I am sure India is not on everyone’s bucket list but you may be surprised to know that I have found a fabulous sanctuary in the midst of this chaotic country, and a place I visit in my mind when I need a happy place to Ranthambore National Park is a vast wildlife reserve near the town of Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, northern India. We travelled there by train from Agra, after a fabulous stay at the Amaravllas. This can be a story on its own at a later date. be.
This trip begins with the incredible train journey that will forever be stored in my memory as an eye-opener. We had purchased business class seating feeling no need for first class. This would surely be respectable. Well, how wrong we were. Once the train sidled into the station, it was pandemonium. People appeared from everywhere and pushed their way onto the train. (think Boxing day sales) Luckily our guide assisted us and we found our “compartment” after passing people asleep behind curtains and the continuous chatter of excited travellers. We laughed, if this was business class seating, economy class must be a hoot! We took our seats on the long blue vinyl bench and waited for our adventure to continue. A porter occasionally walked up and down the carriage banging a tin mug on a bucket selling refreshments. I didn’t see other cups so I wondered if we were meant to share with everyone. As the mice enjoyed his company, we passed on the offer of a drink.
On arrival at Sawai Madhopur we were greeted by the driver from our accommodation, Khem Villas. It is important to note that the driving in India is somewhat of an experience, so be prepared. On our way to the Villas, we dodged camels, cows and the occasional ox and cart. It was with a sigh of relief when we finished the drive.
We were met on arrival by the manager of Khem Villas and we were shown to our accommodation. We had booked a stand-alone cottage with a plunge pool. They were worried about Ken’s height that the shower may be too low and he may hit his head on the doors. We thanked them for their concern and advised all would be fine. Our cottage had a fabulous view over the fields with people working the crops by hand. The inside was spacious and beautifully furnished. The plunge pool was no more than an oversized bath but would be a welcome retreat after the day's activities.
We freshened up and made our way to the restaurant for lunch. Be prepared, this accommodation only serves vegetarian food. As keepers of the park, they feel they should not serve meat. I survived the 3 nights but loved my first meat dish when I left.
We then set out on our first safari, the afternoon into sunset, uncertain of what we would see. Luxury vehicles would not suit this adventure as the open-top jeeps bounced and creaked over the rough roads and running streams. Our driver had a large grin on his face as we were tossed around in the back. It was not long before we started to see the wildlife. There was spotted deer, Samba’s, monkeys, peacocks and a plethora of birdlife. We were about 2 hours into our drive we finally saw her, a magnificent tiger strutting down the dirt track in front of us. She seemed unperturbed to us being there and slowly walked by us, lifting her lip to the side like a grimace as she passed. It was absolutely incredible, so close you could touch her. We were advised she had cubs in the area but they are rarely seen.
If we were to head back to the Villas now, I would have been happy but we had one more surprise to come. We were on a dirt track heading nowhere in particular when we came upon a Caracal with a kill. These are very rare cats and our driver was so excited. We sat and watched quietly as it walked in front of us.
A slender cat standing perhaps 50cm tall. I had never heard of this species so was quite intrigued. On arrival back in the villas, we were the talk of the town. All wanted to know about our find and to look at our photos. Our 15 minutes of fame was on! The conversation continued on through drinks and Canapes that evening and further through dinner. Who would have thought a cat could grab the imagination of so many.
It was quite a day so we took a bottle of wine back to the cottage and ran a cool tub for us to relax in. We sipped the cool drink as we lay back listening to the tiger's roar in the background, watched small squirrels run along the top of the courtyard wall while the tea lights flickered around us. I knew this memory would be with me forever, and forever be my “happy place”
