The Nyishi Invaders of Arunanchal Pradesh, India

The great land grab. Sounds like something from the Old West when pioneers claimed their stakes. But this one was done more stealthily.

In this area of remote India it’s a little different. The area borders Myanmar and China and these borders are quite porous. There are foot trails that lead to both nations with no real enforcement of entry. Border control is quite impossible in this area.

I was surprised to see on one of my visits here a huge wooded area suddenly cleared and these nomadic campsites set up. It happened in just a few months. The Nyishi tribe had just taken over this government land and claimed it as their own.

Such a strange thing! How can they get away with this?

Well, there is a government presence in this area but it is rather minimal. In addition, the government forces are often targeted here by terrorist forces. In a matter of self preservation the government seems to maintain a low profile and prefer to not engage in conflict unless required.

The Nyishi tribe is quite an aggressive tribe and not one the government forces seem willing to engage. So they just sit quietly and allow this to happen! Quite unbelievable to me.

This area of India gets little attention from the India government. The people here are seen as a mixed breed of nationalities and not true India people. As a result, poverty is abundant here as little government resources are expended.

This province in particular is prone to terrorism. My first visit here was filled with deep anxiety, especially at night. But after making a half dozen or more trips here I felt quite comfortable. The terrorists were not targeting the few Westerners that venture this way, but only the government.

Although I had encounters with the government here, it was favorable. I posted on one encounter in the past. I actually feel rather sorry for the few who are unlucky to get a post here. They are responsible for maintaining the peace, yet they are a frequent target of the people who live here.

The insurgence is a result of the area residents wanting to separate from India and have their own government. Since they get little resources from the current government, that is understandable.

This conflict is exacerbated by the Chinese government as they believe they have claims to the area as well (like they do all regions in the area). If they can destabilize the government in the area, they will do it.

Regardless, it is amazing to me that a tribe can just enter the region, cut down so many trees (a scarcer resource here), and just take it over. I guess you can get away with it when you got a bad boy reputation. Sounds like the streets of New York in times past,

Wakulla Springs

Just south of Tallahassee near Crawfordville, Florida you will find this amazing biodiverse piece of old Florida. The park is called Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park and it is a relatively recent one having been established in 1986. But this has been a protected sanctuary by landowners for 90 years.

There is a lodge on the property but most come for the day adventures of swimming, picnicking, and the amazing 45 minute boat tour into the natural habitat of the Springs. The focus of this post will be the boat tour.

The price is only $8 per adult and $5 for kids under 12. Taxes are included in the price making this a great value. A total of 30 people are allowed on each boat. This is a guided tour with the boat captain acting as the guide.

My granddaughter and I seated in row 1:

The tour starts with a trip through the old growth of Florida along the river banks. Many Cypress trees as well as old Spanish moss clinging to Oaks. Some of these trees date back 2,000 years! This is unspoiled Florida that few really experience. There’s more than just Disney and Miami Beach here. Those guys are newcomers.

Not really a common sight in June, are the manatees that swim up here from the Gulf. These are rare creatures that survive in both the salt waters of the ocean and the cool, clear fresh waters of the Springs.

Manatees look more like baby whales in the water. But they are actually related to the elephant. Although they look like a big fat blob in the water, they are actually almost complete muscle. They are the only creatures on these waters the alligators don’t mess with. They’re just too big for them.

Which brings us to the king of the Springs. The alligator is ubiquitous in the park. There are thousands of them. Although there is a very crowded swimming hole in the Springs, the alligators never seem to bother the swimmers. The swimming area is roped off by a floating rope, but nothing prevents entry of these predators. They just prefer to stay away from people and feed on turtles.

Alligators mostly rest in the sun during the day to warm their cold blood. They do this to absorb the energy on the “radiator “ on their back to warm their blood for night activities. That is when they are active hunters.

There is a prominent Osprey nest in the middle of the bout tour of the springs. Osprey nests are located in the highest position with unobstructed view of its prey.

They don’t have to worry about the eagle taking their spot. Eagles, as predatory as they are, fear these kings of the sky.

The enhinger birds are known also as the “snake bird” because of how their long necks look when they swim in the water. You will often see them perched on a log or stump with their wings out as they try to dry them.

For old movie buffs, these next two scenes could look familiar. This was the shooting location for the old Tarzan movies. Remember when Tarzan would swing from vine to vine?

It’s also the location of the shooting of the creature from the Black Lagoon from the 1950s. Although this movie would seem quite comical to watch today, at its time, it was a true horror movie.

It was also a scene from Airport 77. That was shot on location here. But I can’t say I saw that movie.

At the end of the boat tour, you come back to the beach area of the state park. There is an elevated platform at the beach where many of the teens like to gather and jump off. They wait for the boat to come by and then often you can see them jumping en masse.

This particular day they didn’t put on much of a show for whatever reason.

it is a fantastic cruise and better than any ride I’ve ever had in Disney. If you’re into nature and natural settings, you wouldn’t want to miss this one. Especially for the exceptional low price.

Walking the Streets of Kolcutta, India

This was a unique experience. On a brief stay in Kolcutta I decided I wanted to walk these hectic streets. I was a bit apprehensive at first because I was unsure of the crime rate in this huge city.

Kolcutta (used to be called Calcutta) is near Bangladesh. It's a big commercial hub for the eastern part of the country. In the city itself there are about 5 million people. Compare that to less than 2 million in Manhattan, NY. Yeah, it's a crowded place.

I took a taxi from my hotel and I had him drive me to the busiest part of the city. He dropped me off and I just began to walk...and walk and walk. For hours I walked, occasionally stopping to rest my back. In all the time I walked I never saw a single foreigner. How can that be in a city that size? Perhaps they were in another part of the city but I never saw a white face. Only locals.

Here are some pictures from my walk:

Lots of local goods

Public baths? This is like Ancient Rome!

Bikes, carts, and rickshaws for transport

Wonder what they're talking about? Being a paranoid person I'm sure it was about me!

How long can their backs hold out???

No bike or cart? Use your head! Or back.

Do they live here?

Streets could be quite dirty.

Selling their local produce

I only bought one thing during my walk. Mostly because I didn't want to carry stuff around. I bought a pound of turmeric to bring home. It's a great anti-inflammatory that helps my arthritis.

I do like Indian food but I didn't buy any on the streets of this city. Normally I don't shy away from street food, but this city didn't look like the most hygienic I've visited.

I've walked through many big cities of this world, but I think I felt more out of place on this walk than any other I've taken. I don't think I'd ever been to a city this size and not seen anyone of a different nationality. Especially having walked these streets so long. Here is a video flavor of my walk:

It was a great experience to walk among the locals for so long. Finally I tired and found a taxi (surprisingly not easy to find in this large city) and made it back to my hotel. I flew home the next day.