that no it all looked delicious thank you, I just don't eat meat. Furthermore having to fight to keep the plate to just eat the fries and not have it replaced with vegetable rice was quite the battle. (I really detest rice lately, ya know with dhal bhat and all). I then met a guy from the Netherlands and we went on a park tour and to see the elephant breeding center. It was super cool. Beautiful land with water and fresh air, what more could I ask for after six weeks in one of the most polluted cities on earth?

I ate dinner, again delicious, and went to bed sooo happy and excited for Saturday.

I woke up at 5:30 am, breakfast at 6:00 am (EGGGGGGGSSS!!!!) and I headed out on a canoeing adventure! It was a long traditional canoe the entire thing made from one piece of wood from a single tree, it was pushed by one guy standing on back with a bamboo stick in hand. With all nine people in the boat we sat WAY too close to the water, less than an inch separated us from dryness and alligator infested waters. On our way we spotted a wild elephant, locals are terrified of them as they've been known for destroying villages and even killing people, so against the current we back tracked up stream until the land was safe enough for us to walk on.

Later we were walked to see elephants we were told. And there it was: a river with elephants and people in life vests laughing and screaming. It was elephant bathing. It wasn't part of my package that I'd purchased though so I'd have pay if I wanted to go... an entire whopping $2.08. So with that I put on a life vest without hesitation and climbed down the muddy shore. From there the elephants "owner" stood in the water with his hand ready for me to stand on as I lunged my entire body weight up and as far across this massive creature as I could in one giant effort. I settled myself, prepared to be thrown off and into the water like I'd just been watching be done to every other person. I had a split second to take a look down, and pet my elephant, tough skin and all, and realize holy crap I'm totally on an elephant right now. Right after I completed that thought I was tossed into the water, smacking my entire body in the river and pushing under to the bottom. I got out and right back up, this time I was determined to stay on and really soak up the view from the back of an elephant. She soaked me by throwing water back at me throwing it up in the air, pelted time and time again, dropped me in the water twice more and I was on my way. Back to the hotel to dry off for a bit.

Next came hour and a half elephant rides. It was fun, and really cool to see the world from so high up along with so many wild animals on the walk. Elephants are like bigger, tougher horses but really its a little scary how much the experience was like horseback riding. To ride an elephant though, the "owner" sits on the elephant, and then four people sit in a little box on the elephants back. Who did I sit with you ask? Just three people who live in Ann Arbor, Michigan... seriously though, someone tell me the chances of that. The world is a teeny tiny, rinky, dinky little place.

I ate dinner with a group of british students also on a weekend trip from Kathmandu, who were super nice and beyond funny. It was really refreshing to be with people my age just hanging out for a bit, (and listening to them say things like chips, jumper, lovely, and speaking of "that one girl who is dating Prince Harry", didn't hurt one bit, in fact I think I'm now obsessed with British people...)

I woke up and headed home soon after for my 9 hour, yes it took about 9 hours, not six, journey home to Kathmandu. I was completely exhausted by the end.

And here I am! Three days until India and Amanda and I'm nearly to the point of counting down the hours I'm so excited!!! But for now, work, work, work, as mind numbing as it may seem on my seventh week, I'm trying to remind myself how much I'll miss this place a month from now.