Canoeing on the Budhi Rapti River
As soon as we arrive in the national park, we already start our adventure. Today it should be a canoe trip with a traditional wooden boat, which is not much bigger than a peanut. In principle, it’s always a good idea when crocodiles are waiting for falling food on the riverbank.
In the afternoon we start with our Swiss friends in a minivan towards the river and everyone is happy and cheerful. But when we arrive at the scene, the mood changes abruptly, because about 600 Chinese have arrived with us. By the way, there are Chinese in exactly 2 categories: Loud and extra loud. So not at all what the Europeans imagine a comfortable canoe trip. We are more of a „silent and enjoy“ type.
For a while we stand at the river bank hoping that the Chinese will soon set sail and we will have our peace. Unfortunately our hopes are in vain, because soon a whole coach full of communist friends will appear at the jetty. To make matters worse, they are no quieter than their colleagues, who hopefully will soon leave the river bank.
Glimmer of hope number two comes up: Maybe we will only get one boat for the five of us, after all, we have booked individual tourism, so I expect European peace! And finally you have to be lucky sometime! But that is not the case either. Unfortunately, too many people are waiting for their canoe trip on the shore today, so we have to share a boat with other people, whether we like it or not. At least in our boat, Europe wins over China, because all the Chinese are silent to the point, which is probably because I look at all the passengers with punishment beforehand and I am prepared to throw everyone to the crocodiles at the slightest noise.
Unfortunately, the noise level in the nutshell in front of us is so high that it is probably enough to scare away every animal 100 kilometres away. Meanwhile, Germany and Switzerland are on the verge of becoming allies and starting a naval war with China. In any case, I have already unpacked my cannon in the form of a corresponding facial expression. When we finally overtake the Chinese party boat and a lady in a coneflower points her camera at me to probably photograph my long nose, I seriously wonder if I will soon become famous in China. I don’t think anyone’s ever seen such an evil-looking German there!
When we finally overhauled the party boat, I am almost surprised that we were not shot at with confetti guns. To our great joy there is now wonderful silence! We can enjoy our river cruise in peace and quiet and are rewarded with lots of crocodiles lying either on the shore and probably waiting for loud Chinese as a welcome evening meal or we see them swimming just a few meters away from our boat. Only thanks to our guide, who really has a good eye, one can recognise them. If you don’t look closely, you can quickly confuse the head looking out of the water with the vegetables that are swimming around here.
On the shore we see beautiful Kingfisher birds in shining blue and from time to time also a bee-eater. Wonderful! I could keep driving like this for hours.
When we also see macaques running around on a washed branch on the shore, I could squeal with joy. So cute the little ones! Much too fast the boat tour is over and we arrive at the stop. The Swiss think: Let’s start again from the beginning and then in noiselessly. They’re right!
Continue: Safari in Chittwan National Park