Our thoughts were as scattered as the clouds on a cloudy morning. We drove out of Bangalore to travel to the Dubare Elephant Camp located near Madikeri. After a hearty breakfast at the Kamath Lokaruchi Janapadaloka hotel, we continued our journey, enjoying the weather and the scenic countryside. We marveled at Nature and its various moods – from sunny to cloudy, a slight drizzle here and bright sunshine there... That day we saw it all!
We reached the camp a little before noon. We were asked to park our vehicle in the camp’s parking space, and then climb onto a boat that would take us to the camp on the other side of the river. We were surprised at this arrangement! The boat gracefully cut through the water of the river. The cool breeze over the river, combined with the melody of the flowing water was a balm for the city-weary souls.
After reaching the camp, we decided to look at our rooms and rest for a while. The cottages were awesome – log houses – with a hall, a big room, a huge bed, comfortable sofas, and windows. The cottages boarded the river, and yes, there were hammocks along this board just outside the room. Every cottage has a sit-out, opening to the river. How cool is that!
The lunch was served hot at the dining hall made of wooden logs. The coals under the food trays kept the food warm on a rainy day. We were all hungry, and I (Asha) was shivering too due to fever. The heat from the charcoal warmed me; however, it was fun to see and hear my teeth chatter like a sewing machine.
After lunch, we lazily walked around, and later the guide took us for a walk in the woods along the riverside. The trees stood royally like pillars of a palace but no laid paths to this palace. We entered this palace like kings and queens, following our guide who made the pathway for us! It was mesmerizing to see the sunlight squeeze its way to the denser parts of the wood. Away from pollution, noise, and stress, this indeed was our own private palace. And, Ram and I were falling in love, again… Night fell like a heavy curtain on our sleepy eyes. We sat by the fire for a few minutes, and later retired in silence. Oh that precious silence!
The next morning, our guide knocked on the door to take us for safari. Due to the rains, we opted to stay indoors. We slept – sleep being such a rare commodity. After a lazy breakfast, we went to the river to see the elephants. One after another the elephants along with its mahout walked into the river, the elephants got a nice scrub and bath, and definitely, had a lot of spectators!
We were amazed at how the elephants enjoyed its bath. The dirt and mud on its back fell off into the river. As the mahout scrubbed its skin, the elephant regained its lovely original color. Oh, the elephants played in the water; they twisted the trunks, sat-rolled-fell-slept in the water! I do not think we enjoy our baths as much. We also touched one elephant and clicked photos with it.
What a soothing effect the elephants and the environment had on us! This trip helped us build and strengthen our relationship, and also de-stress completely. When the boat took us back to the parking space, we let the melodies of birds and the river fill us; the raindrops seemed like blessings for our future. With sweet memories in us, we were ready for the city life again. Eeks, the noise, the traffic, the stress, and the pollution!
For more information, see:
1) Dubare – http://www.junglelodges.com/V2/Dubare.htm
2) Madikeri – http://www.madikeri.com/
3) Kamath Lokaruchi Janapadaloka – http://www.kamatyatri.in/Locations.asp?id=12
Make a trip to this place and let us know if you liked it.
Keep traveling!
Regards,
Asha Ram
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