Unusual Vacation Part-2
We haven’t seen each other in a long time. I recall discussing my Unusual Vacation in Masinagudi. The first day in this dense jungle was incredible, but the question of “What was on that tree the other night?” keeps popping into my head, only to be soothed by thoughts of the next day in this lush jungle.
We were exhausted after returning from the Safari at around 10:30 p.m. and needed a good night’s sleep to recharge our batteries for the next day. As I lay in my bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about what we had seen on the safari, and I desperately wanted an answer to the question, but I tricked my mind and fell asleep.
Oh Gosh! I had to get up at 5 a.m. because my sleep had been disturbed by the need to pee (that’s the worst feeling, isn’t it?) So I stood up to pee, and as I walked to the toilet, I discovered some moving animals through the frosted glass. I slowly opened the door of my cottage to peer outside, and to my surprise, there was a herd of small deer running around, unafraid of anything. This was the moment I realized how cruel we humans had been to these creatures for the sake of our own greed. I felt refreshed after witnessing this, and I began to wake up everyone (P.S. We had to go for a morning walk I wasn’t being cruel).
Our guide briefed us on what to expect on a walking safari. We listened intently because following safety instructions is critical when you’re in the jungle. The incidents of animals attacking heightened our excitement because we knew that there was always danger in the wild, even though the guides ensured that safety protocols were followed. The sounds of the jungle completely enveloped us as we moved forward. It was as if we had returned to the womb of creation. We were aware that dangerous animals lurked nearby, but we had never felt more secure. We could hear a breaking twig beneath our feet, a rustle in the bushes as some unknown reptile slithered away, the chatter of monkeys and the shrill notes of strange birds high up in the air as we walked in silence. Walking through the jungle and admiring the beauty of the cloud-covered Nilgiris brought us closer to nature, connecting us deeper to our own primordial selves.
After an amazing walk, we returned to our cottage, ate breakfast, relaxed for a while, and then left for a picnic along the river. We left in two groups, with my younger brother and I accompanying my grandparents and aunt. The rest of them took their time arriving because they were being harassed by some mischievous monkeys who had managed to steal some pieces of clothing that were hanging out to dry. We had reached the spot, so I and my brother went exploring in the jungle with the guide, as we were young and agile enough to escape if something chased us. While walking with the guide and listening to some of the amazing anecdotes about the jungle, we heard the squeal of an elephant bathing under the waterfall. We were mesmerized by the sight of it and I was forced to capture it.
Apparently something had happened, as the elephant surged towards us. “Jaldi Bhago! (Run Fast!)”, yelled the guide. It’s time to get out of dodge! because it was a matter of life and death, I hurried through the fields and turned back to see how fast I had been, but to my surprise the elephant was quite fast and I had to speed up to keep from being crushed. In our haste, we sped up the slope, we rushed uphill, and the elephant diverted to the downhill where a farmer was grazing his cattle; they were now being chased by the enraged elephant, but the elephant stopped, grappled a coconut tree with its trunk, and uprooted it. This was a terrifying scene because it could have been me if it hadn’t been diverted.
All of us rushed back to our Gypsy and headed back to the cottages because there was a chance that we would have been a lunch that day instead of having it. After the incident, we didn’t leave our cottage until the Barbecue Dinner, and the rest of the night I along with my grandfather just like every other cricket fan, watched the thrilling IPL Finals between KKR and CSK on a small CRT TV inside the guides cabin and with KKR winning, this vacation couldn’t have ended any better.
This was my unusual vacation story, Do share your thoughts and stories in the comment section and if it was engaging do share it with your friends and family, sharing is much easier with the social media buttons below.
Until Next Time!
