Kanyakumari – the southernmost tip of India!

------published in TheWeek's TripTease column in December 2016 ----

The Vivekananda Rock Memorial - Kanyakumari

This temple town in Tamilnadu forms the southernmost tip of India.  Situated right at the confluence of the three seas – the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean – Kanyakumari is a historic and beautiful destination. 

Kanyakumari is situated about 90 kms from Thiruvananthapuram and we took a bus from the Thiruvananthapuram Bus-stand, close to the famous Padmanabhaswamy temple.  The bus-ride was painfully slow and it took a good 4 hours to reach Kanyakumari. 

The photographer captured!

The famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial is situated about 500 m from the mainland.  One has to take a ferry to cross over to the other side.  Being a Saturday, the place was crowded and the queue for tickets was long.  The watchman assured us that the crowd that day was significantly lower than on other national holidays! The spell-binding view of the Rock  

View from the mainland

 Memorial and the imposing Thiruvalluvar Statue is spectacular.  It is believed that Swami Vivekananda sat on these rocks and meditated for a good three days.  He is supposed to have found answers to all the questions that plagued him and thus attained salvation.  The beautiful memorial that has been built here is remarkable and the huge statue of Swami Vivekananda, standing tall and erect is an inspiring sight.  It is a tribute befitting one of India’s much admired and respected philosophers / social reformers.  The Meditation Hall built in the lower precincts of the building is cool and inviting, and offers solace and peace to the wandering mind.

Posing beside the ornate door of the Memorial

 A walk around the outer platform is thoroughly enjoyable – the sea breeze is quite strong and refreshingly cool. One can spend any amount of time just watching the lashing waves and enjoying the breeze as it plays around with your hair and clothes, gently billowing and blowing through, providing the much needed respite from the hot sunny day.  The thought that one is standing on unique ground - right at the southernmost tip of India, surrounded by three seas – adds to the awe and magnitude of the experience.  

Enjoying the cool breeze!

A few metres from the Vivekananda Rock, on an adjacent stone island, is the majestic 133 ft. tall Thiruvalluvar Statue.  Thiruvalluvar is a great Tamil poet and philosopher whose famous work, ‘the Thirukkural’ is an important treatise on life and offers teachings on good conduct, morals and how to lead a happy and contented life.  The poet wrote the 133 chapters (and thus, the height of the statue) in ancient times but his teachings remain true and 

relevant even to this day.  One is left totally wonder-struck, admiring the beautiful stone cut figure of Tamilnadu’s much revered poet.

Medhini holding the Thiruvalluvar statue in her palm!

As we headed back to the main land, the lights were switched on at the Vivekananda Rock and what a sight it was!  Truly remarkable and well worth all the wait that one has to put up with!  The sun had set and as the last rays slowly vanished, the illumined lights of the Rock provided a fantastic view. 

When the lights were turned on.

We then slowly edged our way to the main temple dedicated to the young-girl goddess Kanyakumari.  The deity of the Goddess is beautiful – like an adolescent girl wearing a long-skirt, blouse and a ‘daavini’, or half-sari, holding a rosary in her hand.  The story is that Goddess Parvathi took the form of a young, virgin girl to kill the evil Banasura, who had been granted the boon that he could be killed by no man but only by a young, virgin girl.  Thus, she remained unmarried to fulfil her prophecy. 

The ring adorning the Goddess’s nose has a powerful glitter and shines lustrously.  In fact, it is believed that the bright light emanating from her nose-ring could be seen from the seas.  Several ships mistook this brilliance to be the lighthouse, sailed towards it and ended up crashing against the rocks.  As a result today, the eastern side of the temple facing the sea, has been walled up to prevent such mishaps.

At the confluence of the three water bodies!

After a long but memorable day spent in the beautiful and historic town of Kanyakumari, we took the bus back to Thiruvananthapuram. 

Goan Escapade - enjoying Goa differently.

----Published in the Women's Era magazine - December 2016 issue---

A mural of Goa at the airport

Fancy a trip to Goa? Well, who doesn’t!!  It is one of those destinations in India that beats going abroad too.  There are beaches all over the country and then there is GOA!  In appearance, it differs not a great deal from other beach locations – coconut-fringed shores, lush green vegetation, sunny and bright skies, and a cool gently blowing breeze.  But still, Goa is a class apart.  It may have something to do with the magical atmosphere surrounding this place – the carefree, and happy-go-lucky feeling that you get once you step into this wonderful land.

Goa offers several activities and sight-seeing spots for first-time travelers - like the churches of old Goa, the cruise across River Mandovi, the Fort and Light House at Agouda, water–sports in the beaches...

 

There are also a whole lot of other non-touristy things that you can do when in Goa.  Here is looking at some of the things one can do here - which we tried and thoroughly enjoyed.

Yoga on the beach – Head to the beach early in the morning. Take a beach towel with you, and spread it across on the sand; start performing yogasanas - this is a great way to enjoy nature.  Focus on breathing while doing a Surya namaskar, watch the waves dancing on the shore, and enjoy the feeling of oneness as the soul within and the vast sea outside beat together to the rhythm of your breath!

Cycling through the Goan roads!

          Rent bicycles and enjoy the ride – Just as you can hire a car or two-wheeler, so can you rent a bicycle.  Pick a cycle each for your family members, hop on and get going.  Ideal time to do this would be to in the evenings around 4:30 PM when the sun’s heat has ebbed.  Cycle along the small roads, watch the river flow by and after exploring the area, get onto the beach.  It feels great to cycle on the fine sand  close to the water’s edge– like playing a game with the sea as the waves try to touch your cycle while you teasingly pedal away!

Cycling on the beach !

Watch the river meet the sea – You could take a small fishing boat and ask the friendly sailor to ferry you down the river to the point where the river meets the sea.  The River Sal in South Goa is one such river.  If you are game for it, you can also walk or cycle alongside the river and reach the point where the river’s journey ends as it flows into the Arabian Sea

Following the trail of the Sal river

Cycling along the edge of River Sal

  

The love-seat in Mrs. Braganza's Portuguese home!

Visit a Portuguese home – Goa has several old mansions built in the Portuguese style – complete with high ceilings, verandahs, a huge dining place fitted with a long table that can seat atleast 50 people, a private altar within the home! You can gain plenty of insight into the kind of life that people of the bygone era led.  The quaint furniture, the coat/umbrella stands and other furnishings are also a delight to see.  So take a tour of a Portuguese home and get a glimpse of life as it was a century or two ago!

The altar in the Portuguese home

Ride the local bus - To enjoy a place, you must feel and act like a local.  The best way to do that is take a bus from your hotel to the town and enjoy the ride. You will come across so many local folks – they are mostly friendly people and welcome all strangers with a smile.  You can strike a conversation with them as you enjoy the bus ride.  Most Goan buses play music on the radio, so you could also listen to the local tunes.  Remember the saying ’be a Roman when in Rome?” Well, you can try to be a Goan in Goa!

Visit the local market - The local town markets are places buzzing with activity – the colours, the smells, the sounds are all unique to every town and the market place gives you an idea of what the locals like – their eating, dressing habits, the different kinds of fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, the spices that are used, the meat and poultry that they favour, the kind of baking that is done.  In fact, Goa offers some great buns baked and served differently.  You will be surprised at the stuff that you will get to see in a local market.  So, keep your sensory organs peeled open and enjoy the adventure!

And finally, nothing beats a cool refreshing dip at the end of a warm day!   So do not forget to chill by the pool side of your resort/hotel!  Cheers!

Irupu Falls in Coorg - a weekend getaway!

-----Published in Women's Era Nov 2015 (2nd issue)-----

If you are looking for possible extended-weekend getaway options around Bangalore, you must surely consider visiting Irupu Falls in Coorg. This is about 260 kms from Bangalore and roughly involves a 6-hour drive. There are several homestays available; infact, most of the coffee planters around here have done up their homes and built in additional rooms, to be let out to eager tourists.  The prices are reasonable, the stay is pleasant and comfortable (do not expect any 5-star facilities.)  This will be ideal for friends or families travelling together.  One can, literally switch off completely (as the network connectivity in these parts is very poor), de-stress and relax, and enjoy the natural beauty of the place while breathing in the fresh mountain air.

We were two families of cousins who travelled together in April.  We set off quite early (around 4:45 AM) from Bangalore and escaped the weekend traffic. We stopped at Mysore for breakfast and proceeded to Irupu Falls taking the Hunsur- Gonikoppa route. We passed through the outer edges of the Nagarhole Forest and hoped to see some wild animals, but only got a glimpse of a few tamed elephants in a camp.

At the Homestay

The road was good (the last time we took this road, there were more potholes than road) and we reached our Homestay by 11:00 AM.  This was just about 500 metres from the entrance to the Falls.  Our hosts (who were in their mid-60s) greeted us warmly. We spent some time taking in the surroundings - the house and the garden were well maintained and our Host showed us around, pointing out the different trees and plants.  After a good homely lunch, we played a round of boisterous basket ball without following any of the rules - there was lots of grabbing, pulling, running around with the ball and a good amount of healthy laughter! :-)

Evening sky

In the evening, we took a leisurely stroll and visited the Irupu Rameshwara Temple.The evening sky appeared like a beautiful painting - as though someone had gently stroked his brush across the wide canvas with different shades of orange, crimson and blue.  The temple appeared to be placed right in the lap of the valley, surrounded by hills on all sides.  It is a lovely structure set in a wide expanse of area; the main deity- a Shiva lingam - is enshrined in a circular enclosure and looked very appealing.
After the soul enriching temple visit, we walked back; the local dogs kept us company, and guided us back to the Homestay.  We had a wonderful barbecue dinner, sitting around a bonfire and making merry of the night.  Jokes, comments, wise cracks, music and dance kept us in a jolly mood and not to forget the lovely food cooked for us by the lady of the House.  Definitely, this was the stuff of the heavens!

Irupu Falls!

Hanging bridge - Irupu trail

The next morning, after a good jog, we headed to the Falls armed with extra clothes and towels.  We were the first visitors of the day and so had the Falls to ourselves for nearly an hour. The walk, a gradual climb actually, from the entrance to the Falls is about 750 m.  A hanging bridge adds to the sense of adventure. The legend goes that Lord Rama and Lakshmana visited this place while on their way to Lanka.  Rama felt thirsty and asked Lakshmana to fetch some water who immediately shot an arrow into the hills and thus emerged the Irupu Falls to quench Rama's thirst!  Due to this, it is also known locally as Lakshman Thirtha!

Posing under the Falls

As we walked the trail, we could hear the water even before we got to see it.  The water cascading from the top fell over two levels and appeared like sheer, frothing, white milk.  The water was refreshingly cool and soothing and removed all our runner's fatigue.  The force of the water was a little overwhelming for the children but provided a free massage for the adults. After a while of fun and frolicking and posing for crazy photos, hunger pangs hit us and so we headed back to the homestay. The only problem we had was the lack of proper changing rooms near the Falls.

Back at the homestay, we ate a sumptuous breakfast consisting of a local delicacy called kadubu. Our hostess explained that these were rasgulla like baked soft balls made of rice rawa served with a tasty coconut chutney. 

Monkeying around in Kuruva Island

We then decided to explore the region and drove up to neighboring Wayanad.  The drive was beautiful - we could only see greenery all around us and it was absolutely soothing to the eye.  We visited the Kuruva Island - an uninhabited space adjacent to the back waters of the Kabini river, surrounded by mangrove bushes, gigantic bamboos and trees of several other species. We had to take a barge to cross the river and reach the island.  Being a weekend, the place was crowded and the people far outnumbered the trees!  We sat near the river bank for a while.  I am sure it would have been a much better experience had there been fewer people around. Well, so much for calling it "an uninhabited island"!

We stopped at a restaurant called Hill Top Hotel and had 'Tunch', a combination of Tea and lunch, as my daughter calls it! We then headed back to the homestay, and spent some quality family time, playing cricket, cards and carrom board.  I was glad that there was no TV or internet connectivity; all of us - children and adults - were forced to bond without any distractions and what better a place than in the middle of a coffee estate, surrounded by nature.

A book, a swing, and greenery= Total relaxation!

Dinner was again a very hearty meal, made and served lovingly.  Even the poor eaters in the family had built up a good appetite and enjoyed the food immensely.

The next morning we again wanted to visit the Falls to enjoy the natural shower.  But we opted out and instead played basketball and badminton.  After a good breakfast, we set out on our return journey to Bangalore. We stopped on the way to pick up mangoes (the first of the season), had a late lunch at Kamat Lokaruchi and were back home before sundown.

The trip to Irupu Falls was a lovely 3-day break, cathartic to the soul and left us completely rejuvenated!




      

A photo tour of the animals around the Mantralayam temple

As we sat on the banks of the river Tunga, waiting to witness a beautiful sunset, we got to see several animals.  It is such an uncommon sight for an urban dweller to see so many animals sharing the eco-space of a small town, merging with the background and contributing to enjoying the whole rural experience!   Here are a few of our four-legged brethren that we were able to capture on camera.

Buffaloes taking a leisurely stroll on the river bank

A lonely dog walking on the paved stones!

We found quite a few pigs (several black and a few white) in Mantralayam town - this one was walking on the river bank.  Looks like it is wearing 2 pairs of  tiny heeled slippers!

the Temple elephant

Close-up of the Jumbo!

Snake Kalia - a sculpture of Krishna dancing on the snake.

We saw other animals too - cats, cows, more dogs, pigs and piglets, donkeys.. but didn't get a picture of them.  The pigs and donkeys were definitely the attraction - after all, you don't get to see them in cities now.

Bangalore to Mantralayam - by road

Entrance to the temple

We had been wanting to visit the Raghavendra temple in Mantralayam for quite some time.  What with the whole family being busy - the husband travelling or generally being  occupied on weekends, with daughters having some event, project or activity at school - we were unable to plan a trip.  Finally out of the blue, when we found a weekend when everyone was free, we decided to head out to Mantralayam.  Railway tickets are very rarely available and on a weekend, definitely not; so we set out by road.

A beautiful stone sculpture at the entrance

Mantralayam is 408kms from our house in Jayanagar (as given by our car's odometer) and the roads are pretty good.  We set out early by 5:30 AM and hence had the road to ourselves.  We took the National Highway 7- the Hyderabad route - stopped at Chikbalapur's Kamat Upachar restaurant for breakfast.  It was quite decent.  We crossed Anantpur, Gooty and then took the state highway towards Pattikonda; passed by Adoni, Yemmiganur and reached Mantralyam by 12:30 pm - a good 7 hours drive with a couple of stops for breakfast and mid-morning tea.

We booked a room at the Temple Trust - we got a 3-cot bed which came in handy for our family of 3 adults and 2 children.  We had also carried pillows and bed sheets with us (the luxuries of travelling by car) and so could manage a good night's sleep on the not so well-washed hotel bedding.  We visited the temple and headed straight to lunch (as the last batch was at 2:00 pm).  There is something to be said of the lunch served in temples - it may be a simple fare but all of us ate heartily, especially my little girl who relished the sweet-tasting sambhar and rasam.  Back in the room, we rested for a while and then set out to the temple to have our darshan of Raghavendra Swamy.  It was quiet and peaceful when we went in, not much of a crowd; we could enjoy the peace and tranquility of the place and feel one with the Lord.

Sunset on the banks of the Tunga river

We also visited the Tungabhadra river, but were disappointed to see nothing but rocks with no trace of a river flowing.  We sat on the banks and witnessed the sun-set while listening to the recorded voice of the Temple security person (we possibly heard it close to 20 times!!) alerting pilgrims to be wary of pick-pockets and thieves in all 5 languages - Telugu, English, Kannada, Hindi and Tamil.   We also saw several animals walking past the river bank, serenely and peacefully, doing whatever they had set out to do.

the Rathotsava in progress

When we returned to the temple, it was packed - it being a second-Saturday, lots of holiday goers were present.  Also, several had come to see the Rathotsava that was held around 7:30 pm.  A beautiful sight it was, with the colorfully be-decked and garlanded Utsava murthy, placed on chariots - first on the silvery-white elephant and then on the traditional wooden one - and pulled around the temple shrine.  We expected the devotees to use ropes to pull the chariot, instead found that the chariot was motorized - so no tugging and pulling, just a quick circle of the outer shrine.

After witnessing  the beautiful ceremony, we then found out that they also served dinner at the temple and so headed to the Bhojanalaya to have our simple but tasty dinner of rasam rice and curd rice. While sitting in neat rows for the food to be served, we could not but be in awe of the service rendered by the temple authorities and more so by the cooks who serve food day in and day out for the thousands of devotees visiting the temple everyday - truly inspiring and amazing work!

the Utsavamurthy atop the silver elephant

The next morning, we again visited the temple and prayed to Raghavendra Swamy and Lord Hanuman - who appeared more like Hayagreeva as the horse's facial outline plate that is put on the Lord's chest stood highlighted.  With prayers to visit again, we bid goodbye to the temple town of Mantralayam and made our way back to Bangalore.   We took the same route on the return trip but we spent nearly 8 hours, possibly because of the later start.  Lunch on the way was a challenge as we did not find decent places to eat.  We finally stopped at the same Kamat restaurant in Chikbalapur where we'd had our breakfast earlier.

So all in all, it was a pleasant 2-day trip; we collected memories and enjoyed the family time, and ofcourse, returned as rejuvenated souls!
    

An unforgettable road trip through Delhi, UP, Uttarakhand

During the summer vacation of April 2013, we planned our holiday to north India.  My daughter had learnt quite a bit about Mughal history and so we thought it the right time to visit the places that she had read about.

It turned out to be a beautiful vacation - fun-filled,educative and taking us back in history to the Mughal era.  It packed in varied experiences - from watching the historic relics in New Delhi, to witnessing the soul-stirring and peaceful 'aarti' of the holy Ganges in Haridwar, to enjoying the thrill of river rafting in Rishikesh, to following the pug marks of the majestic Indian tiger in Jim Corbett National Park, to seeing the birthplace of Lord Krishna and finally to be bewitched by the eternal beauty of the Taj Mahal in Agra.

The highlight was the road trip - we hired a self driven car from CarzonRent; and with a vehicle at our disposal, we covered the 3 states of Delhi, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh over 12 days and drove nearly 1,300kms.

New Delhi-Mussorie-Rishikesh-Haridwar-Jim Corbett Park-Agra-New Delhi

New Delhi - We spent the first 4 days in Delhi visiting all the landmark monuments and places like Qutub Minar, Raj Ghat, Humayun's Tomb, Red Fort, India Gate, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, The Lotus temple, The Swami Narayan temple, the Birla Mandir.  Some of the unique sights and offerings that we enjoyed and relished were

Qutub Minar

• the Red Fort Sound and Light show - we watched the evening show; it was a fascinating walk back into the pages of Indian history
• the Change of Guards ceremony at Rashtrapathi Bhavan (this takes place every Saturday morning).  We jogged from India Gate towards Rashtrapthi Bhavan on the historic Rajpath road and were lucky to catch the Change of Guards ceremony!
• the amazing street food like Dahi Bhalla, Channa Bhature, Lassi in Chandini Chowk & the Haldirams restaurant.

Uttarakhand - From Delhi, we drove to Mussorie via Dehradun.  It was a long drive, took us nearly 7 hours; we took it slowly, enjoying the villages and small towns that we passed through. We picked up peaches from Meerut and they tasted amazing.  We stayed in Mussorie for 3 nights,relaxing and enjoying the cool weather and the beauty of the landscape.

Highlights of the Mussorie trip -

On the steps leading to Mr. Ruskin Bond's house

Watching the IPL match at a wine store

• We visited Mussorie's most famous writer, Mr. Ruskin Bond's house in Landour, in the fond hope of meeting the legend in person.   But unluckily for us, we chose a wrong time.  His house keeper informed us that he was in the middle of his afternoon siesta and could not be disturbed.  We had to satisfy ourselves with a glimpse of the hills and dales of Mussorie that he usually sees and writes so magically about in his books.  
• We played cricket in the resort that we stayed in and spent a considerable amount of time  searching for the ball!
• We took a walk around the Mall area.  It was the day of the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Pune Warriors and the kids wanted to watch the match.  We did not have time to get back to the resort to see the match, so all of us stood around the TV in a small Wine store and cheered Chris Gayle as he stormed his way to an unbeaten 175*.  RCB ofcourse, won the match!  A Police constable was curious and came to check what 4 children (all minors) were doing in a wine store.

We then proceeded to Rishikesh, stopping enroute at Sashasthra Dhara,the sulphur springs.

Highlights of Rishikesh and Haridwar -

All hands aboard - white water rafting!

A view of the Ganges

• The Lakshman Jhula bridge - one of the engineering marvels built way back in 1929 is a suspension bridge and is nearly 450 ft long, and offers spectacular views.  We walked across the wide bridge and stopped for pictures and to see the Ganges placidly flowing by.  The wide expanse of the river is an ideal spot for white water rafting and we spotted several rafts below.  We contacted an operator and opted for the beginner's level which has 3 rapids and covers a distance of 9 kms.  We first drove upstream in the operator's jeep, to the starting point called Brahmpuri, walked down to the river bank, fitted ourselves in life jackets and equipped with an oar each, got into the raft.  It was quite an adventure and we got a thrill when we maneuvered our raft successfully over the rapids.  Towards the end, we also had a chance to swim alongside the raft, and found the waters of the Ganges to be refreshingly cold!  
• Evening aarti of the Ganges - This was a beautiful experience.  In the evening, we sat on the steps leading to the river; quite a crowd had gathered there - locals and tourists like us- to witness the religious ritual.  As the sun sets and the skies darken slowly, several pundits join together to sing bhajans, recite mantras and wave the aarti plates with the flame gently billowing in the breeze, praying for the divine blessings of the sacred Ganges! 
• Visiting the Manasa Devi temple in Haridwar taking a cable car ride to reach the top of the hill to see the shrine.

In tiger country - Jim Corbett Park

Next stop in our itinerary was the lush green forests of Jim Corbett National Park in Ramnagar, close to Nainital, home to the Bengal tiger. We took the jeep drive into the forest and eagerly hoped to meet the elusive tiger but it remained elusive.  We missed seeing it by a mere few seconds and had to be satisfied with seeing its pug marks and hearing its roar.  The children (and adults too) were a tad disappointed but well, that is life!  We enjoyed the scenic beauty and drove along watching the River Kosi meander its way through the hills and valleys.




     Uttar Pradesh 

A view of the Taj from Shahi Darwaza

• We then left the hills and drove towards Uttar Pradesh.  It was a long drive; we first stopped at Mathura to see the birth place of Lord Krishna - a lovely temple has been built here.  We also visited Gokul (which is about 10 kms from Mathura). Not many tourists take this stretch , and we understood why; the road was totally in disrepair and the 10 km stretch seemed to go on forever.  The home of Yashoda and Nanda where Krishna grew up, is badly maintained and definitely not worth the effort.
• Agra is a wonderful city; the club that we stayed in dated back to the British times and the rooms were BIG by any standard.  We visited the Taj Mahal early in the morning ( to avoid the heat and rush bound to be there later in the day) and had a great time looking at the majestic relic of love.  Even though we had seen it before, we were still struck by its sheer beauty, the eye for detail and the dexterity of the masons who built it.  Everything was in perfect uniformity and in proportion.  All of us were astounded and started talking about the kind of effort that would have gone in in building such a fine marvel, back then when there were no machines or tools/technology.   
• The Yamuna Expressway - We took this highway on our trip back to Delhi and covered the 165 km stretch in 2.5 hrs.  But we had a hell of a time getting on to the Expressway; the boards were highly misleading and asking people for directions led to more confusion!

This is one road trip that will be etched in our memories. We faced a few inconveniences but they were all worth it and enriched our overall experience; and I am sure, if given a chance, we will again jump at doing this!

The Ngornongoro Crater - a memorable trip inside a mountain!

That's the Ngorongoro Crater!

We have heard of mountains, and volcanoes and also learnt about craters. We have also studied about volcanic eruptions releasing magma, molten lava and such other stuff.  But we were surprised to learn about volcanoes that while exploding, collapse inward and form huge basin-like structures. These are called calderas or cooking pots.  
The Ngorongoro Crater is a fine example of the cooking pot. It must have been a fairly big volcanic mountain 2 or 3 million years ago, but then it exploded and collapsed on itself, thus forming a basin that is around 600m deep and has a floor area of 260 sq.km!

Standing on the rim of the crater

Wildebeest!

Our first sight of this magnificent, natural wonder near Arusha in northern Tanzania, was breath taking!  It was nothing even vaguely similar to what we had imagined it to be.  We stood at the rim of the crater and looked down upon the sprawling open grassland forming the floor of the crater.  We could see tiny black specks dotting the green below.  We trained our binoculars on these black spots and realised, much to our amazement, that they were wildebeests and zebras!   We could also see a lake - called Magadi.  This is the water source to all the animals that live here.

Another view of the crater

We halted at the campsite and pitched our tents.  The camp site has been set up right on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and commands a panoramic 360 * view of the collapsed mountain. It has a wonderful, lush growth of grass.  Our two girls ran around, chasing each other, giggling and laughing and finally collapsing on the ground and rolling around in the grass.    The campsites are equipped with a common kitchen and a dining room apart from separate set of wash rooms for men and women.  Ceneal, (name pronounced as Kenail) our cook on the trip, got busy in the 'kitchen' and set up a wonderful meal for us. His hot soup accompanied by freshly roasted peanuts and popcorn was more than welcome to beat the sudden chill of the evening.  After dinner, while we slept in the tent, we suddenly heard chomping noises. We opened the flap a wee bit to peer out - a few wild bison were feeding on the grass right outside our tent.  We remained quiet within, lest any movement disturb the giants.  Our guide Milkauroy (pronounced as Milcure) informed us the next day that this was a common phenomenon.  The bison could not eat the lush sweet grass growing at the campsite during day time thanks to people like us being around. But at night, they would venture out from around the slopes and enjoy their midnight meal!

Don't mess withe me!

The striped herbivores!

Early next morning, even before sunrise, we drove down towards the crater floor to view the animals that had made this caldera their home.  A chill wind blew and made us all shiver despite our sweaters.  Apart from elephants, wildebeest, zebras ,lions, we got to see the African Black Rhino and the extremely shy cheetah during our 3 hour ride. A family of wart hogs, scampering around and frolicking, made for interesting viewing.  We could also observe several colourful birds like the Crowned Crane - Uganda's national bird, the delicate and gentle flamingos around the lake, the big-framed deer called Eland (this kind of resembles our native sambar deer), dik-diks (the smaller, dainty looking deer), Thomson's gazelles, a family of lions sleeping and totally oblivious to the several pairs of eyes staring at them in rapt attention.  We waited a while, hoping that the lions would move or look up but they continued to doze.. Finally, Milkauroy emitted a loud lion cry - a deep-throated roar.  The lioness, surprised, immediately looked up to see if the lion had indeed come and must have surely been disappointed to see good old Milkauroy instead!.

Enjoying our coffee in the middle of the Crater

We then stopped for a picnic breakfast near the lake and spent some time  exchanging pleasantries with the hippos! And what a royal breakfast it was!  Ceneal had packed sandwiches, cake and fruit for us.  Milkauroy set up the folding table and chairs.  He even spread a table cloth (the typical Masai shawl) and placed the plates and cups on the table!  A flask of hot water ensured that we could have coffee while the girls enjoyed their hot chocolate drink.  It was a truly memorable picnic, out in the open with several birds for company, and watching the hippos immersed in the swamp water with just their heads sticking out!

The girls near the hippo swamp

Our guide Milkauroy with the girls and the picnic table

On the drive back to Arusha, we enjoyed watching the beautiful landscape pass by - we were driving down a straight, ribbon-like road and it seemed like we would go and bump straight into Mount Meru that was sitting right at the end of the road!  That was a truly awesome sight!

The Ngorongoro trip was a wonderful experience  - the memories of which we will all cherish in our hearts. Did someone say, "Wanna go again? You bet! I am ready for it anytime!

To Arusha - approaching Mount Meru