The unplanned delights of our final Guwahati day

February 29, 2024

0600 - ubiquitous Uber to Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. The driver didn't really know where he was going and I'd just guessed an entry point from Google Maps. As the road became track became path he left us walking past the final few dwellings before the park. One lady gave us a beautiful smile and good morning, and confirmed that we were heading into the park so "be careful of wild animals".

At nearly 80 square kilometers we barely crossed the boundary, and certainly didn't see any of the big cats and elephants that make it famous, but we did finally get to walk away from any other people while serenaded by early morning birds - even saw a fair number of them, but beyond herons and egrets we could name very few. The path crossed a few streams and at the first I slipped off a stepping stone; it was rather liberating to stop worrying and just wade through and I'm sure being alongside helped Jen stay dry-footed.

As the path dwindled and steepened we slowed and eventually turned around.

Essentially the sign warns against illegal logging or housebuilding

Some beautiful trees of many types

This weird temple or shrine was just before the first stream crossing. There was a fair amount of rubbish around this point, but beyond the beck very little

As we left the forest we studied a sign on the closest house describing a music teacher, including harmonium, the instrument Jenny plays with Login's Well. "Come in" welcomed the beautiful-smiled lady, and we were quickly installed in the porch chatting with Bobby and her husband, Pramal, who was the musician.

What a lovely time! Pramal played, Jen had a go, we chatted, were given scarves, and simply were made to feel very privileged. Next time we're in Guwahati we must stay with them, and of course ditto for Orkney. If we have any problem while we're here, just call and they'll sort it out for us. I'm sure we'd be there still if Pramal hadn't needed to go to work as a school inspector. The first unplanned delight of the day, and not yet 0900.

Getting an Uber back was more difficult than the outward trip; we walked a mile or so to the main road and tried again successfully. There were macaques living in the village which seemed very placid - we've been attacked on previous visits to India.

We whiled away a few hours with napping and making drinks with lemons from our host's garden.

Yes, it is a lemon, apparently

Around 4.00 this afternoon we visited a riverside park. Very new and formal, many younger people promenading. Views across the river with the sun setting were very special.

Bairn dressed for Guwahati or Orkney?

This is probably the boat we should have been on yesterday

One lady was very keen to take our photo

I didn't manage to photograph the second unplanned delight: I saw a Ganges River Dolphin. These rare animals used to be common across the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Hooghly system but there are now only a few hundred.

Keen not to miss the local laundryman who had a load of our clothes we collected them before eating at the Lily hotel close by. Our most expensive meal so far (about equivalent to fish, chips and mushy peas at home) set a new standard. Of course, we'd ordered too much.