17-Aug-2002

Saturday

We were scheduled to take the elephant ride, and reached the place around 8 AM. While we were waiting, Jainy and myself walked to the river nearby to see the elephants bathing on the other side of the bank. There was a small baby elephant refusing to come out of the river inspite of its mahouts persistence. The elephant which we assumed was to take us soon came out of the water, and then started climbing up the steep slope. It was incredible to see such agility in such a huge animal. It climbed with ease... slowly and carefully. Then a baby elephant was brought and it slowly started climbing down the slope... spreading its feet wide apart at some points. It first tested the water with its trunk and slowly got in to enjoy a good scrubbing from its mahout.

It was around  8:45 when we finally left on our massive tusker which padded slowly and silently into the forest. The mahout controlled it by constantly prodding behind its hears with his feet. We saw a herd of deer, probably the same herd, which included some stags with elaborate antlers and also a few curious fawns.

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