Thoughts from Bardia National Park

I’m swinging on a marvellous hammock here at the lodge of the Bardia National Park. I love hammocks. I have one at home, that my university friends gave me for my graduation. One of the best presents ever.

It’s getting dark and mosquitos are in full activity. Tomorrow at 6 am we leave for… Tansen? Can’t remember. I decided to go East, to enter India through Darjeeling.

Today hasn’t been the best day. Maybe because I didn’t have much to do. Or probably because I spent two hours doing the laundry, by hand. And I hate washing by hand. I think the washing machine is the best invention ever. I don’t need a dishwasher, I like doing the dishes, but I couldn’t live without a washing machine. I’ve decided it’s the last time I wash jeans by hand. And white t-shirts. It was a bad idea to bring white t-shirts. Colored t-shirt you can’t see the stain too much. In any case, the white ones are not that white anymore. They are yellow-brownish.

Anyway. Today for the first time I missed home. I missed a washing machine I think. And a yellow wall where I can hang my pictures. And being able to make myself a cup of tea whenever I feel like and having all the chocolate I want.

Then I read the Lonely Planet and the thought of all the cool places I’m going to see excited me. So I’m again thinking of what I could do to travel a bit longer. I’m not running out of money, but I would like to earn something while I’m here. Maybe I can find a job in India. Or I can come back to Nepal, where in 20 days I was offered two jobs. And I will ask my parents to come to see me in Varanasi for Christmas. That would be cool.

This afternoon I took a walk around the village. The most interesting moment was when I saw some girls fishing in the river. They were literally inside the water. Dressed. With some nets. And any tiny fish they caught was put in a basket that they carried on their head.

donne pescano al Bardia national park
Girls fishing in Bardia

Last night I woke up with rain dropping on my face. There was a strong storm, that usually when I am at home I love to listen to. I don’t know if the water was getting in from the window without glass or from the straw roof?

Ok, I’m giving up. These mosquitos are hungrier than me!