Driving Lessons There is peace in late afternoons I enjoy, a time when one considers the events of the day or contemplates what meal to cook for dinner. On occasion even a thread of philosophic reflection. I stand and water my vegetable seedlings one ordinary day, somewhat oblivious to the sounds of neighbours and passing cars. The interlude is broken by the tell-tale screech of tyres hard pressed on bitumen and a sickening loud bang. In the time my heart skipped a beat there is another almighty crash, and another, like rolling thunder, then an eerie silence. The roundabout has claimed another collision I tell myself. Running from the backyard along the side of the house, I reach for my phone and prepare to tap triple zero. Compared to previous accidents this one sounded bad! I psych myself for the likelihood of human injury. Imagine my surprise! I’m confronted by the sight of a dark grey behemoth occupying not the nearby intersection but my front yard. A huge dual-cab ute
A story set in India. Think Rudyard Kipling 'Jungle Book', except this was no fairytale! Tiger bite It is an early start in preparation for a 6am pickup. The air is cool just before sunrise, the only people about are a few hotel staff and my jeep safari driver. I am introduced to Mullikum, a lean and wiry young man who speaks just basic English, although it is a lot better than my Malayalam which is limited to a simple greeting, ‘namaskaram’. ‘See you at 3pm’ says the ever-smiling hotel receptionist. This confers with one of the two pieces of pre-safari verbal briefing notes I received, a nine hour safari deep into a designated conservation park, the other being wear shoes, bring nothing else. You can appreciate it was easy to follow and comply. I am full of anticipation and curious as to how the day will unfold. Mullikum is not about to pre-empt anything as we traverse the streets of Thekkady, me in the passenger seat of an open jeep, its bodywork deco