Tusker Trails Karnataka

... is over. But at last we gave our best effort as a team keeping as that’s the only way we can survive in the Jungle where we were exposed to wildlife. I salute the local tribe (Mahesh) who takes enormous effort to ensure this trip should give us happy and safe...Hats off to him.. Thank god all our prayers worked and we reached safely to our place. That was the last thrilled night I ever had so far.

Early morning on 22nd we started from Masinagudi at 7am saying good ...

... the King’s Balance (he used to weigh himself and dish out coins of the same weight to locals), an octagonal pool, ornate gates and irrigation channels.

I came halfway back to Kamalapuram and visited the archaeological museum with sculptures from local ruins, with a huge layout of the original Vigar map, determined from excavations. It was such a colossal place!! Then I continued on to the Royal Centre, presumably deemed so because of the delightful Queen ...

... just as I was a brief star on Swaziland TV, I should be seen by a few thousand Indians in this B-movie (so called because the very big Indian stars aren’t featured).

It was nothing that exciting, but it was really good fun and I had a great day with both the guys. I gave them both a hug and said I’d not been so entertained for a long time and they’d made it a lovely day! Both were very complimentary so it was a nice ending! On a final funny note, when we ...

... other side. 36 hairpin turns welcomed us on our descent. We finally arrived to our little paradise in the jungle - Jungle Hut! 7 km from the sanctuary, this oasis is nestled against the hills and in the jungle. We quickly drop our bags into our bungalows, and grab a jeep for the sanctuary. The late afternoon and evening is spent riding elephants, watching them ...

... look. What color you want? There is more inside" And once you're inside, they pull out everything to show you. But then you're stuck in the shop, and you have to try to delicately extricate yourself. We aren't so delicate anymore. We do find an internet café, but we're told to come back in five minutes, because they are trying to fix it. We end up in the market, the fruit and vegetable market. There never seems to be a meat market anywhere, although I did see a sign here for "Live Meat ...

... the door to offer up coffee and newspapers both in english and hindi. Taking a little evening stroll, I found an internet cafe, and also had a talk with a man by the name of Syed, who gave me the "lowdown" on some of the places in Mysore. I told him "I am my own guide." and he said, no, just for friends he would show me. I dodged it by saying I needed to write on the internet, which was true, and at the moment in Varkalla, I am at least three or four entries behind. . When the ...

... to write home about but it does have a cool market selling flowers, fruit and brightly coloured insence. OIn our second day here we caught a bus up Chamundi hill which overlooks the town, and went around the Hindu temple at the top, a bit confused by what was going on inside, holy water and people offering cocnuts, but interesting to watch. As we go further south the places we are ...