Chitwan, Nepal - In the jungle..the mighty jungle..Pinky Cali roars...lalalalala!!!

Sapana village lodge eta 12 noon :)

6am wake up in KTM, pack the baggage and items to be shipped home. Pack a separate  backpack for chitwan national park. AKA-jungle. One backpack for two= One computer, Two bAthing suits, 1 pant, 1 short, 2 long sleeve shirts, two sunglasses,  a pill case, night cream, deodorant, two masks, one battery operated fan with squirt power! Oh dont forget the bug spray and antibiotics! And an extra box if potassium! For u  know who!

It was time for relaxation. So mom, Bir and I headed For Chitwan National Park, Chitwan, Nepal.

We decided to upscale our travel arrangements and arrived via small airplane rather than sit on top of the "goat bus" and ride to the jungle. After all, Dad is in Hawaii!
Our Added cost...$224 cash. (2 foreigners 1 local)Round trip :)
Thanks to My Sahti, Bir, and his connections :)

Namaste Sapana Village Lodge!!!

While mom recuperated, at near sea level altitude and no more need for oxygen assistance or Diomox medication, Bir and I explored the jungle.

As a local Nepali, Elected Offical, District President of Kathmandu Valley, Coordinator and past President of the trekking & rafting (and etc) labor union, we had a secret agenda to accomplish.
We headed out via bicycle to speak with local villagers. I learned a lot about the Village people even more about my old friend Bir.

Bir has always been a kind and sincere soul. And an extremely humble man. The life he has lead should be a true inspiration for all humanity.

Mom says I love Nepal so much because of Bir.

I am encouraging Bir to fulfill his dream of publishing memoirs of his remarkable life and his rising to the top. Perhaps, my next visit will include a laptop to preserve his moments on the road. I hope to return to Nepal to help install a leach field in his home village where no sewer system exists. After we raise money for the material he will gather free labor from villagers to complete our project! I am excited and enjoy dedicating myself to this kind of work! It is soul filling :)

Mom was nursed back to health again. Resting in the beauty of the snow capped Himalayas glistening in the distance. Who wouldnt be healed!
She enjoyed long naps, cold beer and fresh Dal Baht!
Mom visited our neighbor daily. Her name is Chimmy Cali. Another Cali! Apparently, all elephants in Chitwan have the last name of Cali. Our Cali elephant resided a few feet away from our bungalow.

At night Bir and I would walk down to the home of the trainer. He lived steps away from Cali in a little shack beside her. He would prepare the 100 kilos of food everyday. He would take freshly harvest grass, wrap it into a circle like a bowl and fill it with grain. He tucked it over and tied rice grass around the clippings to make a snack.
The elephant could tell the difference from a snack that was made today and one that was made yesterday. Cali would throw back the old food and request a freshly made treat. How smart is that?

Activities we enjoyed at Sapana Village:
(our fun will be detailed with pictures added shortly)
Jungle Safari on Elephant back with Pinky Cali
Tharu Cultural Village Stick Dancing
Elephant Bathing with our neighbor Chimmy Cali
Bicycling through the Village
Exploring and Hiking Chitwan
Canoeing the Jungle River
Elephant Breeding Center
Doing absolutely nothing!