Kerala Bhraman- The Moment

If you missed the boat ride, you can still hop on to the next ride at Kerala Bhraman- The Sleeping Man

The next day, our rendezvous was earlier than the previous day. We set off for the information center where we had to be present at 7 am sharp. My parents had booked an early boat ride, in hope to sight more creatures. I on the other hand had been looking forward to my, would be first ever experience of a jungle safari on foot.

Needless to say, I had butterflies in my stomach and was highly anxious about the walk. I wished earnestly that the guide who was supposed to guide me and a bunch of other people into the forest would be heavily trained and vigil at all time. Yet, a part of me was at peace since I wasn’t going to be alone.

Nature Walk sign board

When I reached the information center, a guard pointed me towards the starting point of the jungle walk. Soon, I came across a flight of rocky steps that mingled with the wild grass of the forest and dropped down to a shut solitary hut.

The brown hut amidst the pelting rain cast an ominous spell and I felt a jolt in my tummy. I got a bad feeling about this. I heard myself speak.

If this is the starting point of the jungle walk, as I was told, shouldn’t there be a bunch of souls hanging around someplace nearby, waiting for the guide or perhaps chatting about the tremendous trek that was about to happen?

Am I going into the forest alone? The question unnerved me as drops of rain wet my head and seeped into my scalp. A jack fruit to the head is painful and surprising, but the raindrops, way more scary!

At that moment, when I was seeing stars around me, I caught a spontaneous glimpse of a wild boar. It was bouncing by the bank of the lake, a dirty black in color. The bristles on its back fluttered as it sprang and its head which strangely seemed larger than the rest of its body was motionless. His tiny legs took him into a nearby grove and it disappeared in the dark. 
The boar seemed like the last thing that could threaten me. I heard my inner self boosting me to go for it. 
The stars and clouds vanished as I found my confidence override the last specks of fear. I walked down the steps and sat in the façade of the hut, waiting for it to come to life.  

The sudden rustle in the bushes behind alerted me. What I faced now was a man walking towards the hut loaded with a backpack, his eyes fixed on me.

Who could this man be? Stay tuned!