Hi, my name is Danny Catt and I am a wildlife ecologist, educator and photographer with a passion for travel and nature conservation. I invite you to join me from March to June 2012, for an educational journey through Asia as I explore and learn about the wildlife, people and ecosystems of one the most culturally rich (and heavily populated) regions of the world. Through our learning perhaps we will all be inspired to do things to make the planet we live on a better place.
Cho Oyu (8201m or 26,906 ft asl) from the Friendship Highway in Tibet
I was up most of the night … partly due to the cold … and partly due to the altitude! Nyalam in Tibet is ‘only’ about 3800 metres above sea level but that’s still pretty high (12,500 feet). Altitude sickness can affect anyone regardless of their fitness level. The key to avoid it … is to move to higher altitudes gradually – like what you do when you trek (walk) in high mountain ranges like the Himalayas where day by day you move up a bit & down a bit.
One of the dangers of doing an overland journey from Nepal to Lhasa is that you must cross a number of 5000+ metre passes (the highest is 5,260m or 17,250 feet asl) and you stay at about 400 metres asl for much of the journey. To put these altitudes into perspective 5620m (or 17,250 feet) is 2000 feet higher than the tallest mountain in British Columbia (and for my friends to the south, that is about 3000 feet higher than Mount Ranier in Washington and Mount Shasta in California).
Tibetan prayer flags at the summit of our first 5000m + pass
And because we are driving … going up in altitude very rapidly … I was certainly feeling it! I can remember suffering from altitude sickness (minor) on two occasions… once in Europe at Zermatt in Switzerland and the other in the mountains of Peru – on both occasions I went up too fast and was fine once I went down in elevation.
Despite the shortness of breath, minor headache and general ‘feeling crummy’ I was doing okay and was stunned by the scenery. For much of one day we were able to view many 8000+ metre peaks including Makalu, Cho Oyu and the grand-daddy of them all … Mount Everest!
Each high pass was decorated with Tibetan prayer flags (of 5 main colours) that say a prayer with each gust of wind. What a treat to see again (I remember seeing them when trekking in the Annapurna and Everest regions on the Nepal side of the border years ago).
Vehicle access also has other impacts … one of which has to do with ‘visitor experience’. There was a recent article in a Kathmandu newspaper about the reaction of locals vs international travelers to the construction of a road in a traditional trekking area. The locals were excited to finally have road access to their villages … whereas the reaction from some international trekkers was that the roadway detracted from their ‘tourist experience’. They wanted the ‘traditional Nepal trekking experience’ and did not like having vehicles passing them as they walked the mountain trails. I can understand viewpoints on both sides of the coin.
At the moment my bladder is full of what feels like 5 litres of jasmine tea. I am not actually a huge fan of jasmine tea but it was the only warm fluid on offer here in Nyalam an hour or two inside the Tibetan border. Nyalam is at about 3800 metres (or 12,500 feet) above sea level so things are a bit on the chilly side.
My day started at the crack of dawn… 4:45 to be exact when I arose from my short but deep slumber in my guest house in Kathmandu, Nepal. I was doing some final organizing when I heard a tap tap on my door … it was Pema Nima and his son there to be sure I was up and ready to go. Pema is like a guardian angel... always by my side to ensure I don’t get cheated or to offer to carry a bag or to explain something about Nepal as we walked the streets of the city.
When you travel as much as I do, I become cautious and I am always on my guard. There are bad people everywhere in the world but there are also wonderful people. Pema Nima Sherpa is one of the most honest and thoughtful people I have ever met. When I arrived at the Kathmandu airport Pema draped a white silk scarf (a Kata) around my shoulders in a Buddhist sign of respect and this morning his son draped another to wish me a safe and peaceful journey.
I am now wrapped with 4 layers of blankets (and two Buddhist white silk scarves) in my tiny guest house. There was snow mixed with rain about 30 minutes ago and now it is just darn cold. I am the only foreigner here tonight and I spent my evening hanging with the locals downstairs. It is so very interesting to see the transition from traditional to modern … and the mix of Tibetan and Chinese culture … but I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at 5:30am when we departed Nepal’s capital Kathmandu for the border with the Tibet Autonomous Region a mere 111 km away.
My first meal in Tibet - Noodles!
When I first visited Pema Nima’s homeland it was called the Kingdom of Nepal, but today it is the Republic of Nepal. This is because the King was ousted by the Communist Maoist party and for much of the past 15 years Nepal has internal conflict between the Maoist and Nepalese armies. Today though things are relatively stable and foreign visitors can walk freely around the city but I was shocked at the number of police checkpoints we had to go through to get to the Tibet border.
I started counting after the third and I think in total we went through 7 checkpoints. Some we were waived through…. others my bag was checked… and another they wanted to see my passport. I made it through without a problem though and a few hours later arrived at the Friendship Bridge… the conection from Nepal to Tibet … and my goodness what a difference 100 metres makes!
Kodari on the Nepal side of the Friendship Bridge
Pema Nima joined me all the way to the red line half way across the bridge but could go no further. Only my guide and I were permitted to pass the Chinese soldiers and continue on to the border checkpoint. It took awhile to coordinate my transfer from the Nepalese guide to the Tibetan guide but it worked out fine and soon we were through customs. I was a bit worried about all the camera equipment I was carrying but they did not seem to be worried about that at all … they were more interested in whether I had any books or any CDs or DVDs. I showed them my Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (they were not all that interested) and also my Lonely Planet guides to Thailand and Malaysia…but what they were really looking for was a Lonely Planet guide to Tibet, which is apparently illegal to bring into the country.
As soon as I was out of the customs area I felt different. I was in China. There were police and soldiers here there and everywhere. They did not question or bother me but … they were there! And … the script on the signs turned from Nepalese to Chinese characters. The music on the radio was Chinese and the smells coming from the small restaurants were … Chinese.
As mentioned at the start of this grand
adventure ... I have invited musicians to contribute to Catt-Trax 3. You have
heard Omar Gonzalez... and the next musical contribution is from my dear friend
Julie Pelletier. Julie and I worked together in Kootenay National Park many
moons ago ... before she went on to do her musical studies at UBC which
culminated with her PhD in Piano Performance at Stony Brook in New York. Enjoy
:)
I have also invited writers and artists to contribute
... and I am so honoured to have a contribution from Kathleen Winter ... one of
Canada's foremost authors. Last year Kathleen's novel 'Annabel' was nominated
for three of Canada's highest literary awards and she was shortlisted for the
2011 Orange Prize for Fiction. Enjoy Kathleen's words and voice :)
Photojournalist Allison Kwesell, a Rotary Peace Fellow studying in Japan
and documenting the Polio Plus National Immunization Day in India,
discusses how photography can contribute to a better world.
What an Amazing Day! When I first visited India almost 25 years ago the Polio Plus Campaign, spearheaded by Rotary International, was in its infancy. It was that very year, 1988, that the World Health Assembly resolved to eradicate polio from the world. Rotary International partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and other groups to make it happen.
Polio is a highly infectious disease that primarily affects children under the age of five and can cause paralysis within hours. Many of us have family and friends who have been affected by the disease.
I was invited to participate in a rally for the National Immunization Day in India. School children, teachers and Rotarians from as far away as Japan and Australia joined their Indian counterparts in the event.
I attended with both still and TV camera in tow as I was able to collaborate with one of my BCIT colleagues, Julie Nolin, who is teaching this term at the World Media Academy in Delhi. One of her top students, Kamal Pariyar (a journalism student from Nepal) came along to document the event as a real world news example.
I was blown away by the energy (and smiles) of all participants. Kids were blowing whistles and chanting 'one, two three, polio free'! While steel drums were being thumped by very enthusiastic stick wielding drummers!
The highlight came when I was given the opportunity to immunize a few children with the polio vaccine. I was literally shaking (and to be perfectly honest I almost unable to muster the strength) as I squeezed out the two drops of liquid happiness that would ensure the kids grew up polio free. I was genuinely affected (in a very positive way)!
For those of you who are not familiar with Rotarians and Rotary International, Rotary International is a voluntary organization comprising 1.2 million members in about 30,000 clubs in over 200 countries. Rotarians are men and women committed to improving the lives of others – service above self – through humanitarian service & programs like Polio Plus.
To date Rotary has raised and contributed over 1 billion (yes BILLION) dollars to the eradication of polio on the planet with 143 million coming from Indian Rotarians alone.
And it has worked! In a country that historically had thousands of cases of polio each year India has not had a wild polio virus case in over a year. So far this year, there are only 40 cases of polio worldwide! The countries where polio cases are still being reported are Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. As the posters say "we are this close" to eradicating the disease forever.
Margaret Mead once wrote, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has’.
To me the Polio Plus Program is one of the best examples out there of how committed citizens can make a huge positive influence in the world.
As I watched the Rotarians and their partners prepare for the monumental effort of the 2012 National Immunization Day the famous words of Mahatma Gandhi came to mind. ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’. Rotarians around the world are doing just that.
On April 15, 2012 approximately 169 million children were immunized against polio in India.
SGang Gwaay (Ninstints), the ancient Haida village on the coast of British Columbia in Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlotte Islands) and L’Anse aux Meadows at the northern tip of Newfoundland where Norse settlers first landed in North America over 1000 years ago – these are examples of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada.
World Heritage Sites are natural and cultural sites of global significance designated by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Other examples include the Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China as well as national parks such as Yellowstone in the US and the Mountain Parks of BC and Alberta.
India too has its share of World Heritage Sites. Probably its most famous is the Taj Mahal but there are many more including the Agra Fort, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station (formerly Victoria Terminus) in Mumbai and the most recent addition to the list for India, the Jantar Mantar in Jaipur.
I spent a couple of hours at the Jantar Mantar, which is where you can see the astronomical observatories built in India during the early 1700's by Sawaii Jai Singh. Jantar mantar means literally 'calculation instrument'. The observatory in Jaipur consists of odd shaped devices of varying sizes used in ancient times for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars' location as the earth orbits around the sun and ascertaining the declinations of planets (amongst other things). They are amazing and still surprisingly accurate.
It amazes me how much ancient cultures (and more recent too) understood about the sun and the stars, the constellations and the movement of the planets. Indian culture (and many others) are strongly influenced by the heavenly bodies that adorn our night sky – they influence the dates of special events (such as weddings) and some would say, life itself. If you find this surprising remember that the sun and moon have huge effects on the movement of the oceans through the tides…so why not us too?
In Agra I visited a couple of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I got up early on my first morning in the city to see the morning sun on the Taj Mahal and on the next I was up to stroll around the Agra Fort pretty much on my own (at least for the first half hour).The Taj Malal, often thought as a temple, is in fact the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of the great mogul emperor Shah Jahan.
The Agra Fort is where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb when he took over as emperor. Shah Jahan lived out his days in the Fort which allowed him a view of the Taj, and of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.
After my amazing wildlife experiences in Ranthambhore, I made my way towards Agra with a short stop in one of India's most famous bird sanctuaries, Keoladeo National Park.
The first time I went out in search of Tigers was in Jim Corbett National Park (near Delhi, India) almost 25 years ago. I remember the day very well. It was a cold winter (February) morning and there was a smoky mist in the air. We rode elephants to explore the park and spent a magical morning loping along listening, watching and hoping for a glimpse of the largest of the world’s ‘Big Cats’. Two elephants went out at dawn but only one of the elephants (or the people on one of the elephants) saw a Tiger that day… and I was not one of the lucky ones.
I tried again about ten years later, when my brother Gary and I joined our Nepalese friend, Pema Nima Sherpa, for a trip to Royal Chitwan National Park in the Kingdom of Nepal… but again, luck was not on our side and we left still not having seen a Tiger.
Tigers are found in about a dozen Asian countries, with approximately half of the world population in India. This is in part due to the efforts of Project Tiger, a government program launched in 1973. Project Tiger created Tiger reserves across the country (there are now 27 in India) and put in place habitat restoration projects which have resulted in increased Tiger numbers. Yet threats including habitat fragmentation, human-tiger conflict and poaching of both Tigers and their prey, continue to put pressure on Tiger populations throughout Asia.
My original Tiger searching plan was to hop a train from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur (the jumping off point for safaris in Ranthambhore National Park) but due to some Indian influence (and an opportunity that presented itself) I ended up delaying my journey and taking the time to give a presentation to students at the ARCH Academy of Design in Jaipur and at the end of the day joined Dr. Mahendra Singh Kachhawa for a late evening (and at times harrowing) drive from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur. It is amazing how connections work (particularly in India) and after arriving in Sawai Madhopur I soon found myself with Dr. Kachhawa and an upper level National Park Ranger, heading out at 11:30 pm for a night safari on the border of Ranthambhore!
Dr. Mahendra Singh Kachhawa, a highly regarded Indian lawyer, is well known in India as a wildlife expert but more so as a Special Public Prosecutor who has dedicated his life to wildlife conservation. As he explained to me, one of the key challenges wildlife faces in India is illegal harvesting and although poachers are sometimes caught, the real challenge is making the charges stick in court. Dr. Kachhawa has been successful in putting high profile poachers (including a famous Indian Bollywood Actor) behind bars for illegally hunting Indian wildlife.
I remember being in China and Macau just fifteen years ago and at that time if you visited any of dozens of apothecaries you could easily find products made from wildlife parts including boxes of tea made from the gall bladders of Asiatic Black Bears and also Tiger bone plasters (Band-Aids). The body of a Tiger is worth thousands of dollars on the black market – the fur, claws, bones – all are sold and used.
It was full moon when we set out … and I have to say it was an absolutely surreal experience. I was excited both at the prospect of seeing a Tiger for the first time and because I was doing something I had never even dreamed of… exploring a Tiger Reserve by moonlight with two outstanding Tiger experts.
Ranthambhore was originally established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Government of India, and was then declared one of the Project Tiger reserves in 1973. Ranthambhore became a national park in 1980 (the year I graduated from high school!).
We stopped for our evening meal (at midnight) which was basically a home cooked Indian feast. I love Indian food (although my stomach does not seem to like it quite as much as it used to) and to dine under moonlight with the sounds of India and the wildlife of Ranthambhore around me … is impossible to adequately describe in words.
We bounced our way up hills (some incredibly steep) and back down the other side and caught deer and Nilgai in our headlights but not a Tiger in sight. Unfortunately our Gypsy (aka Jeep) had one minor fault – likely due to old age I would imagine – in that the horn would randomly start honking (or perhaps it was just the habit of the driver to beep every now and then)! We ended our night safari at about 2:30am and Dr. Kachhawa headed back to Jaipur while I found my hotel and an inviting bed in the town.
I slept in the next morning but booked myself for an afternoon safari coordinated by my hotel – the Tiger Safari Lodge.
My Tiger viewing experience in Ranthambhore was very different from the Lion viewing in Sasan Gir National Park. The number of visitors is way higher in Ranthambhore (in part due to its ease of access from the larger centres of Jaipur and Agra) and from the looks of it, the whole process is a bit of a nightmare to manage. It all seems to work though – sort of. It is obvious Tiger viewing is big business … the hotels, restaurants, travel operators, the National Park, everyone is getting a piece of the pie.
Ranthambhore National Park is divided up into zones – and the 5 zones are the focus of twice daily Tiger safaris. I did 3 safaris in total over the three days I was in Ranthambhore and visited zones 2, 4 and 5.
In Sasan Gir National Park tourists also visit the park by zone but there are far fewer vehicles and all safaris are done in the smaller Gypsys (jeeps) which take but six passengers. There are no canters (the 15 passenger vehicles buzzing everywhere in Ranthambhore) in Sasan Gir. I tried to book a Gypsy (you can move through the park more freely) but I was visiting Ranthambhore on the Easter long weekend so I was relegated to the cheap seats. Luckily though the Tiger Safari Lodge where I was staying was early in the hotel pick up route so I typically had a choice of seats in the canter.
Ranthambhore Tiger viewing is also different from Lion viewing in Sasan Gir in that in Ranthambhore the drivers and guide don’t dilly dally to see deer and birds at the start … they simply go to the areas that the Tigers are known to be … or where they hope they will be. The ‘other’ wildlife viewing can be done on the way back!
I did my first safari in the afternoon on my first full day in the park. It was HOT and I was in a canter with 15 other Tiger viewing hopefuls but to be honest I felt there was little chance of seeing anything. So I just accepted the fact and focused on enjoying the birds, deer and other wildlife. Tiger or no Tiger it was still amazing!
We bounced along at fairly high speed and after some twists and turns and up-hills and down-hills we ended up stopping where about 5 or 6 other safari vehicles were parked. Then we waited. I was thinking to myself that this was an odd way to search for wildlife and in fact thought it was futile. But to my great surprise … there came some excited chatter amongst the guides and then a yell, ‘Tiger’! And then the chaos hit… vehicles started their engines … all of them wanting to put their clients in the best position to view the Tiger. Canters and Gypsys were moving to and fro, drivers trying to better their rivals (not much different than on the streets of Bombay I figure).
We were in the zone of Machli, one of India’s most famous Tigresses. And, there she was! It was like being in a stock car race… everyone jockeying for position … and I have to tip my hat to our driver, as he anticipated her movements and just minutes later, she pawed her way past a Gypsy and started walking, ever so gracefully, directly toward me. I didn’t know whether to watch, click my SLR or try and get video. I tried all three and as luck would have it, I messed up the video (turned the camera off rather than on) but was sure to snap some still images as best I could. She walked within about 5 metres of me and as she was about to pass she turned her head and looked me straight in the eye. It was one of those once in a lifetime magical moments … and one that I will never forget.
What is the future for the Tigers of Ranthambhore, the Tigers of India and the Tigers of Asia in general? Their future is not rosy I hate to admit. There are approximately one million times more people in India than there are Tigers (1.2 billion people and 1200 or so Tigers). It is people that cause habitat fragmentation. It is people who poach wildlife – both Tigers and their prey. It is people who will decide the future of the Tiger, and to be honest, I am not optimistic.
On the morning I was to fly to Mumbai to catch my train to Jaipur… I got up before sunrise to visit a fishing village not far from Diu. Ashok and I arrived just after sunrise and there was a hive of activity as fishing boats unloaded their fish and laid them out on the ground (or dumped them) for buyers to peruse and hopefully buy. Prawns, tuna, reef fish and other unknown species were all available. The abundance and diversity of fish at the market though is much reduced from what is typically there.
I loved the colours of the saris and hustle and bustle of the port. And... everything and everyone was so photogenic. Some of the people smiled at me others pretended to take no notice.
I asked the guest house owner about fish (and fishing) in and around Diu and he explained that the number of fish being caught has dropped significantly and prices have soared for what is available. Reasons outlined for the lack of available fish include over-harvesting and pollution (as well as political corruption providing fishing contracts). Apparently the situation is so bad that the Indian government has put a moratorium on fish harvesting in the region (I was not able to verify this with any other source, but I don’t doubt it).
There was obviously some fishing going on off the coast of Gujarat though as there were lots of fishing boats at Vanakbara and a range of fish and shellfish were available for purchase.
I wish I could have spent more time watching and photographing the goings on but time was tight and I had to rush back to town and head to the airport. Next stop Jaipur!
When I think of iconic rare or endangered species those that come to mind immediately include Giant Panda, Mountain Gorilla and the Tiger… yet the species I was seeking out in the Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is rarer than them all – the Asiatic Lion.
The Lion (Panthera leo) is a species that at one time ranged across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and beyond yet is now restricted to suitable habitats in Africa (home of the African Lion) and one remnant Asian population in the Gir Forest of Gujarat, India.
There is ongoing debate about whether we should be putting the time, effort and money (the ‘we’ being the conservation community) into trying to save a species that is on the verge of extinction. There are only 400 Asiatic Lions left in total – on Earth. Would that time, money and effort be better used elsewhere? A recent article in Conservation Biology (a well reputed scientific journal) discusses the issue.
I have not come up with my own opinion on the matter as of yet, but I am certainly keen to learn as much as I can on the topic (and see what animals I can while here in Asia). So, just an hour or two after arriving in the village of Sasan Gir, I found myself in an open air jeep with a driver and guide bouncing my way through the forests of the wildlife sanctuary in search of Lions and whatever else I could find. I was not able to find anyone to share the cost of the safari so it was a tad on the pricey side… but not to worry... we work to live ... we don't live to work. You need to find a vehicle, a driver and a guide and also pay for any camera you have over 7.1 megapixels (that is considered a professional camera) … which brings the cost to about 4000 rupees.
It was HOT … but the wildlife is used to it and I got great views of Spotted Deer, Sambar, Nilgai and a great assortment of colourful birds (India has over 1000 bird species, and in Sasan Gir you can see a few hundred of these). If you want to see more photos of the birds and mammals of Western India click on www.facebook.com/CattTrax
Near the end of the three hour safari I was able to catch glimpses of a small group of resting Lions. Although they look very much like the Lions I have seen and photographed in Africa, these are slightly different. The males have less of the bushy mane and in terms of behavior the Asiatic Lion is exclusively predatory which is a bit different from its African cousin which will also feast on carrion if available.
My Asiatic Lion experience was quite different than that described by a friend, Bill Schmalz, a fabulous Canadian photographer (cinematographer) who was in Sasan Gir on the 70s at a time when they would feed the Lions for the tourists so they could get "feasting photos". Bill described to me how he almost became lunch himself when filming in the park (he was stalked by a lion) and if it were not for one of the local guides he may have been a goner. Bill’s photography of the Lions in the 70s was used by National Geographic.
There are now 400 Asiatic Lions but the population was at one time much smaller. Panthera leo persica was heavily hunted in the 1700s and early 1800s which resulted in the near extinction of the species (or sub-species) reaching a low of about a dozen individuals in the 1870s. The Nawab of Junagadh set up a protection zone that is today the Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. The Asiatic Lions have been separated from their African cousins for centuries which has allowed the time for them to develop their differences (as described above).
In Sasan Gir, the Lions eat primarily Spotted Deer (Chital) and Sambar as well as Wild Boar, Nilgai (Bluebuck) and the cattle and buffalo of the resident indigenous inhabitants of the region, the Maaldhan.
What is the future of the Asiatic Lion? Hard to say.
Admittedly I am perhaps overly cautious to the level of being very mistrustful when dealing with taxi, rickshaw or tuktuk drivers … anywhere in Asia (and other parts of the world for that matter). But sometimes you simply meet someone so generously honest and friendly that it makes me reconsider being so dubious.
The two week journey from Hong Kong to Mumbai was great … I had opportunities to meet fabulous people from around the globe (including across Canada) and I have to thank Holland America for allowing me to share my passion for photography, natural history and big picture global issues through my series of lectures delivered to the thousand or so passengers on the MS Amsterdam.
That said, I was particularly excited to disembark in Bombay (Mumbai) and kick off the second phase of my journey through Asia. I spent my first evening with members of the Rotary Club of Thana West (one of many Rotary Clubs in Bombay) attending their weekly meeting and presenting “A Rotary Scholar 25 Years Later” which is an overview of my career since benefiting from two educational opportunities provided by the Rotary Foundation in the late 80s and early 90s. The first was an exchange to northern India (Group Study Exchange) in 1988 followed by a scholarship year in Africa a couple of years later where I studied at the College of African Wildlife Management in Tanzania.
The next morning I was up at the crack of dawn (3:45am) in order to make my flight to Diu on the southern coast of the state of Gujarat. Upon arriving in Diu, my objective was to immediately head to Sasan Gir village, 110 km away, the jumping off point for the Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park… the only place in the world one can still see Asiatic Lions.
The Diu airport is small… to say the least … and I was a bit worried that I may not be able to find transport but I grabbed my bag and headed out to see what I could find. There was no tourist info, no taxi stand … but there were a few tuktuk drivers lined up outside the airport gate. As soon as I stepped outside the gate I heard, ‘where are you going sir?” … to which I replied ‘Sasan Gir … where can I find a bus or taxi to Sasan Gir?”. They drivers looked at each other and then explained to me that there was a bus from town… and that it would be 2000 rupees by taxi … but one of them offered to take me by tuktuk for 1500! I pondered my options (noting that if I agreed that would be like taking a tuktuk from Vancouver to Hope - more or less) tried to talk him down to 1000 rupees but to no avail… and decided to throw caution to the wind and agreed to give it a whirl. The adventure was about to begin!
We stuffed in my luggage, stopped to fill up with fuel at the local petrol station and headed out. It was a scorching hot day but the tuktuk was covered (and I was wearing way too much clothing!) but there was a cool breeze as we puttered along.
Ashhok, the tuktuk driver, was good as gold and took great care of me en route. He quickly figured out I was keen to observe and photograph birds and scenes along the way so he offered to stop whenever I liked – ‘No Problem’. I just love looking out and seeing the people and landscapes pass by. I was able to lean out the side of the tuktuk and also take some photos through the front window as we slowly buzzed our way north.
I saw some camels in the field adjacent to the road and was snapping some photos which he saw in his rear view mirror … so he asked, ‘do you want to go see them?’. I said sure and out we went to meet some of the local nomad camel and sheep herders.
There are a number of nomadic communities in Gujarat some moving with their cows and others with sheep, buffalo or goats. This particular group had a herd of sheep as well as a dozen or so camels. Ashok did the introductions and not long after we were invited to sip on camel milk tea (which was fabulous) and I was sent off with a bottle full of camel milk to use as I saw fit. A fabulous experience.
It ended up taking us 5 hours to get to Sasan Gir (we stopped for tea a couple of times … as well as a short visit to a gorgeous waterfall a couple of km off the route (no extra charge). Once we arrived in the village Ashok drove me around to a number of hotels to find the best option available. If you are ever in Diu, India, Askok is your man!
If you want to see more photos from the TukTuk drive from Diu to Sasan Gir, please check out the Facebook page: www.facebook,.com/CattTrax
I had a wonderful evening with members of the Rotary Club of Thane, West in Mumbai when I was able to present to the club at their evening meeting. Many thanks to all of the club members for making me feel so welcome and allowing me to share my experiences and thoughts on the future.
For those of you who don't know, Rotary International is a service organization of business and
professional leaders that provides humanitarian service and encourages
high ethical standards in all vocations. There are over 1.2 million Rotarians in over 34,000 clubs around the world and India has thousands of members across the country. The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a nonprofit corporation
that promotes world understanding through humanitarian service and
educational and cultural exchanges. The Rotary Foundation provided me with opportunities to do a study visit to India when I was in my 20s and then to study in Africa at the College of African Wildlife Management as a Rotary
Ambassadorial Scholar.
I have
learned so much through my international travels and it was a pleasure
to be able to share my learning and experiences with people who are committed to making
the world a better place.The Rotary Club of Thane, West has been working on water and education projects in Mumbai for many years.
For additional photos of my 'day in Bombay' go to my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CattTrax).
