DUSTY DAYS IN NEPAL

 

We spend the night in the riverbed again because the views are so fabulous, and they don’t disappoint. Before we head off, we cross the little bridges we saw the local using. I guess they are rebuilt every year after the monsoon. We are hoping for the same amazing views we had on the way here, but the mountains are misty and when we reach the miles of terraced crops a dust haze covers everything. And we do remember to stop at the hot pools at Tatopani. They are great, but really after a while I feel as if I am cooking it is so hot. The driving is every bit as crazy as before and it takes hours to get back to Pokhara. Once we reach the outskirts, we hunt down our cousin Kev’s School that he taught at nearly 40 years ago. They let us wander around and take photos. Apparently, it looks much the same. Then we hunt down his old home which has changed radically. It is now a rather nice two-story home, but years ago it was only a single story.

Finally, we head back to our camp spot beside Phewa Lake, and the next morning clean out all that dust that slipped through every gap in GR2 on our drive to Jomsom. Then lots of chores before wandering the streets.  The dust haze doesn’t clear all day, but we still head up to the World Peace Pagoda on a nearby hill. It was built by Japanese Buddhist’s for the people of Nepal as a symbol of peace. It is a great spot with magic views over Lakeside and all of Pokhara. We can even see our truck, but we will have even better views tomorrow!

In the morning, we are collected and taken to the airport for our 60 min Ultralight flight over to the Annapurna’s and back passing over the lake. It is a very schmick operation and before we know it, we are in thick jackets, padded pants, gloves and helmets. Then we climb aboard our tiny aircraft. They are rather like hang gliders with a small seating area (just enough room for 2 seats) and an engine. No time for cold feet, we are off. John finds it totally exhilarating, but I must admit to feeling a combination of exhilaration and shear panic. We are literally flying like the birds at over 3,500m with no glass and a drop of miles below us! As we near the Annapurna ranges the air clears and the views are awesome. We can almost touch Annapurna 2 and Machapuchare (or Fish Tail as it is commonly called). Then back down and we swing past Lake Phewa doing loops over a huge Hindu statue and then the World Peace Pagoda, before heading back to the airport. Awesome! Pokhara has been amazing, but it’s time to tackle the crazy road back to Kathmandu. We won’t make it today, so we plan stop at our truck stop that we used previously. There are so many trucks on the road we hope there will be space left for us, and fortunately there is.

Sadly, no mountain views this morning as we head back to the big smoke and find a spot a Yeti Overland Camp. It is Saturday, which we have discovered is like our Sunday, and no one is working. We enjoy the quiet, and later in the day catch a taxi to Bhaktapur to explore its Durbar Square. Actually, there are 4 squares to explore and they are all teeming with locals out for their day of leisure. It certainly makes great people watching. I think John is templed out, but we still wander around them all. We admire the Golden Gate, the Palace of 55 windows and enjoy the pond that is decorated with serpents. The waterspout is also a serpent who is swallowing a goat! Then it is on to the very crowded Taumadhi Square that has a huge chariot as a centerpiece. The kids are climbing all over it, but it is a very important prop in an upcoming festival. Then down to Potters Square to watch the potters at work and finally on to the much quieter, and in my opinion lovelier, Dattatraya Square. By now it’s getting late and of course we are getting hungry. I want to try some of the famous lentil pancakes, so we hunt them down. Then a late taxi back to Yeti.

There is still more to see, so we are off again. This time we head to Bodhnath/Boudha to gawp at the massive stupa. We are now in Tibetan territory, and many of the locals are in their native dress The stupa is surrounded by shops selling everything from drums, statues, fabrics paintings and so much more. We climb onto the stupa and walk (barefoot of course) on top of it. Then there are monasteries to peek into (sadly no photos allowed). Time to try out Nepal’s meatpies, called Shabhalby, followed by a few fried momos. Then it’s time to tackle our next must see- the Palace, but guess what, it’s closed yet again, this time because of the ongoing demonstrations. So, we head to our third planned stop – the Swayambhu Stupa. This one is on the top of a hill, so many steps are involved, and it is much older. There are quite a few old buildings filled with the obligatory souvenir shops, then old temples covered in embossed metal and heaps of little stone stupas. At the top of the pile is the old white stupa surrounded by fluttering prayer flags and of course, hundreds of prayer wheels. All stupa-ed out we head down 100’s of steps to catch a taxi back to Yeti.

Other campers have arrived at camp so it’s fun to swap stories before we head out of Kathmandu. We are hoping to visit Promise Bilingial School that Mueller College helps support (we currently have 6 grandchildren at Mueller) which is set up by Transform the Nations. As we drive past the area of the school we get an email. Today they are too busy with exams, but tomorrow will be good. So we head up along a mountain ridge behind Dhulikhel and find a campspot. Then wander along to the viewpoints and temple. The views would be stunning if only this dust would go away! In the morning, we head back to Banepa and turn down a side road. I walk down a few smaller roads before we head down them, but it’s not long before we find the school. It is only 2 years old but already full of students, mainly girls. Many are bused in each day from the Hostel where they live after being rescued. We are given a great welcome before the students’ head into their classes for their final exams. Then spend time chatting with Netra & Namuna, a lovely couple,  who run the school. The headmistress is away today because she has just got engaged. Back on the main road we stop at one of TtN’s projects- the Bamboo Café. We enjoy lunch and meet an Australian family. Amazingly the son is the guy who just got engaged to the headmistress! What a very small world.

As always it is time to move on. We are planning to drive up to the Peace Bridge with China. Not to exit, just to look. This border is closed to foreigners. Distance wise it is not far but the first 8km are so bad we contemplate giving it a miss. Fortunately, we find the tarseal and happily continue. The only problem is the road is a tad narrow for the drivers here and it feels as if we will fall right off the cliff they give us so little room. We are following a river, and the surrounding steep hillsides are covered with cropped terraces. They are stunning, it’s just a pity they are enveloped in clouds of dust. My nose has gotten itchy and I’m continually sneezing. Can’t wait for clear blue skies again. As the riverbed of the Sunkoshi River widens, we find a spot to camp for the night. In the morning, we continue the last 47km to the border. It is slow going with some bad road, but we are now determined to make it. There are a few police checks, but they let us through. Just before the border there is a massive Economic Zone and outside there are rows of trucks. Goods must come from China and get transferred into Nepalese trucks. The Peace Bridge isn’t all that exciting, but the drive was amazing. We turn around and head back to our river camp spot. In the morning, we head back to Kathmandu. Bus loads of people are pouring into the valley. School holidays have just started and lots of families are off on holiday.

Before getting to Yeti, we stop at a big supermarket and stock up with meat, cheese and ice cream, plus a few other necessities. In the morning, we decide to try to visit the Narayunhiti Palace again. Will it be third time lucky. Yes, it is! No phones or cameras allowed so you can’t see how ugly this building is. We wander through 35 of the rooms all decorated in 1970’s style with the addition of stuffed tigers. Outside we view the Kings cars, his other home and rather gruesomely the massacre site where the Royal family were shot in 2001. Later we wander to the Thamel area which is the tourist hotspot. It is full of hotels, restaurants, 100’s of souvenir shops and of course lots of tourists. Done exploring we head back to Yeti.

We clean the truck, post blogs, and do paperwork. Tomorrow will be our last day as we head to the border of Tibet. All our paperwork is ready, so fingers crossed all will go OK.