Brave paraplegic

Down to the Sunderbans on a two day tour – forested islands edged with mangrove that have had sea walls built around them and agricultural land developed from marshy interiors.  There is a huge tiger reserve – biggest in the country but only 105 tigers so probably no chance of seeing one.  I left Calcutta at 8 with a group of 14 German tourists and 10 Indians.  Had a fantastic seat in the front of the bus but was hoiked off and put in a car with two Germans as the Indians played up and only wanted to sit on the left side of the bus and the car was going anyway.  It took 3 ½ hours  - first negotiating south Calcutta and then going through busy villages with markets spilling from the sides of the road and making it very slow going through the pedestrians.  There were lots of monsoon filled ponds which are now used to irrigate paddy fields which were sprouting green and strong – amazing to think they are still planted by hand after being started off in nursery plots. Many of the houses were coated in mud and had rice thatched roofs and some were built round courtyards containing animal sheds too.  Eventually we reached a jetty where we climbed aboard a boat that took us meandering through the wide estuaries with the mangroves lying exposed on the muddy edges as the tide was only just coming in. We docked two hours later at the hopefully named Tiger Camp but as we had seen earlier, on the huge island that contains the tigers, a netting fence had been erected for many kilometres wherever there were villages or farms on the opposite bank.  Tigers can’t jump but they swim incredibly well and they do like to vary their diet of deer and wild boar with a tasty bit of man. These particular tigers have adapted to drinking brackish water and the locals are very proud to have them but the last sighting was over a week ago.
After I was given a 4 bedded hut to sleep in all on my own we all had lunch and then the  Indians went off in the boat again but I joined the Germans for a walk in the local village where I managed to be invited into three different courtyards and sit and talk with the owners.  My picture is of a girl who had had an accident and broken her lower back – she was in such pain and I gathered nothing could be done to help.  She was lying on her tummy in the garden with her family all around her whilst her husband was working hard making bundles of thatch – the old parents had to be supported by him as well as three more siblings.  The village folk have got used to having tourists poking their noses into their affairs every day but the children asked for sweets and many just looked at us and giggled.  But I was soon far behind the others because they stayed with their guide and I wanted to talk. The man I have put on the buzzywigs portfolio site was the maker of idols for the festivals – a rather sensitive Krishnamurti kind of face I think.  There was a long boat filled with bricks lying in a creek which was being emptied by coolies carrying bowls of bricks on their heads and walking down a gangway plank to the shore – I managed to halt all proceedings when I photographed one and then they all wanted to be taken, even the big boss!  The day ended with a song and dancing routine to drums from some beautiful girls and another delicious meal. No Wifi here but will attempt tomorrow night while waiting for my train.  PICASA HERE NOW