1. Our Guide Stumbles In Like a Big Bear

          As soon as the driver parked the car, a slightly chubby middle-aged man wobbled toward us, looking like a big ole bear. “I've been waiting since 9 AM!" he exclaimed. “The travel company just said you’d be arriving today, but they didn’t specify a time. It’s been tough waiting around!"

          This enthusiastic chatterbox turned out to be our guide, Kris.

          “Do Nepalis enjoy taking Western names?" I wondered aloud.

         “Guess again!" he winked, “Kris doesn’t stand for Christopher. It stands for Krishna."

                 Kris graduated from university with a degree in ecology, where he studied both agriculture and wildlife. He used to be a teacher and now lives at the lodge where we’re staying, welcoming guests and guiding them on their adventures.

          Leading us across a rickety bridge, we clutched our luggage and treaded carefully. Below, the river flowed, separating the little town from the park. The bridge, made of spindly wooden planks, seemed almost designed to keep the park's animals from escaping.

          Ahead, tall grass swayed in the breeze, kicking up a cloud of dust. As we crossed, I realized this bridge was more than just a means of getting from point A to point B. It was a gateway into a world bursting with surprises!

2. The Tharu Tribe: Tattoos as Cherished Memories

          Chitwan is home to the Tharu people, a minority group in Nepal. In the 14th century, they escaped religious persecution in India and walked to Chitwan. Initially, they got by hunting but gradually transitioned to farming and settled down.

          This ancient forest was once a hotspot for malaria, where other settlers suffered greatly. But the Tharu? They thrived. Why? They say it’s “a blessing from the gods." Kris jokingly added, “Or because the Tharu love spicy food!”

          God’s favoritism? Does chili really ward off illnesses? No matter which story you prefer, the life of the Tharu is full of colorful legends. Their simple homes, made of mud and thatch, sport handprints all over the walls.

          “Why the handprints?” I asked.

          The Tharu believe, “If we shut the door to sleep, we might offend the gods who could be visiting. They might think we’re intentionally giving them the cold shoulder.”

          So they paint countless hands on their walls, welcoming the divine and clearing up any misunderstandings.

          And it’s not just the walls! Tharu women love to leave tattoos on their arms, a mark of individuality. While some pursue fleeting trends, these tattoos are meaningful. The Tharu say, “We arrive naked and leave the world the same way, but we want to carry the marks of our journey with us.”

          Their ancestral flight was a reluctant but hopeful pursuit of peace. Beyond mere acceptance of fate, there’s an unyielding pride woven through the melancholy of their story.

3. Paddling Through Morning Mist: 

      Sweaters Inside Out, Birds Chirping

          Kris organized a canoe ride for us. “No yellow, no white, no red,” he said sternly.

          Yellow, white and red. He was not talking about birds but about my sweater!

          “Change into darker clothes, or else your bright colors will scare away the birds!”

          I  only  packed one  sweater.  What  now? In a flash of inspiration,   I  reversed  it,  transforming  the  bright  into  dark.

          As the morning mist enveloped the river, Kris pointed and gestured, lending us binoculars and flipping through a birdwatching guide.

          “To spot birds, you need to listen to their calls, note their colors, and of course, luck is crucial!”

          Our luck was shining that day! Riding in a canoe, we were serenaded by birdsong and glided past herons, ducks, and even egrets.

          Honestly, Chitwan is overflowing with birds. The real challenge isn’t spotting them; it’s naming them all.

          “How many species of birds are in Chitwan?” Kris asked.

          “Umm, about 140 species?" I ventured.

          “In Chitwan, we have 496 species!”

          Wow, that’s a lot!

          But wait—Kris isn’t done yet.

          “I’ve spotted 412 of them myself!”

4. Awakening Our Primal Instincts: 

      Unexpected Encounters

          Deep in the jungle, we disembarked. Kris pointed out various piles of dung and asked us to guess whether they belonged to elephants or rhinos. “Elephants drop while walking, whereas rhinos focus intently on one task before moving on. Even mating can take 6 to 7 hours of full attention!”

          Is this the reason people have such high expectations of rhinos?

          “Rhino poop, would you eat it?” Kris asked, answering before I could react. “It’s good for asthma and acts like natural Viagra!”

          Do you believe him?

          “Believe it or not!”

          As we wandered, we came to a small river with a fallen tree stretching across it.

          “Can we cross?” Kris asked.

          “I thought you were joking!” Not at all. Before we knew it, he was already on the other side, leaving us to figure it out.

          After some scrambling and giggling, we all made it across, none of us ending up as soggy chickens. Chitwan really awakened our primitive instincts!

          Kris guided us along our wild adventure. “Look at these tracks! A leopard or a tiger? Oh, and these claw marks on the tree. A tiger sharpening its claws!”

          Modern folks tend to get impatient in the face of ‘archaeological’ work.

          “Let’s really do this,” I insisted.

          “But you need to be quiet, patient, and add a little…... luck,” Kris replied.

          Suddenly, Kris hushed us, making hand signs. I knew what this meant. Luck was finally on our side!

          In the underbrush, amidst intersecting paths, a few pairs of shining eyes peeked at us. A deer! A lovely scene unfolded, but as I raised my camera, they caught sight of us and vanished in an instant.

          Did I just imagine that? No, everyone else had seen them too, but only for a flash.

          Where did those deer go?

          “They dashed off in different directions,” someone suggested.

          I was fiddling with my camera when the real action happened, and I missed it all!

          We walked further and stumbled upon a sunbathing crocodile. Crocs aren’t exactly the most beautiful creatures, but the surprises of the jungle are.

          Crocodiles lounged on the riverbank, blending in with the mud and dead leaves. When our eyes adjusted, the thrill of the discovery flared.

          After two hours in the forest, still no sign of Nepal’s rare one-horned rhino.

          “I demand a refund!” I joked.

          “Sorry,” Kris chuckled. “I forgot to call them yesterday!”

5. Riding Elephants in Search of Luck: 

      Peacocks and Helpless Rhinos

          I refused to leave Chitwan with that empty feeling, so in the afternoon, we rode elephants. But riding elephants isn’t just for fun; we were on a quest for luck.

          Kris set it up, but he opted out. “Too pricey!”

          In the jungle, surprises galore! This time, a peacock  appeared, gracefully flitting among the branches, flaunting its stunning feathers to its friends.

          And just like that, it was gone in seconds. The beauty vanished into the forest......

          Kris had schooled me earlier; peacocks typically live only about two and a half years, but they shed their feathers every year to keep up their glam. I really wished I could hop down to see if any feathers were lying beneath.

          But alas, I was stuck astride an elephant!

          As we rocked with the gentle sway of the ride, the mahouts communicated in gestures, guiding the elephants in a coordinated effort. Suddenly, they spotted a target. An immense rhinoceros!

          I thought a herd of elephants would startle the wildlife into hiding, but I was mistaken. The elephants and rhinos live in harmony in this jungle.

          With the elephants inching closer, we became part of a large circle around our timid, yet imposing, one-horned rhino, who, in a panic, was rushing around looking for an escape route.

          The people on the elephants were buzzing with excitement, snapping photos, whispering cheers of amazement!

          The stressed rhino huffed, looking more angry than terrified, as we observed closely.

          Our clever mahout gave the beast a way out, either out of kindness or concern for our safety.

The rhino barreled toward the opening he created, and we witnessed sheer strength intermixed with vulnerability.

          Talk about luck! Eight heads turned, eyes wide with wonder.

6. The Closing Curtain

          “Did you see any rhinos?” Kris asked when we met again.

          We cheerfully raised eight fingers.

          “Impossible!” Kris said, wide-eyed.

          “I’ve had groups come through who saw none at all!”

          We erupted with joy, shouting, “Yeah! Luck, thanks to you!”

          Curious about visiting Chitwan? Want to find your own Kris? Here’s a little info: Chitwan spans 980 square kilometers and has over 60 lodges! You can also visit the elephant breeding center, enjoy a bullock cart ride, or catch a traditional cultural performance.

          I can’t promise how many Kris’s you’ll meet, or if you’ll run into the same one as we did, but I hope your Kris is just as marvellous!