The morning was very chilled again. I am enjoying not packing my stuff up each morning and getting ready. It is lovely to know I will be here for a few days. Johnie has made us both extremely welcome. He cooked us a lovely breakfast.
In the afternoon we went to the Temple on the hill about 2 miles from Johnie's house. The views are amazing. I love the scenary around here. There are so many trees and mountains - perfect environment for me. The mountains are starting to call to me - suggesting that I climb them. Unfortunately I can't do that round here because it is unsafe. There are many wild animals - the most dangerous of which are the Elephants. About 2 years ago a lady was killed when out for a strole only meters from the resort just down the road. A wild elephant just turned on her and hit her with its trunk and she died.
After the temple we went to see the working elephants down the road in Theppakadu. Indians have historically trainned elephants to help with various activities and the process carries on to this day. A baby elephant will be assigned a young male trainner and the bond between them grows as both parties age. They stay together for life. The trainer/owner of an elephant is called a mahoet.
The signs in the National Park are fantastically funny. Johnie says that there are very clever animals in India because they have learnt how to write - but only in capitals, not progressed to joined up.
I did not like being surrounded by other tourists! They were proper tourists rather than "travelers" as well!!! An entirely different breed.... Johnie's is very un-touristy even though we are staying in an area surrounded by high end resorts.
There are loads of monkeys which are not afraid of people at all and just sit by the side of the road posing for photos :-)
We went down to the river to see the elephants being bathed and then to see the elephants being feed. It costs a small amount to get into the elephant center to watch this. All of the elephants are fed at the same time (6ish). The keepers all work together to make a massive meal for each elephant which they roll into a big ball.
Once all the other tourists had disappeared the fun really started. Johnie knows the local people and manged to bribe some staff so that we could go and say hello to the baby elephants. We met a teenager first. She was lovely and wanted to put her trunk on our noses. However, I really, really, really enjoyed playing with and stroking the baby elephant. She was incredibly playful and just wanted to say hello and attack my shawl with her trunk as well as nussle my ear with her trunk. I wanted to take her with me but I am not sure that she would fit into the bag on top of my back pannier rack..... She turned me into a giggling little girl (much to the amusment of Johnie and Miranda).
We went to Masinagudi on the way home and did some shopping. Bought lots of lovely chocolate :-)
In the afternoon we went to the Temple on the hill about 2 miles from Johnie's house. The views are amazing. I love the scenary around here. There are so many trees and mountains - perfect environment for me. The mountains are starting to call to me - suggesting that I climb them. Unfortunately I can't do that round here because it is unsafe. There are many wild animals - the most dangerous of which are the Elephants. About 2 years ago a lady was killed when out for a strole only meters from the resort just down the road. A wild elephant just turned on her and hit her with its trunk and she died.
After the temple we went to see the working elephants down the road in Theppakadu. Indians have historically trainned elephants to help with various activities and the process carries on to this day. A baby elephant will be assigned a young male trainner and the bond between them grows as both parties age. They stay together for life. The trainer/owner of an elephant is called a mahoet.
The signs in the National Park are fantastically funny. Johnie says that there are very clever animals in India because they have learnt how to write - but only in capitals, not progressed to joined up.I did not like being surrounded by other tourists! They were proper tourists rather than "travelers" as well!!! An entirely different breed.... Johnie's is very un-touristy even though we are staying in an area surrounded by high end resorts.
There are loads of monkeys which are not afraid of people at all and just sit by the side of the road posing for photos :-)
We went down to the river to see the elephants being bathed and then to see the elephants being feed. It costs a small amount to get into the elephant center to watch this. All of the elephants are fed at the same time (6ish). The keepers all work together to make a massive meal for each elephant which they roll into a big ball.
Once all the other tourists had disappeared the fun really started. Johnie knows the local people and manged to bribe some staff so that we could go and say hello to the baby elephants. We met a teenager first. She was lovely and wanted to put her trunk on our noses. However, I really, really, really enjoyed playing with and stroking the baby elephant. She was incredibly playful and just wanted to say hello and attack my shawl with her trunk as well as nussle my ear with her trunk. I wanted to take her with me but I am not sure that she would fit into the bag on top of my back pannier rack..... She turned me into a giggling little girl (much to the amusment of Johnie and Miranda).We went to Masinagudi on the way home and did some shopping. Bought lots of lovely chocolate :-)
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