Rhino Sighting

After a quick breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs this morning, I headed off on an elephant to spot some more wildlife in the Chitwan jungle. I probably give up too easily when it comes to getting what I want while traveling. Only a few minutes into the ride today I figured that I wouldn't see any rhinos and I began to console myself. I convinced myself that the Chitwan trip was worthwhile even without a rhino sighting (which it was, but that's no excuse to give up on spotting a rhino). After passing by a few more spotted deer and some monkeys, I leaned back in the seat on top of the elephant and just enjoyed the ride. The elephant bobbed slowly up and down as it walked, passing through vine covered trees, tall grasses, and thick jungle growth. About an hour went by. Suddenly the Nepali elephant driver leaned back and called to me in a hurried whisper, “Rhino! Rhino! Rhino!”

To my left through the trees was a small muddy watering hole, and in the middle of the murky water sat a large grey rhino. The driver turned the elephant slowly and we gradually approached the beast. My view was obstructed by the trees, but as we got closer I could clearly see the rhino through the branches and leaves. I was surprised how long the animal held it's ground. The elephant inched closer and we came to within only twenty or thirty feet of the watering hole. The rhino grew apprehensive. Finally the animal stood up, trudged out of the watering hole, and rumbled off into the jungle.I have to say that I've been very lucky this entire trip. On the Base Camp trek I had prepared myself to see nothing but fog and the dirt trail ahead of me, but the weather turned out to be incredible, especially for the monsoon season. Then earlier today I accepted the fact that I might not see a rhino in Chitwan. I even told myself that it was alright because the Everest trek worked out so well and to me that was the most important of the two trips. Seeing Everest and a wild rhino within only a few days of each other is a big treat. I've been incredibly lucky.

Later this morning I went on a jungle walk with two Nepali men. In my Lonely Planet book one of the writers described an encounter with a wild tiger in Chitwan National Park. Tiger sightings are very rare in Chitwan, not to mention tiger encounters. Apparently while this writer was visiting Chitwan he came across a tiger and two cubs while walking through the jungle. The tiger became defensive and actually attacked the group of people on the jungle walk. I was secretly hoping that something similar, but less dangerous, would happen to the three of us. Just a sighting would have been great, but any kind of encounter would have made an incredible story. Unfortunately our only encounter was with some tiger tracks, but the walk was still worth while.I watched the elephant bathing again today. Today there weren't any other visitors at the resort except for myself, so unfortunately there was nobody to enjoy the experience with, but it was fun anyway. As I got on one of the elephants I felt it's rough, wet, wrinkled skin under my fingers and brushed my hand across it's lumpy head and it's coarse, black hairs. I rode bare-back again and just enjoyed the novelty of being on an elephant - a novelty that is next to impossible in the United States.As the sun set this evening I took another two-hour elephant ride through the jungle. I was hoping to spot another rhino, but instead saw a whole lot of monkeys and a few more spotted deer. It's alright that I didn't spot anything more this afternoon, I'm very satisfied that I saw just one rhino this morning. I told myself before I came to Chitwan that if I saw just one wild rhino then I'd be happy. I saw one, so I am happy. Besides that, I'm sure that I'll see plenty more during the four weeks that I'll be traveling through Sub-Saharan Africa.