EC-Rider Travels

Another amazing and somewhat surprising day. At midday, Sandeep arrived for lunch and to take me somewhere where I could go for a ride. Just as we were leaving a bison passed the front gate which was quite a surprise, particularly for dear George the gateman.

They are HUGE and George is not! So we let it pass and Sandeep and I headed off down a very steep road which only registered locals are allowed to use, as it is so dangerous. As we started down the descent we noticed a Hindu festival taking place in one of the villages. Sandeep asked if I would like to have a look. Slightly embarrassed that this might be an imposition, I was suddenly taken by the hand, a garland of flowers put around my neck and I was dancing with one of the elders of the village. It seemed to be only men dancing with the women, looking on in their beautiful brightly coloured saris. They must have been quite surprised to see this rather large bottomed, jean clad westerner attempting to follow their dance routine. Needless to say, I was only quite good, and the young girls soon joined in to show me how it should be done. What a privilege to have been a part of it.

Sandeep explained that these were the Badagas, a community living throughout the Nigiri district of Tamil Nadu. They escaped to the mountains to avoid Muslim persecution and live in about 400 villages, called Hattis, with their own Badaga language and customs.

We continued on our way, Sandeep expertly negotiating 36 hairpin bends on the steep decent to the valley below. I had not appreciated that where we were going, was almost an hour away and Sandeep was giving up another whole day for me…. just so kind. We eventually got to the bottom of the mountain and took a very bumpy, dirt road across the plains, seeing spotty deer and langur monkeys and a lot of elephant poo! After about ten minutes we came to Nigel and Ilona Otter’s Hill View Farm Refuge.

Ilona is Finnish and a well respected vet and her Indian husband, Nigel, has dedicated his life to rescuing animals. You have never seen so many: cats, dogs, with varying numbers of legs and eyes; ponies; horses; goats rescued from a circus; extraordinarily long-legged sheep; a herd of buffalo and more donkeys than you can imagine. Including six identically aged foals, as unfortunately the castration of one of the Jacks had not been as successful as they thought! So sweet, all running around loose together, so calm, loving human contact and looking so well. Nigel thinks he has about 300 at the moment, but is never quite sure.

Sandeep had arranged for me to go for a ride with Ilona, so off we went, with Sandeep and Nigel at our side, plus a stable boy and six dogs with 22 legs and eleven eyes between then. The farm is close to one of the elephant trails so there is a constant worry that they will come into the farm. There was much evidence that they had been nearby; leopard tiger and wild boar too – but sadly, for me, not today. Protecting and feeding all these animals is a huge and expensive task – a truly inspirational couple.

We returned to Glyngarth for my last delicious dinner cooked by Lawrence. Sandeep joined us and we had another lively evening. I can’t believe it is my last night, in this unbelievably comfortable house, I will be so sad to leave tomorrow …. have you heard that before?!