Sunderbans

We went on a trip to the Sunderbans over Christmas.

A colleague was so nice to arrange it all for us, there were eleven of us: one single colleague, one couple, a family of five (adult children) and the teacher of the Dutch school. A nicely balanced group, as we say in Dutch 'gezellig'.

The Sunderbans is the biggest mangrove forest in the world and protected area. Only a handful of people are allowed to live there. There are a few men who collect honey there and there are some men who cut grass there. Cultivation is prohibited, but the struggle between men and nature is big. The main attraction is the peacefulness in the ever so crowded country. There are a few tigers, latest guess is about 200. The Sunderbans is one third in India and two thirds in Bangladesh.

Christmas eve we took the plane to Jessore, to go by mini-bus to Kulhna. In Kulhna we had to travel the last part by  'easy taxi'. The easy taxi is an electrical rikshaw, more comfortable because it is electrical and can't go super fast and you have a bit of legspace. See photo below.

The photos are not in chronological order, but that's not really relevant.

 Arty photo of tree roots

 Arty photo of the sunset in the ball on the tip of the boat.

 

 These barges transport the grass

Beach

 Spot the bird of prey.

Again, spot the bird of prey in the middle of the photo.

 Bird group cuddle.

Boat-train.

A few times we take a tour in a smaller canal by two smaller boats.

 Dear prints in the mud. It is rather sticky clay.

Kuhlna ferries. As you can see, there are public boats (very full) and private ones, and some in between.

 A typical boat, mostly used for fishing. Small with a half circle for shelter.

Funny looking star shaped fruit on a tree.

 These men work for one month in the grasslands to cut the grass which is transported by boat all over the country. They earn about 100 euro in this month, which is well paid for unskilled work.

 Sunset. The jetty brings you to a compound for the preservation people and visitors.

 Kingfisher (ijsvogel)

A typical view. Mud with roots sticking out for air. Rather dense forest.

Monkeys, the deer often follow them to eat the leaves they drop. Monkeys are fussy eaters and eat only the nice parts of the leaves and then drop them. As there is little growing on the ground, this is welcomed by the deer. Above all the monkey spot tigers earlier than deer.

 You can clearly see how high the water can get.

Fishermen preparing some sort of traps.

 Our protection, we feel much safer now with Rambo on our side with an antique gun.

 Our shadows, aren't we arty?

 The small boats used for docking and smaller canals.

TIGER, we saw one, rather unique. The guide spotted two in the last 10 years. Unfortunately he didn't hang around long.

This is the boat we were on. Upperdeck is open and therefore in December cold. Middle deck is where the cabins are about 12 of them with bunkbeds. Below deck a kitchen, staff quarters and dining/ communal area. Much warmer, so there is where we spend the evenings.

 Doesn't seem the best place to do the washing.

The spelling of the cabins was mostly wrong, ours was the only right one therefore a photos of Gerben's cabin.

Took me a while to notice the spelling.


We went back the same way we came; easy taxi, airport shuttle, plane, car home. It was a lovely trip, but we were glad to see our warm shower.

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