In Chitwan!

So, we have already been in Chitwan for about a week. We have seen a lot and done a lot. I will try to recap.

The trip down from Kathmandu was jarring and quickly became uncomfortable. Especially, because we had three people in the back seat. The driving in general in Nepal is sort of like a non-stop game of chicken. Everybody honks at everybody and no one really wants to slow down. The first portion of the drive was through Kathmandu to the only major road ("freeway") that goes across Nepal from east to west. That part of the drive was insanely crowded and the air quality was abysmal. But we finally made it through the congested city traffic and made it to more open roads. The only major interesting aspect of the trip down (it was down the whole way to Chitwan because Kathmandu is at about 4500 ft.) was the trucks that we saw constantly coming up from the Terai -- the lowlands of Nepal. The trucks were bringing up resources from the lowlands or Terai. But unlike our semis these trucks were brightly colored and had goofy sayings on them like "speed control" and just had a dash of uniqueness to each one.

We got down to the lowlands and drove through Narayanghar, the major city in the Chitwan district. Krishna, our guide, lives near there. Then we went straight to the Institute for Social and Environmental Research guesthouse. The guesthouse and ISER office stood out like a sore thumb from a mile away because it looked new and well kept and generally important. Most of the buildings that we had been passing up to that point were just small homes and shops. The premises of ISER are gated and they have gardens lining the inside of the property. We were greeted by our cook Bamdev and his cousin Rishi. They are the caretakers of the guesthouse. We had to take off our shoes when we entered the guesthouse and I must say that I have become a fan of that custom. First of all, the floors are marble like and super clean. It is refreshing to just slip off your sandals at the door and immediately walk on clean cool floor and then when you need to leave you can just quickly throw the sandals back on and be on your way. We were then taken up to our rooms. The rooms are fantastic especially given the standards of this poor area. We are definitely being well taken care off. Our room has a fan, closet, double bed, desk, and most importantly...a newly installed air conditioner. They had to get a separate generator to power the fans and air conditioners.

The very first thing we did was meet the people who work for ISER. These are local Nepali people who have been hired to conduct surveys, handle computer issues, and perform other tasks. The executive director, Dirgha, introduced us to everybody. It was awkward and a little uncomfortable but what are you to expect with the language and cultural divide. Plus, everybody in the room knows that the awkward feeling is temporary. In the meeting we briefly mentioned what are plans were while we were here. Then we went back to the guesthouse and got our bearings. I don't think I mentioned that our room also has a balcony. The first few minutes Jenna and I were in our room we stood on the balcony. It was a gorgeous late afternoon because a storm was coming in off the Mahabharat hills (foothills of the Himalayas). The storm came quickly, blew lots of wind, dropped a few rain drops, cooled the air, and left almost as quickly as it had come. Then we were beckoned for dinner. Bamdev and Rishi outdo themselves for every meal and our first was no exception. They catered to our every need and fed us like pigs. They prepare and serve all the dishes and then constantly ask if you want more food while you are eating. Joining Cynthia, Jenna, and I for our first meal was Dirgha and Krishna. The plan for us the next day was to just explore the study area of Western Chitwan and soak everything up. The study area is just north of the Chitwan National Park and rests in between the Narayani river (also National Park land) and the Barandibar forest that juts almost straight out of the Park. More on that later.