If its time to die then ok… after this we relaxed

9/3/11

We actually did something today. We got up at a respectable time and went into the jungle. The guide was sexy and full of Irish charm and the 2 French girls were well just French and aloof.  The spice farm was amazing. They were growing vanilla, coffee, pineapple, pepper, chilies, bananas, and cinnamon. It all looked rather hard work. We were gently walking around sweating profusely and the laborers were shimmying up trees collecting food and not even breaking a sweat.  We were brave and ate everything that came off the plants without dousing it in alco-jell… pretty amazing considering that I have not eaten meat for a week and we all have fastidious hand hygiene.

We were invited to climb a tree using only a rope. I tried and failed Mia and James looked on and the guide shot up the 20 meter tree like it was a walk in the park and then jumped between the trees up in the air. How he is still alive is anyone’s guess.  When it came to eating bush food Mia and I gamely tried the ants that were on offer. Mia’s tasted of lemon curd mine was bitter and it bit my tongue. “relief” followed in the form of a chili… I think steam flowed from our ears and the guides wet themselves.

After a scrumptious lunch we headed into the game reserve and stared our trek. 1 hour down hill through thick jungle, full of huge spider webs following a guide who would run after any snake he saw in a bid to catch it. Whilst I was grateful the snake was moving in the opposite direction to me I did want the guide to survive as the thought of getting out on our own seemed remote.

After  30 mins of walking down hill with mia slipping at regular points but trying not to put her hands down due to the spiky plants that were guaranteed to give an infection we hit the half way point. It was now that the guide decided to tell us about the black cobras. “oh yes there are lots of them round here so there are.” At this point we should have said nothing and continued in ignorance but stupidly we asked what the black cobras were. “oh just the most poisonous snake in the world with enough venom to kill 15 men in 20 mins and the nearest antidote is in Thailand. There are of course those little snakes on the plants that shoot venom into the eyes to blind you and that’s not reversible.” So  for we were frightened of the jungle but all three of us were scared shitless. We walked on with our eyes scanning desperately for these snakes. After another 30 mins I decided that if this was the day to die then so be it and relax (very slightly)

We were soon rewarded for our walk with an oasis of calm water with a small  waterfall. We swam, relaxed and took photos but then all of a sudden our guide disappeared up an improbably steep rock. Being 23 with an easy going approach to life and “no desire to hit 40” our guide looked like he was going to jump 12 meters into a pool that was 2 meters deep and 2 meters wide. Again we did not fear for his safety but our own predicament of being stuck  in the jungle and eaten by panthers. The guide had helpfully pointed out at the spice farm that the dogs had to be locked away at night as the panthers ate them!!!

Phil the guide survived  the jump and leads us up and out of the jungle, though an illegal rice paddy (clearing the jungle is illegal) and back to the camp. We  were safe, we had not died so today was not our time. That said we had not reckoned on the jeep drive back. As it was getting late Phil put his foot down in the rickety open topped jeep. There were a number of near misses with chicken, people and lorries but again we survived. As it was so fast it was windy so in homage to my mother I pulled out my scarf, wrapped it round my head and neck and kept the wind off my throat lest I get a chill… oh god I am turning into her.

10/3/11

As the previous day was strenuous we decided not to over do it. As such we did not leave the sun loungers until 4.30. At this point we join our two German friends and went dolphin spotting. We laughed all the way out, swam on a beach and relaxed for an hour or so. This fortunately made up for the less than impressive 10 seconds of dolphin we saw.

We continued on from the dolphins’ to dine with our friends (after some packing and sorting ) before heading to the internet café to speak to Carol and update the blog. We have an early start tomorrow with a 6 am taxi to the train station for our 7 hour trip to Hampi. James of course has booked advance and I have negotiated a “good price” for the taxi to the station. As Hampi is remote we will be out of contact for 4 days but upon our return we shall no doubt have more tales for the blog.