Chili and elephants

Today, hurrah, we had a lie in and time for a proper breakfast..Steve tried some Indian breakfast delicacies..then we were picked up by Vijay and Gopal in the A Rocha jeep, so we were five as Prem also joined us for the day. We headed off out of town collecting foodstuffs on the way: bananas, water melon, bitter gourd and some elevenses biscuits which turned out to be savoury and spicy. Fascinating sights all the way until finally we turned off the road and arrived at A Rocha India Field Centre. The lady who keeps the place was very emotional when she saw Vijay, as he doesn't get there very often. We dropped off all the food we had take so she could make lunch for us later...unfortunately Vijay had literally dropped the eggs en route which turned out NOT to have been hard-boiled - so scrambled for lunch...

From there Gopal drove us to the farm of good friends of A Rocha India, a second-generation Christian family, who support the work they do enthusiastically. They have allowed A Rocha to try out their Chili Rope which they are using to discourage elephants from the nearby Bannerghatta National Park entering and destroying their crops. Francis, the farmer, met us and showed us his fields and the rope as well as bits of land where elephants had got in. He is a delightful man and took us to his house where his wife served us with sweet coconut milk from the shell followed by the flesh, then freshly boiled and delicious sweet corn cobs ...and on top of all that some papaya.....wonderful...then they insisted on giving the others corn cobs and eggs to take home..

As our courtesy call with the Park Directors was postponed till tomorrow we went back and chilled at the centre, managed to eat the wonderful lunch prepared for us and relaxed....and then just as we were thinking to go back to town, the appointment was reinstated. It was good to meet the Director and his assistant, both of whom are very supportive of Vijay and the work they do. Apparently they pay compensation if the elephants damage the crops so whilst the chili rope does the business some prefer elephant visitations and the compensation! There is a plan for tomorrow for us to go and visit the park so that should be great....