9th 14th April Kahna National Park

Overnight train and early bus 18hrs non stop travelling bring us to the National Park accomadation all ready sorted all we had to do was get a shower and a well earnt sleep... Very nice place, first guest to stay in this complex, upgraded ourselves for marks birthday.. Not wanting to seem ungrateful, however we were the only tourist here, An evening walk into the buffer zone although Kahna has NO fencing we are assured not to worry. spent some time listening at the jungle sounds preparing for the night..mmhhh not getting old just enjoying what around us...

We manage to find another Irish lad (stephen) to share our jeep and obviously the cost.. This park is much better organised than Rathambhore fiasco.. We are into the park by 06:00hrs binoculars & Cameras ready we are off tiger hunting.. However after 6hrs it was not to be..Although we did meet a friend George the photograher we met in Sassan Gir 2months ago. How amazing is that!!! We moved into his lodgings and enjoyed the next few days with him. On checking out from our very expensive lonely complex, we have had our room broken into LUCKY only bottle of RUM,Biscuits & Indian Sweets were taken so we believe it was kids!!!!

Not to dampen our experience, we Shared a jeep with George over the next few days. encountering tigers, many white spotted deer, bison, samber, Many many birds. The tigers are what everyone comes here for and we were not disappointed 5 safari's and three sightings.. I have learnt to listen to the jungle calls, the monkeys put out an alarm calls,so do the deer if they are lucky enough to see him first!!! The anticipation of waiting sometimes up to 2 hours we have sat in same place waiting listening and then WOW!! he appears out of the long grass heads for the drinking hole and lays. he not hunting today!!! but we can watch him oh so close!! I can see him breathing, guide reckons he has already killed today because of his fat belly and lazy aproach..

One other special time for us, we encountered a sloth bear sitting on the tracks, very early in the morning and very near the buffer zone. We switch off the engine and try to approach but he is very shy, he takes off crashing through the bush but not before stopping and glancing back to look at those funny human things all getting very excited...

Mark will remember this birthday for a long time !!!

Evenings were spent reminising over a beer or 2, one evening there was 8 of us in the party 2 English, German, American, South African, Austrlian, Spanish, & Polish. Wow thats one of the best arts of travelling..!!

Next Stop: Varanasi