December 30, 2014 -- Birds - Dehradun Trip and Resort

Hansi has included some bird photos with but I figured I'd just provide you "the works"! These are birds we've seen and successfully (more or less) photographed - we've seen more but I couldn't capture 'em.

The egret was following the cows and jumping up to snatch ticks(?) and just made me laugh. I've heard of "Meals On Wheels" but this . . . words do not come to me.

Egret snacks

Obviously, we're having a great time and looking forward to Kerala (may need to buy a Birds of Southern India).

Rob

Egyptian Vulture

White-throated Fantail

Sarus Cranes

Asian Openbill

December 30, 2014 -- Continuing Vacation Saga

We left early Tuesday morning for the final leg of the journey to Jim Corbett Park. Good weather again – sunny and very warm. We did some good birding along the way -- storks and vultures and cranes, oh my! Don’t worry, pictures attached. What’s that? You’re saying you are NOT worried? You’re saying, “Oh crap, not more BIRD PICTURES!” 

Well – too bad!

Anyway, we arrived at our resort -- called Nadiya Parao -- not quite in the park but in Corbett which skirts the park.  A great place, and quite luxurious by our standards. It did have me worried for a minute though, as Jonny drove down their long driveway past construction materials, workers, half-finished buildings looking like they might SOMEDAY be a resort. All I could think was The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  However, at the end of the driveway was, indeed, a beautiful resort. There are several buildings of cottages, a large lovely dining hall on the lawn, and a reception house. I believe that our building has two apartments on top (we are one of them) and four below. The top two share a great hall/lounge area, (as do the bottom four – a different one, obviously.)  Inside, we have a huge living space, an alcove housing the armoire and coffee area around the corner, and a spacious bathroom. But the best part is a very large veranda, surrounded by overhanging trees, in one of which I yesterday discovered a monkey (langur) staring back at me from eye-level. That settles it – I‘m in heaven!

Our first night, in bed with Rob asleep, I thought I heard a baby crying, and then many – and then I realized I was hearing jackals howling in the night nearby. Then in the morning – when the coffee was made – we heard them again, and sure enough, they were out there is the predawn dark baying their little hearts out. Rushed out onto our balcony but could see nothing. Imagine! I’m hearing JACKALS outside my window. What a RUSH!

Wednesday we went on a jeep safari into the park grounds. There was a chance we would see a tiger – they say the tiger number is 600 strong now. But, we didn’t. We had a driver and a “guide” but the guide actually seemed to know his birds and what to look for where, so we were glad to have him. Because of him, we spotted a Changeable Hawk Eagle calling, at the top of a tree. There were termite mounds aplenty, plus many spotted deer and sambar deer. 

Termite mound

Sarus Cranes

Asian Openbill

BTW, the guide stopped at the gate before our jeep proceeded -- for a bathroom break. He asked us if we needed to use the facilities and we both answered no. Here’s a tip. Say YES. If you take one jeep with minimal suspension, add many severely rutted, dirt tracks, dry, bouldery riverbeds, not-so-dry riverbeds and one old bladder, you are going to get a   V E R Y   L O N G   jeep ride.    

Rob in our jeep

We are in the foothills of the mountains, so the air is thinner and the sun feels deliciously warm. We are happy to have chosen to be here for 5 days.

Today we are taking an elephant to somewhere (great name for a book) and wherever that is, it takes two hours to return. We actually thought we were on the 1 o’clock elephant, but are booked for the 3 o’clock. Stay tuned for that report.

Hansi

December 29, 2014 -- Our Vacation Begins

Jonny arrived exactly at 9:30 so we loaded up the car with 4 suitcases, a computer case, camera bag tripod and my backpack and off we roared.

We had not even left the city when what should appear on the road next to us but the Pink Auto Rickshaw I was hoping to click. Mary Kay Rickshaw.

Mary Kay rickshaw

Though we have been having cold, cold weather with fog mornings and evenings, Monday started right out clear and sunny – and the temperature warmed by degrees until by mid-morning we were hot in the car. The mountains – in the direction we were headed – were visible for a change.  All in all, it was a perfect day to travel.

We stopped for a few bathroom breaks and managed to get some birdwatching in at each place. Not actually IN the bathrooms. The birds seemed to be as happy as we were with the sun and its warmth and were out in force.There  was a kettle of vultures in the air we just couldn’t photograph, but finally got a picture when one landed on a dry river bed,  and landed right next to another one already there that we had not even noticed – The Egyptian Vulture.  Rob will attach photos of the birds we snapped.

Egyptian Vulture

At lunch, we stopped beside a river where Jonny, our eagle-eyed driver, kept pointing out bird after bird.  We saw a beautiful Plumbeous Water Redstart bathing in a shallow spot, and then close by, the White-capped Water Redstart.

Jonny drives for Benipal Tours, so has taken this route many times and thus was able to tell us, “In 15 kilometers, there is a big statue of Shiva” and other points of interest coming up.  Very handy! We were passing truck after overloaded truck full of sugar cane – on their way to a huge sugar mill a few kilometers further along, Jonny explained.

Statue of Shiva

Other statues along the route

We stopped in Dehradun, as planned, late afternoon. Though we had only travelled about 160 km, we didn’t make good time – due to traffic snarls in every little town, winding narrow mountain roads and of course, stops for birdwatching. 

Rob and I decided to walk around a bit before dinner. The gates to our nice hotel were right on the main road through town – Rajpur Road – and this road, like all the little roads in all the little towns, was solid, wall-to-wall teeny tiny shops shoe-horned next to each other, and teeming with activity though well after dark at 8 pm. I took a picture of a very busy, if mini, auto garage, where mechanics were busily at work despite the hour. Put up your hand if you have ever had to stay overnight in a strange town because your car broke down after hours and all the mechanic shops were closed until morning.Well then, this is the country for you! 

Auto Repair Shop working into the night

No photos we have taken can convey the sheer numbers of people here in India though we have tried to show it on the road going through little towns. Yesterday we were caught in a snarl coming up to an intersection of two narrow roads.We literally went NOWHERE for half an hour. Every ten minutes or so, Jonny would restart the ignition and inch up two feet. We could not make any headway  because  bikes, motorbikes, scooters, horses, could all scrape past on either side – constantly filling up any void left when a car or truck cleared that congested intersection.  (For intersection, read “two broken, narrow roads running perpendicular to each other.)

Hansi

December 28, 2014 -- Newspaper

Where else can you get a newspaper article that mentions Beer, Hansi, and cow shelters? (Hansi is a city in Haryana, nearby; Beer is the town I would like to retire to, and cow shelters .  . . well, good luck with that!)

Rob

December 18-25, 2014 -- Christmas in India

I know I have been silent lately.  Making up exams, student exams, marking exams have taken up a fair amount of time in the Tripe household lately. Three visiting Canadian faculty during exam week (overseeing the exams) kept us busy at the school, as well birthday parties, parting faculty parties (I think we are losing three – due to weddings) and of course, the buzz over planning our Christmas party which happened last Wednesday. It doesn’t matter that these are all Sikhs with a smattering of Hindus thrown in. This nation seems to love Christmas as well as the next guy. Santa is a heavy favourite but you can buy Christmas trees from little to biggish in the markets. To the question “Do the kids have Stockings?”  Oh NO!  They don’t know about Stockings. That would be too expensive. They just have Santa.

Below are a couple of photos of the Santas I have seen.  I think maybe Mohali should ditch the Santa idea and stick to Stockings. 

Neighborhood Santa

Return travel plans

My visa was finally extended (a story for another time) so we will be leaving India as planned, on January 31.  Since Rob’s contract ended December 25^th, we are now free to travel around and see some of the India we never got to before.

I think we have the itinerary mapped out – starting this Monday morning, when our favourite driver, Jonny (the bird-watching guru) will drive us to Dehradun on the first day and then on to Jim Corbett Park (please Google it) on Tuesday.

We plan to be there for 5 days over New Years, and then will hire a driver to get us back to Delhi, from where we take a plane to Cochin (now called Kochi).

So we have a bunch of places lined up in South India, but just recently added Madurai because good old Cousin Linny – which, it turns out, is actually good old Uncle Linny – also took pictures of temples there in the 1850s.  We were going to be so close to Madurai while at Periyar National Park that we simply had to make a side-trip.

You will hear about these places as we get there. 

The weather here has been inclemently cold, with fog morning and night (not unusual for December and January) but also lower than normal night temperatures – down to 6 celsius - and lower than normal day temperatures – instead of 20s we have had below 10 degrees for many days.  We look forward to warmer temperatures in Kerala.

Work Christmas Party
The work Christmas party was for staff of CIIS only.  By Wednesday, the students had all gone home.  We met in one of the classrooms for a lunch of channa bhatura, (chick peas in masala gravy with fried roti) salad and gulab jamon – put on by the school.  All of us had brought snacks and cookies for the dessert.

Harpreet, Rob, Hansi

Ishnoor, Harpreet, Rob, Rajhujit, Harpreet's dad

Of course games were planned.  Musical chairs ( again?) and some kind of blindfolded tag were big hits with the revelers.  I am happy to report that I lost my chair almost right away playing the former, and had no intention of running around on a slippery floor blindfolded playing the latter. Everyone had brought a secret Santa gift, so the blindfold came out again when it came time to choose a gift from the table. Everyone had a good time and was happy to start the holiday. Rob and Prabjot engaged in a friendly staring contest. Oh, the merriment!

Harsimran blindfolded

Prabjot and Rob all smiles after the staring contest

Turbans
I love that men’s turbans are fashion statements (much more so than in 2004).  Turbans of every imaginable colour abound, and guys have matching kerchiefs in their breast pocket or matching shirts, or complimentary coloured bands underneath their turban which just peeks through at the widow’s peak of the turban – making a really nice effect.  Anyway, at the party, I made a turban bouquet.  Some of the “flowers” were more willing than others, but Prabjot (in the yellow) thanked me later for the idea.  He said there are 8 males in his family, and they will all be together for Christmas.  So………. I’d like to see THAT bouquet!

I have bought turban fabric to make curtains to match our bedspread (when I get home).  The fellows in the shop helped me find the right shades of each colour – from a vast wall full of every colour of turban fabric bolts.  Sort of “Joseph’s Window Treatment of Many Colours” is the effect I want – to remind me daily of this place.  Wish I had taken a picture of inside that shop.  Might go back!

Barbers
Rob went off to get his hair trimmed (Rs 60 – which is a hair over a dollar – haha) so I followed to get a picture of the teeny tiny little shop.  There were three chairs and three barbers busily at work.  Another option here is the UMT barber. Stands for Under the Mango Tree, and literally is a chair under a tree on a corner (there are MANY such places) with a mirror nailed to the tree. Some barbers have gone all hi-tech and nailed a crude wooden shelf to the tree. These haircuts are more like 10-20 rupees. In fine weather, how could this be beat?  No overhead at all – and when you leave for the day, you turn your chair upside down under the tree and go home. No counting up, sweeping up, or locking up.

Rob at barbers'

Across from the barber "saloon" is the backside (how they say it here) of Domino's Pizza.  As you can see, they have a very impessive number of delivery vehicles and this is only ONE location of many.

Domino's Pizza Fleet

Watch your step!

I took some pictures today of the sidewalk on my way to the barber – just to show you why a person CANNOT walk here without looking his feet.  I have had two serious falls here so far as a result of stuff on the sidewalk or raised concrete on a foot path, but the consequences could be far worse. I had plenty more pix of reasons to watch your feet when walking, but I hate to be a bore!  I know, I know - too late!

On the other hand, walking while looking at your feet can also be dangerous. I nearly ran full face into a metal sign mounted on goalpost-type poles right across the sidewalk. (Who would DESIGN that?)  Since I saw no poles at my feet (they were either side of the walk) I came very close to smashing my face into it.  And today, I almost walked into an oncoming car that didn’t honk (I had headphones on).  So – one must be ever vigilant.

Mystery tree
I found an interesting tree at WIICS head office.  It has odd leaves and big pods with seeds inside like maple keys.  Must search Google to see what it is.  Did - can't find it. HELP?

What tree is this?

Mongoose on the loose

This week at school the halls were quiet and empty as students had gone home for the holidays. All of a sudden there was a loud bang, thud, and yelling so we in my cabin had to rush into the hall to see what the ruckus was all about. Someone shouted, “MONGOOSE!!” just as a poor scared mongoose shot past with two hall monitors in hot pursuit – brandishing sticks. The mongoose shot up to the third floor and so did the vigilantes, then the mongoose u-turned and rocketed past again in the other direction – with the men in tow, and me bleating at the hem: “Don’t hit him!  Don’t kill him!  He is beneficial!!” throughout this ludicrous chase, as they all disappeared down another flight. This was the stuff of Fairy Tales. I am soooooo lucky. By the way, no mongeese were injured in this Fairy Tale. It was cornered downstairs by the water cooler, at which point the backdoor was opened so it could make its escape. 

Hansi