Chitwan National Park

Okay.... this was an amazing weekend. So amazing, I'm not even sure where to begin....

It started of Thursday night with me and a few other volunteers heading into Kathmandu. We just relaxed in town that evening, hanging out at the hotel.

Friday morning, we got up at 6:00am and hopped on a bus towards Chitwan. It's a six hour drive if you go all the way, but we only went three hours. At this point, we got out of the bus and hopped into a raft. My first even white water rafting experience included a two minute instructional pep talk that I didn't understand and then being thrown into a stage 4 rapid (stage 5 is the highest).... due to it being monsoon season here, the water levels were really high and thus the river was rough. Fortunately nobody was thrown out of the raft (although we did come close a few times) but to say the least, it was rather exhilarating. After three hours on the river, we got out and bussed down to the lodge. It was then the late afternoon and we just relaxed around the lodge for the rest of the evening, enjoying the ridiculous heat that occurs south of Kathmandu.

On Saturday morning, we got up early once more and elephants picked us up at the lodge. Four people were place in a little box on top of each elephant and we went trekking through the Chitwan National Park. Unfortunately we didn't see the Rhinos that are native to those parts, but we did see some dear. Later after lunch that day an elephant and his trainer were washing in the river and for 100 rupees ($1.50 CDN) each, we were allowed to ride on the back of it in the water. When it came time for me to go on, I got to see at the front and hold onto the reigns while the trainer and another volunteer were sitting behind me. I suppose the elephant had had enough of this at this point and decided to go crazy.... he managed to throw the trainer and the other volunteer off his back and with me on his back by myself, he decided to go out into the middle of the river and dive under the water. Somehow I managed to hold on and was still there in my position when he resurfaced.... I pulled the trainer up and we made it back to the shore. After that we went on a canoe ride down that river and saw Crocodiles and Monkeys, but again.... no Rhino. We capped off a busy day by seeing a cultural show where local Nepali boys danced to the Hindu gots with a very intense beat and at times fire!!!! This day was long and tiring.... but a heck of a day it was.

Sunday we got up and headed back to Kathmandu. A six hour journey non stop left us all too tired to head back to Banepa, so once again we partied in Kathmandu. Three clubs led to a very entertaining evening with the other volunteers.

This morning we just hopped on a bus back to Banepa and that is where I am now.... writing in my blog, contemplating life as it unfolds infront of me every minute that I am here.