Sundarban day one

This has been the most photographed day yet, apart from wedding, but the update will have none, or at best very few. We're in a rather lovely hotel in the middle of the Sundarban forest, mobile signal is very poor and there is no WiFi - pretty much a first for our trip.
Our house crow joined us for breakfast, took a biscuit from us to the adjacent rooftop and abandoned it; felt like it was just being polite by accepting! 

To get to the edge of the Sundarbans is at least a 3 hour drive; we did it in 2.5. I think this was the fastest, most aggressive and selfish driver we've had, with horn rarely inactive and many cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers had to take evasive measures. Just awful - frightening for others and embarrassing. I found myself wishing we could have a small accident without hurting anyone so we might transfer to another car and driver.

The city gradually gives way to quarrying, agriculture, brick-making and, eventually, the delta from Kolkata centre through Canning and to Gadkhali ferry ghat. There are local ferries plying the waters and many tour boats. Ours weighed anchor and picked us up from one of the ghats.
There's a political rally by bike going on here

It's hard to believe we have the boat to ourselves, with one of the crew cooking, and a guide. 

Though the Sundarbans are famous for tigers, they are not routinely seen. The closest we came was identifying paw prints in the mud, as the tide was rising by then it would have been on that shore within the past few hours.

We did see plenty of birds, including five different species of kingfisher, egrets, various waders, a solitary goose and an eagle. 

There were monkeys on the shoreline feeding on jellyfish (though one swam out to collect a bunch of bananas floating past), deer, and, in a pond we saw at a stopping point, monitor lizards swimming to feed on fish. 

The boat has a covered deck, though the sun hasn't emerged through cloud today, and some bunks underneath; both of us had to have a nap. 

Around 4.30 we pulled up at the hotel ghat and checked in. Lovely place - cottages around a pond. We sat out for a while reading (and trying to sort photos!) before supper at 7.00, eaten in front of the TV with women's cricket showing. Lovely curries, dall and roti.



We've a 7.30 start in the morning - we'll not be late for bed, but I suspect will need a nap again through the day. 

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