23 November 2014 On the road from Bandipur to Ooty

After we finished our dawn safari and had breakfast we packed up and had a short but interesting drive to Ooty which is high up in the Nilgri hills.  We had to climb 36 hairpin bends and we passed lots of broken down cars at the side of the narrow road.  In place we passed through some cloud and mist and then we would see a glimpse of the drop at the side of the road.

Shortly after we left Bandipur we went past some farmers with two teams of oxen getting ready to start ploughing.

It was a step road and we soon went though mist and clouds.

For all we were climbing up into the hills the landscape was still very lush and fertile.

Tending the vegetables in the fields near Ooty.

Getting near to Ooty.

Our chalet at the hotel in Ooty built in 1927, it was the one on the far left.

Bandipur dawn safari

Up very early to drive to the Bandipur National Park meeting point to join the dawn safari.  We probably saw larger numbers of animals on the dawn safari compared with the dusk safari.

 A Muntjac deer.

An elephant off to work in the forest.

Four day old baby elephant by the National Park meeting point.

There were large herds of deer at the side of the road eating the better grass.

Bull elephant peeping out of the bush as we went past.

No Tigers today but plenty of elephants.  Back to the hotel for breakfast and then off to Ooty later, not a long drive but we will climb up into the hills.

G D Thyagaraj - Indoor Market

I have been contacted this week by Sudeep who owns a Thyagaraj painting which he purchased in Old Delhi around 2004 he thinks it was framed in 1960.  Many thanks to Sudeep for contacting me and letting me add his painting to my blog.

Bandipur twilight safari

No sooner than when we arrived at our hotel in Bandipur called 'The Serai' we had to dash off to the National park office to join a twilight safari in an old bus like vehicle.  We saw a number of animals but no actual tigers.

Tiger country outside of the hotel looking towards the National Park.

There were quite a number of peacocks and peahens in the scrub land.

We saw a very big Indian Bison or 'Gaur' and several wild boar.

We saw an elephant in the distance hiding in the scrub and some monkeys.

There were large numbers of spotted deer and the closet we got to seeing a tiger was a pug (paw) print in the mud by a pool of water.

On the road to Bandipur - Part 2

We saw many great sights on the road to Bandipur some could have come straight out of a Paul Raj painting.

We saw oxen ploughing on the part of our journey and the view was not rare in this photo you can see two ploughmen at work, amazing!

There were many Banyan trees as well and I took plenty of photos not knowing if we would see such sights later on our trip.

A man with a bicycle had set up his stall selling coconuts under a large Banyan tree to benefit from the shade.

 

Herds of goats were also common place, this herd was just leaving the road heading for some green pasture.

This sign advised that we were now entering the National Park and should no longer stop and get out of the car because of a variety of wild animals.  We were booked in  for an evening safari so more to follow.

22 November 2014 on the road from Mysore to Bandipur

We set off on the morning of 22 November 2014 for Bandipur National Park, intending to go on a jeep safari and could even see a tiger.  Road got quiet the further away. from Mysore we travelled.

Fruit stall on the road to Bandipur.

Road due to be widened at some point but they were having to cut down the old Banyan trees.

Old hand cart.

Stopped to take some photos of this great bullock cart at the side of the road.

Bullock cart on the dual carriageway towing a third cow behind.

More from Mysore

Adding a few more photos from my visit to Mysore.

Sri Chamundeshwari Temple at the top of Chamundi Hill overlooking Mysore.

Another Big Bull part way down Chamundi Hill.

Coconut refreshment stall.

 

Another from Mysore Palace.