Chitwan

When we arrive in Chitwan our accommodation is changed by the resort manager and the group is split over two sites. This results in some of the meals being served at the other resort and we are bussed to a dinner and breakfast (despite each site offering almost exactly the same food). We also meet a new Oz Busser, Karen who is one of several folks who will be joining us in Nepal. One morning in Chitwan, we take a 'dug out' canoe ride down the river before beginning a 'jungle' walk experience. On the way down it's very peaceful and several kingfishers and other birds are pointed out to us along the way. Allegedly, a couple of the other boats see a crocodile, not just in the water, but it rears up out of the water (no one manages to get a photo though – sorry Tim). Just before we get out of the boats it starts to rain and as we trudge to the edge of the jungle we are given instructions on what to do if we come across rhino, bears, etc and there is a slight mention that as it's raining leeches might be a problem (LEECHES!?!, thinks David). The guide stops a short way in and says there's a deer nearby (all David can think is leeches), then he says he's spotted a rhino – some people in our group apparently see the ears (leeches). Then we are told to run the way we came (leeches) and then to hide behind a tree (leeches), then we are walking back towards where the threat of the rhino was (leeches) – it seems to be quite a rouse for the guides. Then we see leeches (LEECHES!). Eventually of course we find we've been walking around in circles and have met up with one of the other groups we've been split into - still looking on the ground and thinking about leeches – Karen the newest Oz Busser has taken one in the stomach! We finally get to exit the jungle after over an hour, but there are no boats to meet us to take us to the other side of the river. This means everyone walks knee deep or higher through the current, past a couple of rhinos that were supposed to have been so dangerous in the jungle about an hour ago (oo, and what about that croc?). Back at the accommodation, David unzips the lower leggings of his trousers in trepidation of what he might find. Straight away there's a leech attached to his shin through his sock, which is eventually flicked to the other side of the resort. Then the other leg, and there's a trail of blood where a leech must have attached some time ago as he remembers knocking his leg when there was an itch there, but he'd so hoped it was just psychological at the time. After a long cold shower and lunch we are back in the jungle but thankfully a couple of metres off the ground on the back of an elephant but still on 'L' patrol (David is eventually banned from using the L word for a couple of days). We see a couple more rhino (mother and baby), together with deer and monkeys, but no crocs as we cross the river, this time without getting thoroughly soaked.