Woke up very early in the chilling cold. We had to leave early for Desert National Park. Gulped down a quick breakfast and then we were off. We reached the Park and had to wait for an hour for permission to enter the Park. We spent time admiring one goofy camel who was very pleased to pose for us and who showed us it's horrible teeth from all directions. What a treat! It was one useless conceited camel. I guess our visit brightened it's miserable life :)
We got permission to enter just the periphery of the park. A couple of friends and me broke off from the main group. We decided to explore the park on our own. We had an excellent time spotting Variable Wheatears, Isabelline Wheatear, Green Beaeater, Lesser Grey Shrike. Rufous Tailed Lark and one bird which we think is a Bustard! At one point while I was photographing a Wheatear, the Wheatear did something stunning. It looked at us over it's back, then flew straight at us, then stopped at around 4 feet in front of us, flapped it's wings in mid-air for around 15 seconds and then flew away towards our right. It was simply amazing to look at the bird from such close quarters. We both were so astonished that neither of us could remember to capture this sight. We just gazed with our mouths hung open stupidly. But now we think that's okay. Somethings are best left committed to the photographic mind than the camera; we somehow like to remember it better this way.
While leaving we were party to another fabulous sight. A chinkara bounded out of nowhere straight towards us. When it spotted us in hovered frightfully in the grass staring at us at a distancde of 100m. We too halted in our tracks. The chinkara moved it's head from side to side-it was evident that it was unsure about what to do next. It then leaped up and bounded away towards our right still maintaining a safe distance from us. After it reached the safety of some tall grass it again stopped and stared at us, we wondered if it's heart was beating as fast as ours...
Then we had nothing much to do but travel and travel. We were now on the route to Jaipur and we were supposed to cover Pushkar and Ajmer on the way. Akaal Fossil Park seemed to have been conveniently forgotten by the tour manger. It was a dull journey and everyone popped off to sleep. I was bored and went and sat in the front with the driver. The journey took on a whole new perspective now. The driver and his partner enthusiastically pointed out various sights to me, telling me stories about villages that we were passing by. They ordered me to stay put in the front for we were now to pass a stretch where chinkaras, deer, neelgais, sambars and peacocks adorn the road on either sides. This was a treat that I surely wasn't going to miss. We passed villages with delightful names- Dudhiya, Khara, Sujasar, Bithari were just a few. Amritsar was 690 km away and the road was beautiful. This was NH-15 and I was loving every moment of it. Later we paused for a break at Pokaran and after half hour resumed the journey again. I was now joined by a couple of my friends. The drivers swore now that the promised treat lay just a few metres ahead. We rounded a bend and then we lay eyes on a huge flock of birds that I don't know-but the sight was amazing just the same. They flew all over the bus wildly flapping their wings in desperation. Next we spotted numerous lapwings, doves and chinkaras strewn all over the landscape-not too often but not too seldom either. Night was falling rapidly now, the trees formed an arch over the road and lay standing next to each other as if they were holding hands and welcoming us. One lone cyclist on he road huddled rapidly to the side when he saw the bus approaching. The trees started turning thorny and straggly when without warning a Neelgai appeared on the side of the road. It was very dark now and the Neelgai stood strangely quiet looking at us while we looked at it. It didn't move a muscle and just stood waiting for a cue. Even when the cameras flashed it didn't move and finally the driver had to make the first move of revving up the bus. The Neelgai then just turned nonchalantly and walked back into the woods. I was enjoying myself thoroughly, the wind was blowing my hair across my face and I could feel a slight chill but I didn't care. It was an incredible feeling. I knew that I would have to pay for this joy later-I fell ill terribly after this foolhardy action of mine.
We then went back and started a song singing routine in full swing. Amitabh Bachchan's songs ruled that night and it felt that the night ought to go on for ever. Half the bus joined in and we truly had an enjoyable time. I screamed so much that finally I felt my throat give away. Now I had really fallen ill. We then stopped at one stinky dhaba, had a quick dinner and were then again on our way. Reached our destination again late in the night and immediately fell onto the bed.
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