Corbett National Park and Nainital

15th Feb 2007, Room No. 14, Old Hostel, IIFT:

Plans are being finalized for the Jim Corbett trip. Due to the sudden addition of the occupants of rooms 13 and 14, the possibility of so many people getting accommodation inside the park rapidly declined.

16th Feb 2007, 12.30 p.m., outside acad block, IIFT:

Two Qualises are waiting and we happily load our luggage and set off, music blaring loudly. After Ghaziabad, the excitement tones down, as people take their turns sleeping.

6.30. p.m. : Authentic Punjabi pre-dinner meal at a famous dhabha.
8.30 p.m. : Saurabh’s brother swapped for Harry in the girls' qualis. Antyakshari is on and Harry brings entertainment to the party with his “mein samudar mein”, sung in his peculiar style.
9.30 p.m. : Ramnagar reached.
10.00 p.m. : We reach Jim Corbett Park. Home-like-food for dinner at the forest bungalow.

17th Feb 2007, Forest Bungalow, Jim Corbett Park:

4.30 a.m. : Wake up, get ready.
5.30 a.m. : The man who promised passes the previous night is untraceable .
7.00 a.m. : Search abandoned, other plans made.
7.30 a.m. : Short walk with Deepa.
8.30 a.m. : Off to the temple in the middle of the river .
9.00 a.m. : Encounter with the lunatic sporting a gun, with a friend's giggles augumenting the danger element of this adventure.
9.30 a.m. : On our way to Corbett falls .
10.00 a.m.: Thick vegetation, rainforest ambience, I walk faster than the group, only to be slowed by the loud shouts of a large group near the falls. As the vegetation clears, I see PC clicking a snap of CP. Wow, the noisy group is none other than Placecom + PC.
1.00 p.m. : Videos for the UP election campaign are being shot. Quick lunch and then we’re off to the safari on the gypsies. The other IIFT group is already there, donning caps and goggles.
Till 5.30 p.m. : We spot Cheetal, Barking deer, Porcupine and dung of a wild tusker. Spend some time on the watch tower and return to the bungalow.
6.00 p.m. : Both the drivers missing. Hunt on.
7.00 p.m. : Both appear drunk and we try to guess who is more sober of the two. Off to Nainital

17th Feb 2007, Enroute Nainital:

7.30 p.m. : Safer route closed due to snowfall. We risk taking the steeper route.
8.00 p.m. : The other qualis pulls off the road suddenly. Reason – overheating. The same repeats four or five times in quick succession.
8.45 p.m. : The climb almost finished, millions of starts in the sky, patches of snow on either sides of the road.
11.00 p.m. : Bitter cold although the hotel room is paneled in wood.

18th Feb 2007, Lawn facing the Lake, Hotel Rose Star, Nainital:

7.00 a.m. : Short walk, hot chocolate and John Grisham’s The Summons.
10.00 a.m. : On the rope car, photo sessions at snow point
12.30 p.m. : Pedal Boating, dockie paddles hard and smokes harder.
2.00 p.m. : Placecom spotted again, Sumit hosts lunch at the fabulous boat club of Nainital.
5.30 p.m. : Candles bought, off to Delhi.