On road to meet the one horned rhino: At Kaziranga!

The next morning, we woke up around 6, and went for a walk in the nearby woods. Thereafter we were done with a happy breakfast of fruits, aloo parathas, Kellogg's Chocos and coffee. After our fill, we left for the famous National Orchid & Biodiversity Park. Known as the largest orchid park in the entire north east India, the park has more than 500 varieties of orchids, and diverse species of bamboo and other plants. There's also a medicinal plant garden, and a museum that showcases the rural life in #Assam . Further, it also has a kitchen that serves basic ethnic cuisine, comprising of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. The park also hosts a cultural show, that portrays the different dance forms of the tribes in the state. Not to forget the little cactus garden that is located near to the kitchen. For those, who seem to be tired and exhausted touring the park, can also sip from seasonal fresh fruit juices, served at the counter near the stage. Fresh lemon juice, followed by a huge platter of vegetarian Assamese Thali while watching the ethnic dance forms made us ready for more exploring. We walked around the rock garden and the cactus 🌵 garden, and then decided to leave, since our safari ride would be waiting for us by 1.30 pm. We reached our hotel to find the Jeep waiting for us. Rushing to our room, we picked our jackets, glasses and knick knacks for the ride. We left the hotel for our #Safari at 2 pm. It took us an hour or little more to reach the check point for the central range. There were other tourists jammed in their jeeps waiting for moving into the jungle in groups. Ours was more like the Queens in their special private jeep with the liberty of chaging seats while on the go. An old forest guard armed with an almost antique like gun was waiting at the check post to see if he could get a ride with any of the tourists to his check post inside the sanctuary. Ours being the only one with ample empty seats, we decided to give him the ride. Moreover we hoped for some stories from him as well. With prayers of spotting a tiger 🐅 we went deeper into the sanctuary, but all that we could spot were the rhinos 🦏 and deer 🦌. The monkeys and the birds were there too. We dropped the guard somewhere in the middle of the jungle with a little clearing which seemed more like a possible route taken by guards like him. He was actually returning back to work after a week's holiday. And from there he would walk till his check point. We didn't wait any further and kept on with our ride. Though we didn't spot a single paw print of a tiger, we were however too happy and excited about the whole experience of the ride into the jungle. Finally after about two hours of riding through the central range of the sanctuary, the setting sun and the birds reminded us to return home.  We then returned back with the evening darkness to our hotel room. It was indeed a fun day for us. Right from the walk in the morning till watching a rhino taking a dip in the river, and the screeching monkeys by the hotel, it was an absolutely fantastic day for us. Since the next day we would be returning back to Guwahati, we decided to spend the evening at the hotel. After freshening up, we enjoyed our tea and snacks. And later another happy dinner at the hotel restaurant. We were very glad that though a last minute decision, and amidst such a pandemic situation, we could make this memorable fun trip.