The Safari

As we enter the first weekend of the final term, I decided to recount my experiences at Bandipur Tiger Reserve which I visited over the Easter. I hope you enjoy my vivid storytelling! If so, it would mean the world if you could leave a comment on this blog post to let me know.

It was not my first time getting into that large, open vehicle in search of wild animals. However, the last time I went on a safari was at least 3 years ago, an uneventful experience that left me with low expectations for any future safaris.Now, I found myself in the same place, back in the same forest, the same beautiful scenery of endless trees my solace.

I sat in the window seat of a canter, enjoying the cool weather and the wind whipping my hair into messy tangles.  Imagine a bus with no glass for windows, allowing you to fully experience all the elements of the forest. My reflexes were by no means ready for the wrath of the trees, as I like to call it. Before I knew it, there was an elongated branch heading for my face, the open canter giving it full reign. Snap! A sharp pain in my right eye informed me the tree had made its impact. It was, but it did wonders to lower my spirits. So much so, that I would never expect what would come next

One moment I heard whispers that wild dogs were anticipated. The next moment, the sly predators were approaching the vehicle, one carrying fresh prey by the snout, their teeth bared and stained with bright red. The sight was startling. As the soft click of DSLR cameras was heard and all eyes were on the newcomers, an even wittier and dangerous creature moved across the long blades of grass almost unnoticed. A gasp sounded, as in the blink of an eye, a leopard jumped out and grabbed the prey. Its agile movements were a blue as it climbed up a nearby tree, a safe position and a clear view of everything that presented a possible danger. The magnificent creature stayed up in its perch for at least half an hour, knowing the wild dogs would come sniffing, waiting for the leopard to lower its guard. But it remained comfortably atop a branch, like a diva sunbathing. We too, patiently watched its every move, until it determined the coast was clear and disembarked from the tree, disappearing once again.

The rest of the trip involved some beautiful sights, including various species of deer, a tusker elephant and herd of wild gaur, and so on, some pictured below. But as I write this, I reminisce of the wild excitement of that early encounter between a predator and its lesser counterparts. I hope you’re inspired to go on a safari, because although you could very well see nothing, just go for the off chance that you could witness something rare.