The next stage of our Nepal journey was very different and equally memorable to our time in Kathmandu. We traveled to a lovely town called Sauraha that sits on the border of Chitwan National Park.

Sauraha is the main entry point to Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for incredible biodiversity and conservation efforts. The park covers 932 square kilometers of pristine wilderness and is home to a multitude of flora and fauna…rhinoceros, Bengal tigers, two kinds of crocodiles, spotted deer, elephants and over 500 species of birds.

Quite different than the austere accommodations at the monastery, we had more cozy rooms and lush grounds at KC’s Restaurant & Home (hotel) that sits smack in the middle of the main road in Sauraha. The grounds are replete with gorgeous flowers and local animal carvings, and the restaurant on the premises served very yummy local dishes…along with my favorite ginger/lemon/honey tea.

The first morning we took a walk next door to another hotel where Laura had a friend and as we strolled the garden there, we came upon a sleeping rhino! Yep, a wild rhino just taking a snooze in the middle of the hotel grounds. He’d apparently walked over from the nearby jungle. We were that close to wildlife. Of course we were warned to just let him sleep. We did.

We took a walk into part of the park where elephants are captured, chained up, fed and put to work in the park – sometimes gather building materials and sometimes working with guards protecting the border with India. We all had very mixed emotions seeing this. While these elephants were being fed and protected from use by local hotels and vendors cashing in on the novelty of riding an elephant, they were bound and unable to roam freely as they would in the jungle. This is a complex issue in Nepal and we learned about various animal conservation efforts (including elephants) later in the trip…You’ll have to keep reading!

By happenstance, I was down by the river later in the morning and came upon two adult elephants and their handlers in the water beginning some sort of a cleaning & bathing process – I was invited to come help…and at the same time sit on top of the elephant. There was no way I was not going to experience this. I waded into the river. with the help of the handler, and before I knew it, I was sitting on top of a large female elephant. She stood up, and it became clear that she was busy washing herself – and in the process washing me!

After a number of trunksful of large sprays from this sweet large animal, I was soaked and very happy. Honestly, there really wasn’t anything frightening about it. It was clear that the handlers knew what they were doing, and the elephants were going about their business getting themselves wet in the heat of the day. It was explained to us that the handler’s yelling at the elephants was not cruelty, but rather how they communicated what they needed them to do. Once down off the elephant I was given a smooth large stone so that I could help clean the elephant – along the way I thanked the elephant for her patience with me, but I’m not sure she understood.

A few of us took a walk in the early afternoon through a neighborhood, mostly inhabited by people from the Tharu community. This is one of the largest ethnic groups in Nepal, with an estimated population of about 1.5 million in Nepal and around 170,000 in India. They predominantly inhabit the Terai region, which stretches along the southern border of Nepal and into parts of northern India. As primitive as their dwellings were, there were many that were in the process of renovation, many in bright colors and multiple stories. In the neighborhood, someone or the government funded painting benches along the main road with colorful depictions of local animals. There was even one of elephants playing soccer.

At one point, Tara pulled out some balls, pens, and some other little trinkets that she’d brought to donate locally. At first there were two boys, then more than a half a dozen children that came running up, asking to receive something. They were gladly given something, but apparently it is not in the culture to say thank you. When coaxed, they said Namaste, but they were really too busy running around with their new gifts. The only thing I can think of given the polite and well-mannered behavior of people we’ve met is that “thank you” may not be necessary perhaps because of the underlying belief that we share everything since it is G-d given….

After a couple of miles of leisurely walking in what was very hot weather, we stopped to have Chiya, or milk tea, and some local pastry at a coffee shop that Laura and Julia know well. A 10-year-old boy was our server, the son of the owner. What a bright and industrious young man! He did a great job of taking our order, bringing pastries, cleaning, and setting up the table, and doing all the preparation around serving tea. That his mother took care of as I assume carrying a tray of hot liquid by a 10-year-old might not be such a good idea.

After that break, we did a bit of shopping in the local stalls, and I was able to buy a few pairs of locally made and colorful pants for various family members, including myself. I even found the cutest pair of red embroidered pants for Zoe.

We had dinner at a lovely café nearby the hotel and then walked over to the Tharu Cultural center to see a colorful performance of dances tied to various festivals and seasons of the year. I was amazed that the vast majority of audience members were locals. This show is done nightly in the center of Sauraha and from the enthusiasm for the performers it was clear that the tribal themes and traditions reflected in the dances had deep meaning and familiarity for the people attending.

One of the most delightful numbers was the “peacock dance”. Here’s a small sample – enjoy!