Day 5 February 20, 2024 Kathmandu to Chitwan
This morning we flew to Chitwan which is to the south and in the low country. The flight lasts about 30 minutes. A bus takes us to our lodging about an hour away. We are really out in the country side. Crops are in small fields and include mustard, wheat and potatoes predominately. They can grow as many as five different crops on the same land in a year. Housing is varied with some really nice and others very basic. Our lodging is located in a river resort.
The rooms are in duplexes. They are small but clean and well maintained. WI-FI is available only in the main lodge. Although the outside temperature is rather warm the inside is cool. Glad we are here now because summers can get temperatures over 100 degrees. Lunch is served at the lodge where we sit looking out to the river and jungle.
After a brief rest we follow the local naturalist to where four elephants are kept. He talks about elephants and we each get to feed one. They have prepared a packet of rice, corn and salt wrapped in grass. One of the elephants has been trained to pick up paper money with her trunk and pass it up to her handler. After the presentation the elephants head to the river. Our group walks around a small part of the village learning about their life.
Housing is small. If they are lucky at least part of the house is made of concrete. The other major building material is a mixture of clay and cow dung. The people seem happy. Everyone seems to have at least one cow, a couple of goats, and several chickens. Gardens separate the houses. Lots of different plants.
In one field women are harvesting mustard. Sure glad I don’t have to do that. Eventually we get back to a paved road. More tuk tuks here than elsewhere. Dinner is again at the lodge. The evening has cooled off which is nice. We heard some jackals howling but didn’t see them.
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