Destination: Thekkady
It has been 19 long years since my last visit to Thekkady, back then I had completed my tenth and was spending my holidays at home. All through my schooling was in a boarding school and so actually this was my first outing and with no parents accompanying and in the company of friends it was really a worthwhile experience. One thing as I turned from Kumily town which surprised me was the change that time had brought.
With lots of tourist coming to Thekkady, the route to the lake is peppered with massage parlours, spice shops, gift shops and also new restaurants. Most of the shops enroute had been closed, I think this is because that there aren’t much tourists coming there after the boat tragedy. We proceeded further when we were stopped by the guard who was asking for an entrance fee. Though earlier I didn’t pay and fee then I thought he was pulling a fast one so I asked him how much, Rs.25 per adult and Rs.50 for the vehicle. I felt something fishy and I asked him will they give me receipt for it, yes he will. I alight from the vehicle and proceed to pay the amount and I give him the money and through the glass I see him making entries into a computer (now that was really a surprise) and he comes back giving me a receipt for the amount.
He informs me that there aren’t much tourists around and so I am advised to proceed with extra caution and avoid sounding the horn. As soon as I walk back to the car, a person comes and asks me, Saar, You want room? No , I am not staying. Then he starts speaking in Malayalam , Saar , good room with AC ( wondering why? Its cool in Kumily), No please, then he comes out with the ultimate trump card, at half the cost and also with beautiful company!!!!!. I told him that I have come with family and asked him scamp off before I create a commotion. Soorrry Saar!. I spot the same guy sitting and discussing with another of his prospective customer on my return to the same place.
![Shockked](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/Shockked.png)
( Sorry mods, I just wanted to show a touch of reality that is seen at most tourist locations)
Well the drive thorough the forest was wonderful, sad that we missed the camera. I was driving very slowly on the lookout for any animals, when my wife suddenly shouted, Buffalo! Wild Buffalo, I immediately applied breaks and looked. Yes there were a couple near the water but I was really sad to see that they were domesticated ones. Wrong call.
I drove down to the area of lake. I was really surprised to see virtually no tourists there except for a forest guard , an innova and jeep. As I alight from the vehicle along with my family to move towards the lake, wifey informs me that its nappy changing time for the kid and asks me to open the boot to take his bag. I open the boot and lift the bag when I felt something on one side of the bag, I thought she must have stuffed something in the bag. I opened it to find out that its my second camera which was left in the bag after we had stopped using it when the new one, the SLR version was purchased, infact it was lost. There were signs of cheer and I checked the power of the cells, low bat, not even switching on. I knew that there were a couple of batteries in the car which I had purchased for changing for the TV remote, which I kept forgetting. Found them and changed them , wow it works, opened the same and took a couple of pictures and its working fine. I am happy atleast something is always better than something.
As I move around and stretch myself, I look around and find that I am not alone and I look I see a whole gang on monkeys of different sizes coming. The forest guard rushes to inform me asking me to raise the glass and lock the vehicle and also not to take any food materials incase if your planning on having something. I knew that when someone informs something like this it is for the good. Believe me it was good, I rushed up and closed the windows, very soon the monkeys surrounded the car and were looking at us with a very distant look. I moved away to my family who were now walking towards the lake. I turned back to see that the monkeys had entered into the Innova of another family who had come in before us, the driver must have been new, before I could warn the driver or shoo the monkey, they scramped away with plastic bag, it had all the goodies, and there followed a troop behind the smart thief.
The forest guard informed nothing can be done as the driver was told earlier itself. He says that off late there are no tourists here and at times if someone is eating something in front of the monkey the monkey would snatch it from them and also bite and scratch. The root cause of this is tourists who don’t abide by the rules written around, to not to feed the monkey.
MODS please delete the previous posting was not able to edit it after the posting was done.Thank you!