India, Dec. 18 -- I didn't expect to start my day negotiating territory with a wild elephant. Yet there I was at dawn, deep inside Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on a nature trail, clutching my binoculars as a towering tusker stepped out of the mist and fixed his gaze on the very patch of grass beneath my feet. He didn't charge - he simply stared me down, weighing whether I was worth ignoring or removing. Our guide whispered, "Don't move!" But it was unnecessary as I was already frozen, heart hammering, equal parts terror and awe. In that suspended moment, the forest felt alive, watching us as intently as we were watching it. Welcome to Thekkady, where the wilderness doesn't just surround you - it engages you in conversation.

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