Lumbini

Sunday 26^th April 2015

This morning we woke up early feeling even more sore than yesterday the bed was like sleeping on concrete with a sheet so we decided to just get up and face the day.

After getting ready we headed out for some breakfast eating at the same local dive of a place we went yesterday. We had some mini chapattis and some fired potato cake things with curry which was all pretty delicious.

After eating I ran back to the guesthouse and get my camera and we headed out to see what Lumbini has to offer. There is a huge temple and monastery complex all within a wooded area with a canal straight down the middle.

We walked all the way to the far end of the complex where the Lumbini museum is we walked into the area which has a circular lake in the middle we walked into the museum but had to walk around the lake to get tickets and then back around to the museum.

The building is pretty cool with high ceilings and huge circular windows that let in a ton of light but the exhibitions are all a bit tired either not labelled very well or extremely damaged by what looked like termites to the point where you couldn’t even see what the display was supposed to be.

We wondered about looking at what we could and then continued on through a market where we stopped to clean up my hand which was swollen and weeping puss which was pretty disgusting. After cleaning that up we walked through the market to the world peace pagoda the gardens there were especially beautiful and best of all we had the place pretty much to ourselves.

We stuck our head into the Japanese Buddhist prayer hall but there was something going on so we didn’t stick about.

We walked back along the canal and looked at a few of the other temples and monasteries from afar. The layout is a bit poorly planned in that you can’t visit each place from the canal road directly rather you have to wait for a crossroads turn and then walk back along the road that each centre is on. If you are on foot this is very tiresome as some places you end up back tracking several kilometres.

The sun was beating down on us and we were feeling quite achy and tired so we decided to hit up the official birthplace of Buddha and then head back to town. The official sight is at the other end to where we began. We had to get tickets and have our bags checked and whatnot and then we were allowed in as we were queuing there was another aftershock but again we didn’t feel it and were only aware of it because another tourist was rather hysterical about it.

We followed the path into a building built over the ruins of a temple which houses the exact spot where Buddha was born we had to line up to walk onto a small platform to get a peek at it there were so many people pushing and shoving that I was glad for the policeman who forced everyone into a queue.

We had a quick glance at the spot and then continued on outside to garden where there were some more ruins a big pond and a huge Bodhi tree. After a good look around we were both fading and so headed back out of the complex.

We were so knackered that we got a cycle rickshaw back to town it moved exceptionally slowly and I felt so mean for making someone else work to get us back but then again he wouldn’t haggle on price so he got a decent wage for his work.

Back in town we had lunch in our now regular dive and then went in search of a pharmacy for something to clean out our wounds they didn’t have anything acceptable so it was back to the guesthouse to wash them out douse them in hand sanitizer (and jump around screaming curses while it burned to fuck) and then apply antibiotic cream.

We spent the afternoon chilling out reading and sorting out our next move. In a few days we head across the border to India and then northwards.

In the evening we went across the road and had some dinner after which we got chocolate and read until bed time.

World Peace Pagoda

Water lillies outside the WP Pagoda

Sunflower outside the Japanese prayer hall

The main canal that runs down he centre of the complex

The lake outside the Lumbini museum

Lion gaurding the WP Pagoda

The building that houses the marker stone of the birthplace of Buddha

The Cycle Rickshaw back to town

Monday 27^th April 2015

This morning we were woken up at about 4am by a girl banging on the door we didn’t open it but the couple across the hall did it turned out the girl wanted to use the bathroom but there was no water so she thought it was a good idea to wake people up to ask what she should do! After she left the couple started playing ridiculous music which went on until we finally got up.

We went to breakfast which was ridiculously average and took an age to arrive and then the bill took an age but as we ate they kept trying to clear our plates away as we ate! Their service was a bit messed up.

After food we headed back to the guesthouse to pack up our stuff. It was the first time we had been through our bags properly and found that several things had been broken in the accident but nothing of particular importance so that was ok.

We chilled out in the guesthouse sorting all our things out for a while then went and had lunch but it was a bit fly infested so we didn’t stick around long.

Back at the guesthouse we half napped half watched a shit film on HBO before the power cut off we then headed out for a few beers and some drawn out dinner while chatting to some people it seems most people are a bit stuck here not really knowing where to go.

Eventually we made our leave and headed for bed to try and get a good night’s sleep ahead of tomorrow’s journey back to India.

Rockfalls and Earthquakes

Friday 24^th April 2015

This morning started out so well. We got up and had a lazy breakfast then packed up all of our things. We set off to Lumbini at 10.30am the sun was shining and the skies were blue.

There are two ways to get to Lumbini both of the roads are pretty good but one way takes about five hours the other seven or eight. The bit of info that we weren’t told that would have been useful is that along the shorter route the road is prone to landslides and rock falls.

The road was awesome it was winding and very hilly but the surface was smooth and it was a wide road. We had been going for about four hours and thought we had about an hour to go when the sky started getting really dark for about 30mins or so we had been chasing blue skies and sunlight but the clouds had finally caught up with us.

It began to rain, a bit of drizzle at first and then steadily heavier so we stopped to take shelter for a while along with all the other road users. After about ten minutes or so the rain eased off and we decided to make a break for it as everyone else was doing.

We hadn’t been driving long when we passed a sign saying ‘rock fall next 3km’ we didn’t think much of it and kept going we were rounding a corner when I noticed a few small rocks falling from above then next thing we knew huge boulders were crashing towards us.

All I had time to do was shout “oh fuck” as Mark was saying “what?” and looking up the rocks were suddenly falling all around us. Next thing we knew we were flat on the road. I saw Mark jump to his feet and it occurred to me that I should do the same. The bike was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly from behind us was a scream we turned around to see a girl running in the opposite direction the guy she was riding with was flat on his back not moving.

Rocks were still falling so we moved away to a grassy area where I had to sit down. We still couldn’t see the bike, my bag was down the cliff snagged on a tree and Marks had somehow come off the bike and landed on the road.

The guy still wasn’t moving but by this time people had arrived on the scene a few times small rock falls started again sending the helpers and rubber neckers running. By the time the police arrived what felt like an age later we were soaked through covered in blood and dirt, freezing cold and hurting. A local climbed down and retrieved my bag. Bystanders got us some water and ice for our bumps.

After filing a somewhat inept report the police commandeered a passing vehicle to take us to the hospital. We had to drive back through the rock fall area back the way we had come.

We arrived in the hospital where we were treated like celebratories crowds followed us into the emergency room and even after being treated it seemed people kept coming to look at us.

While we waited I went to the toilet. They say never eat in a restaurant where the toilet isn’t clean, I’m sure that applies to treatment in a hospital but I guess we didn’t have any choice.

We were lucky to come out of the crash with nothing more than some cuts and scrapes. The doctors cleaned us up and gave us tetanus shots (in the butt haha) then we had to sit and wait hours for the police to do their thing. They confirmed that the other man was dead but we already knew that as we had driven past his body still laying where he fell on the road on the way to the hospital.

The girl on his bike came and went in the time that we waited she was clearly in shock with a blank face. She looked as though she was even less injured than us.

Eventually we were discharged the hospital mixed up our medical reports so that each one has the wrong name but it doesn’t really matter too much. Our total hospital bill was about NZD $6 for the both of us!

Once the bill was paid and we had our medicines we left with the police to the station which was a short walk away. They had pulled the bike out of the river and it wasn’t actually as banged up as we thought it was going to be although of course it didn’t start after spending the afternoon submerged in a river. The headlight was torn away exposing all the electrics, the wheels were bent, the battery casing was gone, the clutch pedal and the pegs were mashed, there was a huge dent in the petrol tank, the luggage racks had been torn away and the seat was ripped and crooked.

The police said the bike would be safe until we picked it up but that was clearly not going to happen. As it can’t be sold in Nepal it will live out its day at the station until they scrap it for parts.

We left the station and went to the nearest guesthouse. There was no hot water and no power so we just ate then finally changed out of our wet clothes and went to bed. Although sleep was hard in coming after such a dramatic day and the huge storm that was raging outside. 

 As we were driving between Pokhara and Lumbini through a mountain pass we were hit by a rock slide. The bike was hit by a huge boulder and knocked out from under us clean off the road and into the river below. We were lucky to walk away with nothing more than cuts and bruises. Another man wasnt so lucky and died instantly when he was struck in the head by a falling rock.Where all the people are standing is where the rocks came down and where the body of the man who was killed lay. The bike ended up in the river but we couldnt even see it, the poilce later dragged it out.

Saturday 25^th April 2015

We couldn’t really sleep last night and so were up around 6am. It didn’t help that the rain was still falling heavily and that everyone in the building seemed to rise with the sun.

We went downstairs to get some breakfast it seemed the only thing on offer was veg noodles and tea so that’s what we had. Once we had eaten we asked one of the young guys who as hanging about if he would come with us to the police station to try and get an official police report for insurance.

He agreed and we headed across the road. It seemed the officers were still asleep except for two playing badminton who waited until their game was finished to help us. We occupied ourselves looking at the bike again and talking to the young guy who came with us.

Eventfully the police chief came out it turned out that if we wanted a report we had to go 9km to the area police station but after a few minutes of radio talk it came back to us that since we were so respectful and nice they were asking permission to write the report there although it would be in Nepalese.

Eventually they were granted permission and we waited while they completed the report hand written in triplicate. It took ages and we had to wait in a mosquito filled dark room. Eventually after posing for a million photos and shaking a million hands we were free to go with the report in hand.

We headed back to the guesthouse and packed up and paid the bill then set off for Lumbini. We were told the journey would take two hours with one change of bus but it actually took four hours with three changes.

The worst part was driving back past the accident sight the bus was rickety and old and just before we got on we were told that rock slide accidents on that road are very common and that sometimes entire busloads of people are wiped out by huge boulders. Not very reassuring.

The bus stopped often for long stretches of times and when It was moving the driver drove like a mad man meaning we were thrown about like wet rags at one point a local woman was thrown right off her seat onto the floor of the bus!

The first part of the journey was all through mountain passes and rock fall areas so we were both tense. Later we would learn that a huge 7.9 earthquake had struck Nepal moments after we left the mountains. We didn’t feel it but I think it was because our bus didn’t seem to have any suspension.

We stopped in a town of unknown name and the conductor told us we had to take a taxi the rest of the way this was backed up by the taxi drivers but seemed a bit fishy so we walked along the road asking the bus drivers (no fun feat when you are covered in bruises, your bag is soaking wet and your hand and arm keep bleeding everywhere) it didn’t take us long to find the bus going where we wanted to.

We rode that bus 22km to the next town where we changed a final time. It was only another 20km or so but it took a freaking age as the bus kept stopping. When we arrived in Lumbini we got down from the bus and walked along the main street looking for a guesthouse. As we were talking about which one to check out a Russian guy came over and told us about the place he was staying out it sounded cheap and cheerful so we checked it out and checked in.

We went looking for food and ate in some fly infested dive where the samosas where pretty good and the price was ridiculously low (plus there isn’t actually that much choice in this town)

After eating we went back to the guesthouse after letting everyone know we were ok in regards to the earthquake and telling them the news about the accident I had a shower and tried to clean up all my wounds. We were both knackered and sore and so spent the afternoon watching TV.

In the evening we went to find food. The mosquitos were out in force and for the first half of the meal there was no power meaning we were in the darkness. Thankfully it came on and the staff turned the fans on which stopped the mozzies.

We ate and chatted to some other girls about the earthquake they felt it pretty strong here in Lumbini. After eating all I wanted to do was lie down so after getting some chocolate we headed back and watched a movie.

Pokhara - Take two

Wednesday 22^nd April 2015

Back in Pokhara we decided to take a few days to rest and recover from the trek (my legs were fine I didn’t need a rest I did however need to wash a lot of stinking trekking clothes so a few days to make sure it was all dry was perfect. Marks legs were hurting him and he spent the entire day walking like Bambi it was especially amusing watching him walk downstairs.)

Today was pretty much a non-event we had breakfast and then returned to the guesthouse to do aid washing. It took much longer than it should have as after soaping up everything I owned the water ran out and we had to wait an age for the pump to fill the tank up again (but at least all the stinky clothes got a good soak)

By the time I was ready to hang it all on the line the sky had turned from the clear blue dream it had been to dark and thick with rain which typically started as soon as I started to hang up my clothes and as soon as Mark had finished cleaning the bike.

We had to move the clothes line to the safety of shelter and with that finally done we braved the rain to go and get some food for a late lunch.

We got to the Indian restaurant and the sky opened up heavier than ever before with huge hailstones as well as giant raindrops. (Google weather told us at the time it was a zero percent chance of precipitation…)

We ended up eating way more than needed mostly as an excuse to stay in the dry of the restaurant, but eventually we had taken the piss long enough and had to brave the weather once more to walk back to the guesthouse.

I spent the rest of the afternoon writing about our trek and waiting for the painfully slow internet to upload some pictures whilst enduring Mark singing “Don’t speak” by Gwen Stefani and not knowing any of the words so just making up lyrics about me ignoring him.

Eventually I was done and we went done the road in the drizzle to a Nepalese place. Having eaten all the Indian earlier I wasn’t really hungry and so just had a veggie Thukpa which is a Nepalese noodle soup and is very tasty.

By the time we got back to the guesthouse it was once again pouring with rain and so we hid inside watching movies.

Thursday 23^rd April 2015

This morning we were up and at our trusty breakfast haunt early we didn’t have much planned for the day except to go to the mountaineering museum. After we had eaten we spuddled about at the guesthouse for a while half-heartedly packing up and generally sorting through things.

We left for the museum around midday on the bike it was only a short drive so it didn’t take us long to get there. We parked up and got tickets and headed inside.

Some of the exhibits were really interesting others a bit boring and badly worded. I liked the stuff about all the mountains over 8000m and the tales about the Yeti. There was also a new exhibit about climate change and the impact that it is having on the people who live in mountain communities.

Mark was hungry and followed me around the museum like a bored small child at the supermarket so it was good when two hours later I was done and we could go and get some food.

We both got pizza I ate mine at a normal speed whilst he hovered his up like nobody’s business (anyone who knows how fast I eat would be amazed at the speed this boy puts away food it’s actually scary)

We finished eating just as the sky was beginning to thunder so we headed back to the guesthouse as we had washing out in the sun. We got back in time to move it before the heavens opened and then paid the bill for our stay in preparation for heading to Lumbini tomorrow.

The rest of the evening was spent chilling out and then getting more food before hitting the hay.

Buddhist Mandala made of coloured powder

Animals of Nepal

Explains itself really...

Just a picture of a Yeti eating a potato... Standard

Memorial to climber who have lost their lives.

Flogging... as a meaning of education?

If a Georgia falls in the woods and no one is around to see it did it really happen?

Saturday 18^th April 2015

We were up and packed earlier than we had been for quite a while but by the time we had breakfast and were ready to go the morning was getting away from us. We took a taxi the short distance to the bus station and from there got a local bus to Nayapul.

The bus was crammed with people gas bottles and huge sacks of who knows what. Several times the driver had to force people to clamber onto the gas bottles which lined the aisle of the bus where they were forced to stand bent awkwardly so their head didn’t hit the roof or somehow crouch on the uneven surface.

The bus wound its way over a mountain and arrived in the little town of Nayapul about two hours after we had set off. The ride was a tad scary with the bus going far too close to the edge on more than one occasion.

Once we stepped down it was about 11am and the trek began immediately we walked through town and across a bridge to the trekking office where we showed the officials our permits and we were on our way.

For the first few hours we walked along a wide dirt path every so often a jeep would pass us with tourists doing a shorter trek or with goods for the many restaurants and guesthouses that lined the way.

We stopped for lunch with a view of rolling green mountains. Not long after we resumed walking the road turned into a flight of stone steps which led upwards for several hours the going was tough and we stopped frequently to hydrate and also to wait for our guide who was lagging behind us.

We reached our first stop Ulleri earlier than expected at about 4pm we collapsed into chairs and had a cup of tea before heading upstairs for a hot shower. Sitting down we became quite cold so it was nice when we came back downstairs and the log burner was lit.

We got chatting to a couple of girls who were trekking to base camp the first few days of their hike is the same as ours and we ended up spending a lot of time together.

We spent the evening huddled round the fire having dinner and endless pots of tea before heading to bed quite early. (Although there was a huge tour group who did keep us up late)

Crossing the bridge form Nayapul to the trails

Waterfall just out of Nayapul

Entering the conservation area

One of the many suspension bridges in the mountains

Sunday 19^th April 2015

The same group that was up so late last night was up early this morning and made no effort to keep the noise down by the time the alarm went off at 7am I had already been awake a few hours listening to them all bang about.

We had breakfast although the porridge had far too much milk in it for me and so I left most of it. We packed up and headed off around 8am the other girls had left before us but we caught up with them on the trail. The morning was clear and crisp and when we came out of the tree cover we could see snow-capped mountains in every direction.

Today was a short walking day the path went up and down and didn’t present any major challenges. We stopped for lunch early at about 11am which was fine by me as I hadn’t eaten much breakfast from lunch it was only another 90 minutes or so to Ghorepani which was our second nights stop.

Ghorepani translates to mean ‘horse water’ so named for the wild horses who come down from the mountains to drink close by to the village. We arrived and the sky was still clear as anything we could see all the surrounding mountains the sight was stunning.

We planned to take a rest and then head up to Poon Hill which is the highest point of our trek but as we were sitting the clouds rolled n and soon we couldn’t even see the mountains.

It was early and the whole afternoon stretched out in front of us we had showers and then took a walk in the town but there wasn’t too much to see other than guesthouses. I did buy some wool slippers at the woollen shop though.

We headed back to our room which was on the third floor and was on the corner of the building the room had windows on three sides and even with the clouds the room was bright and we had great views. Mark had a nap and I lost myself in my book when I looked up the cloud had become so thick that it was just a thick mist clinging to the windows and even with my nose pressed up against the glass I couldn’t see a thing outside.

Later in the afternoon we headed downstairs where the log fire was roaring. And settled in for the evening on the sofas. Since we had eaten lunch so early we had an early dinner and then headed up to bed at about 9pm as we planned to get up for the sunrise.

first peek at some peaks!

I love bridges

Welcome to Horse Water

All the mountains before the clouds rolled in

Monday 20^th April 2015

I was woken up before 4am this morning much to my annoyance as we didn’t need to hit the mountain until about 5am meaning we could roll out of bed pull on clothes and go. We left at 5am with just our cameras and water to see the sunrise and then head back for breakfast.

We left in the dark and made our way up Poon Hill. Ghorepani sits at 2874m and Poon hill is 3210m it took us about 40mins to climb 336m up steep steps. We stopped about two thirds up where we had beautiful mountain views but by the time we reached the people filled top of the mountain the cloud had rolled in and we were awarded just glimpses of snowy tops every now and again.

We took photos from the viewing platform and in front of the ever hilarious Poon Hill sign hanging out hoping for a break in the weather but we had no such luck and after a while it began to get truly cold so we headed down for breakfast.

distant peaks from most of the way up Poon Hill

Barely awake to see the mountains

the mist rolling in at the top of Poom Hill

A brief glimpse of some snowy peaks

What a hilarious name!

The gang before we trooped down to breakfast

Prayer flags at Poon Hill

Back in the lodge the fire was going and the tea was flowing we had a leisurely breakfast before packing up and hitting the trail. Today’s hike was very up and down with the first portion a solid hour or so toiling upwards. Ghorepani is the meeting point for three different hikes and so today’s leg of the journey was full of other travellers heading in both directions, in some parts we were all walking in a train.

After the uphill slog we wound up and down until lunch we were under the cover of trees for most of it but every so often we popped out and were rewarded with views of rolling green hills covered in trees and flowers or of distant white tipped mountains peeking out of the clouds.

We stopped for lunch and the clouds started to pull cover by the time we had eaten they looked heavy with rain so we wrapped up and continued on. For the next wee  bit it was just down down down with the occasional flat bit thrown in we passed a bunch of languor’s chilling in the trees that fled when they saw us stop to take a photo and stopped a few times for waterfalls and odd rock formations.

We stopped at the bottom of a hill to rest where our guide informed us it was 30mins straight up ad we would be in Tadapani where we would spend the night. As we geared ourselves up for the climb it began to rain so we hopped to it. Luckily it wasn’t too heavy or cold and it gave us the extra push to get there quickly.

We arrived and checked into our rooms the rain started coming down in full force and we were all freezing so were glad for the beautiful hot shower. Once we were clean dry and warm we headed to the common room (which of course had a log burner) and had apple pie and pots of tea as an afternoon snack we sat and read and laughed at the huge thermos of tea three Chilean guys got when they asked for a big pot (it had about enough tea for 30 people!)

We had dinner about 6pm and stayed up a few hours more but we were all fading after the early start and the long days hike so as soon as it was a respectable time we headed to bed.

Down the stairs we go

This little hut was the cutest...it also said danger!

All the piles of stones

Can you spot the creepy arse scarecrow?

Tuesday 21^st April 2015

Today as our longest day yet with about seven hours trekking after a breakfast of Tibetan bread and honey and eggs we said goodbye to the girls and set off at about 8am almost instantly the path started downwards in a flight of stairs which was to become the norm for the day

Compared to yesterday the path was gloriously empty we took our time and rested when we felt like it. The first part was in the jungle of the mountain where we saw a few monkeys and some leeches (and as I was walking along alone at the back of the group I fell down but if no one saw it did it happen?) but we soon came out of the cover where the sun was hot and punishing.

After three hours we arrived in a town where we could hire a jeep the whole way back to Pokhara but we were set on walking all the way down to Nayapul and getting the bus from there.

A few hours in and it felt like we had already been walking all day with the constant jarring on the knees. After four hours we stopped for lunch which was a hugely welcome break from the continuous stairs and all the children asking for chocolate.

After eating we set off again and the stairs soon ended and we were onto the dirt road by this stage we had been walking about five hours and still had a few more to go but at least the path wasn’t as hard to walk on. We walked next to a river for the rest of the way with f=some friendly dogs who accompanied us back.

Mossy jungle

dont encourage me to buy 'snackers'

Sad donkeys hauling arse

More sad donkeys

This little girl demanded I took her photo and then told me it would cost me some chocalate... jokes on her i didnt hae any!

Terraced hillside

Some of the many stairs we walked down

flat ground far in the distance

A baby and a puppy

everywhere you look in Nepal there are quarries

Back at the bridge in Nayapul

sad tractor

what a poser!

We were so set in our stride we didn’t even notice we had arrived in the town. We stopped in the permit office to say we had arrived and then walked up through the town to the bus stop which did take almost an hour. We arrived at the bus stop as a bus was about to pull away out luckily we got some seats at the back.

We took a seat and sat back for the bumpy journey to Pokhara. The driver was a bit nuts and we hurtled along being thrown about in our seats quite often. We were close to town when it started to pour with rain and then the bus stopped and we were all sent to another bus which was already full.

By the time we got down at the bus station it was 5pm and we were the walking dead. We got a taxi back to the guesthouse and got our bags out of storage. There was no hot water but the guesthouse owner’s wife kindly boiled us a few buckets worth and we felt human again.

With clean clothes we headed out for food and headed back to the guesthouse to watch a movie and hide from the rain.

Pokhara

Monday 13^th April 2015

I woke up early this morning after sleeping badly, there was a mozzie in the room that kept getting my toes. Since sleep was no longer an option I read my book for a while until Mark woke up and we went and got food.

Depressingly when we looked at the weather for the day it said it wouldn’t rain until 3pm really we should have just looked out of the window and we would have seen for ourselves that the weather man had gotten it wrong but we didn’t and so we ended up walking around in the rain with no coats in a somewhat fruitless search for an ATM that actually wanted to distribute money.

Eventually we had some rupees in our hot little hands and so off we went for breakfast. We found a little Indian place that was reasonably priced and got a huge plate of parathas each. Feeling satisfied we ventured back out into the rain to the guesthouse to enquire about trekking.

We sat and discussed it with the guy at the guesthouse and he showed us several routes before we went up to our room to have a think about it and research other options. Unfortunately the internet was working at a snail’s pace and it was more frustrating than anything else.

After sitting around for a while we decided to get active, since it was still raining we thought the Gurkha museum would be a good choice. We drove through the drizzle to get there and parked up in the empty parking lot where the security guard was exceptionally happy to see us.

We seemed to be the only ones there apart from two girls who upon learning that the museum cost 200 NPR (less than NZD $2) left. We got our tickets and headed inside. In the entrance way there was a display of all the Gurkha souvenir items you could buy at just a fraction of the cost they see the knifes for in the street it was a steal but I have no need for a massive knife and didn’t get one.

The museum is three floors of photographs, memorabilia and history it’s pretty well put together but the museum itself is a tad on the cold and dark side. We spent a few hours wandering about looking at the different bits and pieces and reading the many personal stories of soldiers before heading back out into the day.

 When we got outside it was raining we headed back to the guesthouse to drop off the bike and then went and had a late lunch back at the Indian place. We got idly much to an Indian patrons delight the coconut chutney was especially good as it was made from fresh coconut!

After eating we walked along the lake it was Nepali New Year and the celebrations were beginning with crowds everywhere extra street vendors and a huge carnival by the lake. We walked a bit people watching and taking in the atmosphere. The weather had cleared a little and we were able to see the snow-capped mountains that surround Pokhara.

Back at the accommodation we chilled out until we got hungry again and then went out and ate at a place overlooking the lake. The food was good and the place was crowded with people celebrating. We on the other hand were feeling rather old fogyish and headed back to the guesthouse to watch a movie.

Just before midnight we decided to check out what was going on we walked along the lake watching the fireworks in the sky competing with the hordes of bats for the most impressive air show. Most places seemed to be closing up and as we walked along the streets became more and fuller of drunken party goers stumbling in the street and shouting happy New Year. For the most part the crowd was happy and full of merriment but there were a few angry exchanges and bottles being smashed around us.

Since it all seemed to be winding down we headed back and within minutes I was fast asleep.

Tuesday 14^th April 2014

After our “big night” last night I felt groggy when I woke up so it was no surprise that it was midday before we had finished breakfast and were ready for the day. We ate pretty much next door to the guesthouse and so it was just a short walk back to get the bike and head out exploring for the day.

Our first stop was Davis Falls so called because is 1960 (or there about reports all seem to differ on the facts) a Swiss tourist (or a diplomats wife depending on your source) was taking a bath in the lake and was swept down the falls to his/her death subsequently the falls were named after him/her. The local name for the falls is Patale Chango meaning underworld waterfall perhaps so called because of the rock formation. The waterfall flows through a tunnel naturally carved into the rock.

We had to pay 30 NPR to get in and although it’s a tiny sum it was a bit insulting when inside was strewn with garbage (including in the river and waterfall) there was even a pair of pants stuck to a rock in the water which made all photos a bit shit. The crowd was also ridiculous with people constantly pushing and shoving for a better view.

We came out of the falls enclosure and went across the road to Mahadev Cave signposted as the “best and most wonderful cave I South East Asia” in my opinion it really didn’t live up to its name (either that or all other caves in SE Asia must be spectacularly shit!) we got our tickets and walked down the weird concrete spiral staircase. Alongside the stairs are bizarre concrete carvings such as elephant heads with creepy men sitting on top and tree people groping young girls.

We reached the cave entrance and ended up in line to see a weird cow sculpture that had water coming out of the teats that devotees seemed to want to drink. Once in the line there was no way out as it snaked slowly down and around a manmade single file loop of fake cave ending at the cow.

Once we were out of that claustrophobic nightmare we continued downwards past a very wet temple and further into the cave which seemed to be more man made than anything with concrete staircases and big steel and rock walls.

When we eventually reached the cavern itself it was full of pushy people jostling about for the little space there was. We didn’t bother going all the way down as the line to get onto the stairs was a huge ball of people pushing each other that didn’t look like something we wanted to join in.

We didn’t stay in the stuffy cave long instead heading back up to the fresh air of the surface. We headed back to the bike avoiding all the touts trying to palm off their crappy wares and headed back to town for some food.

We dropped into the Indian and had some samosas and a chill out before getting back on the bike and driving the other direction to Sarangkot which is a lookout way up on a hill overlooking the entire area. It sits at an altitude of 1600m (but seems much higher) and overlooks Pokhara lake on the northwest and the Annapurna range on the western side (we could only see the tops of the mountains because of the clouds)

Most of the way up the road was pretty great but it deteriated for a freaky few kilometres of bumpy hell before getting nice again. We could drive most of the way up before having to park up and walk the last wee bit. Annoyingly its 30 NPR to look at the view but according to the sign the money goes to the local school and health care centre which is obviously a good thing.

We sat looking out at the snow covered mountains for a while watching the clouds clear a little bit before heading back down and back to town (with Mark playing silly buggers and driving with no hands part of the way)

By the time we got back it was close to 6pm so we relaxed until dinnertime. We headed to the Indian place for a lateish dinner and chilled out for the evening.

Wednesday 15^th April 2015

This morning as usual lingered over breakfast chilling in the sunshine and reading our books. We planned to walk around Fewa Lake. We set off at about midday leaving behind the shops and touts and walking along a pedestrian way right on the water’s edge. There were people advertising boat trips and a few restaurants but the atmosphere was very laid back.

Pretty soon though the path ended and we had to continue along the road making sure to keep out of the way of honing trucks and vans the road wound through pretty little villages past water buffalos swimming in the marshy lake edges and ponies grazing in the lush green fields.

We managed to walk the length of the river before admitting defeat the options being get a boat across or keep walking quite a bit further to another town where we could cross the river that feeds the lake. We sat at this point watching a ton of paragliders land and laughing at the ones screaming in terror as the hit the landing point surrounded by the water of the lake.

We walked back to town in search of some food feeling like the day had been a success the walk was about three and a half hours which was good for us since we have become a bit used to driving everywhere!

Back in town we found a restaurant with lake views and sat and ate and chilled out before heading back to the guesthouse to wash off the stink of the day.

In the evening we weren’t really hungry but went out for food anyway and had a drawn out meal before heading back to relax.

Thursday 16^th April 2015

Today was a pretty chilled day we had a long breakfast as is becoming our morning custom and then headed back to the guesthouse to do a ton of laundry taking advantage of the sunny weather. Once that was done we organised some trekking and then relaxed for a while.

We had a late lunch at the local Indian place and then went back to our accommodation to pick up the bike and headed to Begnas Lake. Google maps told us it was an hour’s drive away it took us almost that long but only because we got lost twice and ended up on some pretty dodgy roads.

At the lake we sat and took some photos making friends with a stray dog (who I called Stanley) and a local family who wanted about a million photos with us in one the mum made me wear her husband’s ray bans which was a tad peculiar.

Stanley was quite boisterous and at one point jumped up on me (covering me with mud) and licked my face the small Nepali girl was horrified and informed me it was a “very naughty dirty dog” we didn’t stay too long at the lake just soaked in some atmosphere and then battled the traffic heading back into town.

It wasn’t long before we were hungry and so headed out for food when we came back several hours later I pulled the curtains closed and was met by a humungous spider just chilling it was about the size of my face! The guesthouse man said it was a harmless spider but then proceeded to beat it with a broom much to my distress I didn’t Want it in the room but I certainly didn’t want it dead and I feel like I took on the bad karma of its death.

The rest of the evening was spent freaking each other out that there was a huge spider about to jump on our faces and eat us.

Friday 17^th April 2015

Today was forecast to be wet and miserable but when we woke up the sun was shining and the skies were blue.

We had our typical long breakfast and enjoyed the sunshine while we read our books before heading back to the guesthouse to pack up a bit and get our things ready for trekking tomorrow.

We ended up spending ages trying to sort my laptop out and by the time we were done and I was well and truly grumpy thunder was rolling lightening was flashing and the skies had turned black.

We used the crappy weather as an excuse to sit inside and watch TV for a while until our bellies began to rumble and we decided to go and get some lunch and then cake and tea.

Once we were fed and watered we returned to the guesthouse for an evening of lounging around before trekking bright and early tomorrow.