Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Looking for Royal Manas National Park

Its 1.12 AM.

I have a bus to catch at six thirty, I do not have a bus ticket and I don't even know if I will get a seat even if I go to check out the bus at 6 in the morning. I don't even know if I will wake up, so I have decided not to sleep. You see I am dedicated traveller, anything for the road.

I haven't packed, nothing new, been travelling for eight years that I pack in eight minutes these days. Throw all that you need in a rucksack and there you go, ready! I am yet to do the throwing bit. I am a lazy traveller, quite a contradiction but I don't shop, I don't buy souvenirs, I am usually a broke traveller, I make do with how much ever money I have, some times its barely a few thousand Ngultrums, at other times I end up home with fifty bucks and honestly I think the best stories are experienced when you are broke, it just has a dramatic effect on what ever you do.

This time, I am headed to Gelephug. I haven't been there for more than 12 years but I still remember my favourite stretch from Tsirang to Gelephug; it had lovely teak forests all around and a straight road where you could drive above 100 km/hr. Straight roads are hard to find in Bhutan, so it was a treat back then to zooom and zooop on a straight highway.

I am headed to Royal Manas National Park to do a pilot study (what a lovely excuse). I want to conduct some research there, plus it is the most biodiverse national park in Bhutan and I haven't been there yet. One horned Rhinos, Wild Buffalo, Tigers, some five different species of big cats and on and on.Currently there is a cat count going on.

It is like heaven I am told. But what is the way to heaven? I don't even know how to get to Manas from Gelephug and I hope, I was told that is the way to go and so I shall see where I will find myself tomorrow.

Gelephug will be sweating hot am sure, right now am in Thimphu wearing a sweatshirt and writing this, tomorrow will be quite another day.

Please pray that I get my bus ticket : ))

2 comments:

  1. Good Luck Manju.
    I am from where you are going and I grew up in Mothanguri (you will see two storied ruined house) and now my parents live in Panbang. I guess I am revealing too much of myself.
    Manas is indeed a nice place for the biologist and ecologist. I am not sure if you will see any Rhinos or Tigers but you may definitely see Golden Langurs. You may also meet one of my friends in Manas, currently conducting research on Demography of Tigers.
    Good luck and enjoy your time in the midst of the jungle. My prayers for your Bus ticket, safe and wonderful stay and probably staying away from getting Broke, is with you..haha...

    ReplyDelete