February 12, 1999, Friday, sunny
(chokingly smoggy), 8-22C
[17:31 @ Pradeep’s office]
The
presentation today was at the Guru Harkrishan Public School, the one Pradeep
used to attend as a child. It was to an
auditorium-ful of about 300 grade niners, boys and girls. The audience was mostly Sikh, with the boys
in sky blue turbans, and both girls and boys in white and blue uniforms. Again we were late. It just seems as if it is an enormous effort
for things to be done on time. Usually,
even if we’re on time, the people at the school would chat among themselves ad
nauseum to solve tiny problems such as the power cord, etc., until we’re again
late to start. Very bad form on both
parts. Today, we were late, and they
had technical problems, such as a black out in the entire district. I went ahead without the slides nor PA for
about 10 minutes, and then the power came on, and I had to start over again
with the visuals.
The
group today was rowdier than normal, but in the end, the response was good, and
again, a group of girls gathered around me, seeking my guidance as to how to
save the tiger right away. I gave them
a copy of the “Total TV” article with my addresses on it. We parted with the mutual promise to
exchange e-mail when I get back to Canada.
When I was walking around the school building seeking a good vantage
point to video and photograph Bara Bacha and the children around it, including
going up and down the concrete staircase of the school, I was again mobbed and
swamped by children, in the stairwell, on the grounds, all with their hands
extended, and I felt my hair touched from behind numerous times. I taped the proceedings as best I could, and
the children.
Another
office glitch. While in Jaipur, Pradeep
told me there would be a media interview on Wednesday (the 10th). I was not told by whom or what
publication. And no one told me about
it on Tuesday or Wednesday after I had come back from Jaipur. So, the interview didn’t happen. But this afternoon, Sucheta told me that
Manoj talked to a Ms. Camelle Gill of the Today’s Traveler magazine, who said
that she waited for me for an hour on Wednesday afternoon. Still, Manoj did not re-pursue it. So, I had to take the matter into my own
hands and called Ms. Gill right away myself.
The lady was very charming on the phone, but told me that she’d be busy
all of today and the weekend, and the earliest she would be available would be
Monday, Feb. 15th, when I’m supposed to be on my way to Kanha. I arranged with her for a firm date on March
29th, 15:00, unless I call her on Monday, Feb. 15th,
before 10:00, if I happen still to be in town.
She said she would cancel on others in my favour if I called.
The
possibility is in that the new Gypsy has arrived in Delhi, and it needs to be
driven to Kanha. If we can find a
driver not too late, I could catch a ride in the Gypsy on Monday or
Tuesday. It would be a long ride – as
long as the train trip, and much more hazardous, but it would be free of
charge, and I then would have the Gypsy to use as soon as I arrive at
Kanha. Otherwise, I’ll take a flight to
Nagpur on the evening of Feb. 14th, overnight there and catch a ride
on the morning of the 15th back to Kanha.
Well,
today’s is the last school presentation before the Tiger Walk. It’s been a good run, with high peaks never
experienced in Canada.
[22:32] Just before leaving Pradeep’s office around 18:45, I discussed
the above possibilities with him.
First, he preferred the interview with Today’s Traveler magazine to be
ASAP, since the next issue will be a big one, and slated for distribution in
Germany, which of course would benefit his Dynamic Tours, Inc.. So, next Monday it is, instead of March 29th. Next, the Gypsy will be driven to Kanha by
Tarun on the 19th. He will
be accompanied by another driver from Kanha, probably Amarr, who will be
leaving from Kanha on Monday to arrive at Delhi on Wednesday. Pradeep said conceivably I could leave with
that driver on Wednesday, but by Indian law I cannot drive without an
international license. Also, the trip
is so long it would require an overnighter somewhere along the way. Nah.
I’ll have the interview on Monday, then fly out of Delhi the same
evening, and get to Kanha on Tuesday the 16th, which is good timing,
with three or four days to work on the solar devices at the lodge, and when the
new Gypsy arrives on the 20th, we’ll be ready to go outreach full
time. So be it.
For
Raminothna, it’s all the same, since it’s all on planet Earth.