Friday 21st October – The Incredible Shrinking Man (Chame to Lower Pisang, 14.5km, 3250m)
It was a cold night with the temperature dropping down to zero degrees. We were up at 6:30 and had a great view of the Annapurna Mountain range. After settling our bill which cost RS1500 each we hit the trail at 8:00. We soon passed our Indian friends from Calcutta who are quite slow but they push on regardless. After crossing the bridge you can turn left which leads to a hot spring on the right bank. We needed to turn left and walk through a pine forest. It is a bit of a conservation issue as a lot of trees are being felled to feed the needs of we selfish trekkers. The trees are used in the construction of new lodges and as fuel for cooking. After about an hour we caught up with a young Israeli guy whom James has nicknamed “Speedie”, I wonder why?
Altitude is affecting us today as we are blowing harder on the uphill stretches. Every so often the wind blows the clouds off the mountain peaks and we are rewarded with great views of the snow capped Himalayas. James isn’t sweating as much today as the weather is quite cool. With the amount of sweat he is losing I think he has already dropped about 5kg. The sun is out but we had to wait until we exited the forest to reap the benefits of its warming rays. As we approached Bhratang there were large orchards of apples which were immune from a Gould attack due to a large wooden fence and the threat of a RS5000 fine. Ah well! We had just finished a steep uphill climb when we came to a couple of makeshift restaurants. I couldn’t resist trying a vegetable samosa for RS50. It had just the right amount of spice and was so good that I bought two more for our porters. Our elevation is a little over 3000m and even the small slopes are impacting on our breathing. There were a few large groups taking an early lunch but we kicked on as it was only another 45 minutes to Lower Pisang. James and I took our time and we arrived at the Utse Hotel just before 13:00.
It was difficult to get the room price down as our porters had already deposited our bags in a room. We did manage to reduce the price to RS200 each for a double. James ended up in a queen size bed. For lunch we feasted on noodle soup which was far better than yesterday’s fare. Afterwards it was off to the safe water station for five litres of water (RS50 litre). This is a great option as it means less plastic to dispose of and a substantial saving on bottled water. As the sun was out it was a great opportunity to wash the socks and jocks. There is a large group of 13 checking-in later so it was time for an early shower. It was piping hot with plenty of water pressure. Afterwards I was lucky enough to speak with Jem in Berlin and then Alice and Telissa. Bob was not interested in talking.
I spotted our German friend Helge and he is now seconded in the lodge with us. It turns out that his guide is the brother in-law of our porter Tika. We have taken possession of a table that has a power point and will not give it up until after our wood fired pizza dinner. We are living like kings. I have also taken to writing the diary by hand as my old netbook suffers from Acute Mountain Sickness. It just cannot handle anything above 3000m or the cold.
Saturday 22nd October – You Take the Low Road and I’ll Take the High Road (Lower Pisang to Bragha – 18.5km, 3450m)
Today James and I are parting ways as he is sick of me racing ahead. No, the reason is, he will take the lower trail as there is less impact on the knees. I will take the high trail or a better name would be Heartbreak Ridge. The bad weather that is supposed to eventuate looks like a furphy. There is not a cloud in the sky and the mountains are just amazing. I set off at 7:40 and took the high trail towards Ghyaru. The trail from Lower Pisang and Higher Pisang intersected at a crystal clear shallow lake that had a prayer flag stretched across it. After crossing a sway bridge the trail ascended steeply on a series of switchbacks. The higher we go the more difficult it is to catch your breath and after ascending over 400m I was gasping. At last I reached Ghyaru (3670m) and from the view point was rewarded with a magnificent panorama of the Annapurna’s.
After taking a plethora of photos I took off for Ngawal (3660m). The trail stayed high and passed a ruined dzong. On the 30 minute leg saving descent towards Ngawal I passed a small herd of grazing yak. A little further on there was fresh looking Yak head on the pathway of a restaurant. It was time for a 20 minute break to give my legs rest. It was also an opportunity to have a cup of tea and munch on a granola bar. At this stage I had been walking for 3.5 hours.
Shortly after leaving the village I came to a fork in the road with no destination signage. One trail led up and the other down. I reasoned that I had done enough climbing for the day and chose the down trail. It turned out to be the right choice as after a few hundred metres I spotted a red arrow pointing the way ahead. The trail headed down to Portichhe Village and a boarding school. There was a TIMS checkpoint in the middle of nowhere and after giving the police officer a jelly bean he advised me that Manang was about 1hr 40mins away. After some quick head maths I calculated my arrival time for Bragha to be around 13:10. About 25 minutes later I hit the valley floor at Mungji (3500m) and stopped for a glass of Seabuckthorn Juice. This tiny orange berry once crushed produces a tasty drink with a vitamin content said to be higher than any other berry or vegetable. It was a very refreshing drink.The valley around Bragha is very arid, dominated by dramatic eroded cliffs and the towering heights of the Annapurnas. To my surprise I arrived Bragha at 13:10 a mere 5.5 hours of travelling.
I had to walk through the village to find James and the porters. On spec I stuck my head into the Himalayan Hotel and asked if a big man and two porters were staying here. My luck must be in as they answered in the affirmative. I have a nice double room for RS100 and there is solar hot water. After a late lunch of veg noodle soup it was into the shower to wash away the dust. For dinner tonight I couldn’t go past the Pepper Yak Steak.
Sunday 23rd October – Acclimatization Day (The Ice Lake, 4600m)
After a hearty breakfast James and I were off to tackle the Ice Lake. The idea of an acclimatization day is to go high and then return to a lower level to sleep thus minimizing the possibility of suffering Acute Mountain Sickness. The Ice Lake fits the bill as it is a whopping 1200m higher than our accommodation. The Ice Lake is said to be the toughest and most spectacular excursion, a relentless four-hour climb that gains over 1000m to reveal staggering Annapurna views. The clearest trail leads diagonally up the hillside behind Bragha, zigzagging up to the top of a ridge. We headed past the Gompa and traversed a series of switchbacks to a chorten which was about 400m up from the valley floor. I was a little in front of James but when he reached the first chorten he was suffering from a bad headache. After resting he wisely returned to the hotel to recuperate. Our porter Krishna was very attentive and stayed with him. Tika and I continued our journey into the heavens and as it was another outstanding day the panorama was mind blowing. The higher we went the more peaks were revealed. Bragha on the valley floor looked like an insignificant speck. After 2.25 hours my eyes lit up when a teahouse came into my line of vision. At 4200m it was a real bonus to sit down and have a cup of tea. A young Swedish girl whom I lunched with yesterday called me her hero. I guess old guys who go walking in the hills rule. Ha ha!
There was still another 400m to traverse and my steps were getting shorter. I was blowing like a 70 year old who had smoked a pack and a half a day all their life. The last 500m flattened out but I was still doing a good impersonation of Hootie and the Blowfish. The Ice Lake is actually the second of two lakes. The first lake was almost dry but it was still worth a photograph. It was only a short walk to the Ice Lake and it looked magnificent with the sun glistening on the milky blue water. Tika and I wandered over to the far side of the lake where we relaxed and feasted on some boiled eggs and chapatti. I managed to stick my hand in the lake and obviously the water was bracing. A Himalayan plunge was definitely out of the question. For about 270 degrees there were superb views. of snow-capped peaks. I was in awe of God’s handiwork.
Reluctantly after an hour we needed to start heading down. No Hootie and the Blowfish on the way down but the quads really had a workout. We stopped for another cup of tea (RS80) and were joined by my Swedish admirer and her trekking partner for the day who was from Finland. It was taking about 30 minutes to descend about 400m. I stopped at the Gompa which is perched on a high crag overlooking the medieval village. It is the largest in the district and has an outstanding collection of statues, thangkas and manuscripts estimated to be 500 years old. Most of the village’s 200 houses are stacked one atop the other, each with an open verandah formed by a neighbour’s rooftop. I only had time for a few photographs so I hightailed it back to the hotel. Dusty Dave arrived at 15:15 and headed straight for the shower. All up the trip took 6.25 hours with about 5 hours of walking. It was definitely worth the effort.
The good news is that James is feeling better and his headache is no more. We look forward to enjoying a good dinner together with some witty repartee.
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Up hill and down dale.
Wednesday 19th October – Oops Wrong Way (Chamche to Danaqyu 16km – 2200m)
We had been asleep for about an hour when the Nepali porters, not ours, who were staying on our floor decided to have a rambunctious party. The cacophony of noise was unbearable and at one stage I yelled at them to shut up I must have fallen asleep soon after as in the end I had a decent amount of shuteye. James wasn’t so lucky as his room was directly opposite. They were talking loudly, smoking and playing Tibetan music on their mobile phones. James only managed a few hours sleep. After breakfast on our balcony we were ready to depart at 8:15.
Our next stop was Tal and as we strode purposely off we passed a jeep on our right side. We continued to follow the road uphill and after about thirty minutes we glanced across the river and saw trekkers on the opposite bank. In a moment of clarity it dawned on us that we had missed the trailhead. Damn that parked jeep as it must have blocked our vision of the trail. It wasn’t all bad as we had the same views and saw some Himalayan lizards basking in the sun. The irony was that our porters were on the trail and they spotted us high above them. Again there were plenty of waterfalls to see with great views of the river and rugged terrain. To reach Tal we had to scramble down a goat track and then cross a new vehicle bridge. It was a short walk into the village and we stopped to fill our water bottles (40 rupees) at the safe water station.
Just as we were about to leave I made a sudden movement to my right which resulted in a stabbing pain to my head. I gingerly sat down as this sort of pain for me can lead to a migraine. Instead of a stop for a quick drink of water we found a restaurant where I could sit and try to relax. James is always great in this situation and helped me by applying pressure to the muscles in my right shoulder. Our 5 minute break had turned into nearly one hour.
I was still feeling a bit fragile when we set out so we set a slow pace for the haul up to Dharapani. This time we did follow the trail until we came to a suspension bridge which we had to cross. This meant that we had to follow the road as far as Karte. You can leave the road here and follow the old trail but given the way I was feeling we plodded upwards to the TIMS checkpoint at Dharapani. By the time we had registered Tika and Khrishna had arrived. It was nearly 14:00 and by the look on their faces we could see that they were fanging for some Dal Baat. We chose the Kangaroo Hotel for this festive occasion and decided on a vegetable noodle soup with garlic.
By 14:30 James and I were ready to plow on so we left the boys to their feasting. They know how to put it away. It was a steady uphill climb and like the earlier sections there are signposts that suggest some interesting diversions off the trail. If you had a 30 day itinerary and weren’t fixated on making the next village then you would be rewarded with a more fulfilling trek. About 30 minutes later we passed through the small village of Bargachap. I was slightly ahead of James and sat down to wait for him. He was taking his time I thought and then I saw him trudging up the hill with a scowl or a wry smile on his face. James had accidently taken a paved path and got to see most of Bargachap’s sprawling metropolis. Another quick drink and we were on our way again. Before we knew we had reached the outskirts of today’s final destination, Danaqyu.
There was a safe water station with the Tibetan Hotel directly opposite. The owner was keen for us to stay but we said that we would look at some of the other hotels further up the road. He asked us what we had paid for a room last night and we said zero. As quick as a flash he met that rate which meant that we had to look at a room. We demanded a room each and he acquiesced. On inspection the rooms were comfortable with plenty of space and included a power point so we can charge our electrical devices. There was a gas shower which to James disappointment failed to live up to expectations. There is once again wi-fi so we both managed a good chat with our loved ones. I chose the solar hot water and had a reasonable shower. James did some more doctoring on my shoulder before we adjourned for dinner. There is a strong wind chill factor and it is very cold as I sit here in the dining room writing this tome. It is only my puffer jacket and speedy fingers keeping me warm at the moment. So without further adieu I am off to the warmth of my sleeping bag.
Thursday 20th October – Up and Down, Up and Down (Danaqyu to Chame, 12km – 2710m)
It was another cold night but we both managed a good night’s sleep. By 7:00am it was warm enough to enjoy breakfast in the courtyard. Whilst we were eating there were plenty of early trekkers marching past. In fact when we took off at 7:50 there was no one left at our lodge. The first section wasn’t too difficult as we followed the road steadily upwards for about 30 minutes. The real fun began when we hit the old trail which was a steep climb up and old staircase and a rutted track. On this section we passed a couple of groups who were finding the going pretty tough. After about an hour and 15 minutes of sweat and heart quickening trekking the lower section of Timchi Village was in sight. We took a ten minute break here before slogging uphill yet again to reach the higher section of the village.
The scenery along this section is breathtaking and the clouds that cling to the peaks lend the mountains an air of mystery. The clouds are setting in and the wind is picking up which is making it a lot cooler. After following the road for a while we saw a sign that pointed to the old trekking and a conflicting sign that indicated the road. In the end we opted for the trail because after all it is a trek and we are men. The trail was excellent and interesting with a crossing of a suspension bridge at the bottom to top it off. We then entered a world of pain as we clawed our way up the slope and into the village of Thanchowk. We told our porters that we would meet them for lunch here but seeing it was only 10:45 we decided to push on. Quite a few trekkers had taken the road option which basically was cut into the side of the mountain and thus saved then from the punishment that James and I suffered.
We saw an old pine log on the side of the road so we thought this was the ideal place for a smoko break. The view was great but the peanut muesli bar was better. With our break over we struck out for Chame which I thought was four hours away but it turned out to be 45 minutes. At midday we arrived in the new section of Chame. We could have continued on for another 20 minutes to the old section but James struck a deal with the owner of the Kangla Inn Guesthouse. No free room tonight but we have two doubles for 100 rupee each. Once again there is Wi-Fi, charging points in the room, and the promise of hot water. It feels like we are glamping and not trekking.
After a protracted lunch it was time to brave the shower so I could get into some warmer clothes. The shower did not have much pressure but the piping hot water more than compensated for it. The bathroom even comes equipped with a very modern toilet cistern. James and I after a Dal Bhatt will surely punish that. With the access to Wi-Fi we decided to check the weather for the villages in front of us. Manang which we will reach in two days time is expecting a negative temperature during the day and dropping down to minus 10 degrees during the night. Afternoon rain is also expected. Well at least we know what we are heading into. Oy vey! That is enough rambling for today.
We had been asleep for about an hour when the Nepali porters, not ours, who were staying on our floor decided to have a rambunctious party. The cacophony of noise was unbearable and at one stage I yelled at them to shut up I must have fallen asleep soon after as in the end I had a decent amount of shuteye. James wasn’t so lucky as his room was directly opposite. They were talking loudly, smoking and playing Tibetan music on their mobile phones. James only managed a few hours sleep. After breakfast on our balcony we were ready to depart at 8:15.
Our next stop was Tal and as we strode purposely off we passed a jeep on our right side. We continued to follow the road uphill and after about thirty minutes we glanced across the river and saw trekkers on the opposite bank. In a moment of clarity it dawned on us that we had missed the trailhead. Damn that parked jeep as it must have blocked our vision of the trail. It wasn’t all bad as we had the same views and saw some Himalayan lizards basking in the sun. The irony was that our porters were on the trail and they spotted us high above them. Again there were plenty of waterfalls to see with great views of the river and rugged terrain. To reach Tal we had to scramble down a goat track and then cross a new vehicle bridge. It was a short walk into the village and we stopped to fill our water bottles (40 rupees) at the safe water station.
Just as we were about to leave I made a sudden movement to my right which resulted in a stabbing pain to my head. I gingerly sat down as this sort of pain for me can lead to a migraine. Instead of a stop for a quick drink of water we found a restaurant where I could sit and try to relax. James is always great in this situation and helped me by applying pressure to the muscles in my right shoulder. Our 5 minute break had turned into nearly one hour.
I was still feeling a bit fragile when we set out so we set a slow pace for the haul up to Dharapani. This time we did follow the trail until we came to a suspension bridge which we had to cross. This meant that we had to follow the road as far as Karte. You can leave the road here and follow the old trail but given the way I was feeling we plodded upwards to the TIMS checkpoint at Dharapani. By the time we had registered Tika and Khrishna had arrived. It was nearly 14:00 and by the look on their faces we could see that they were fanging for some Dal Baat. We chose the Kangaroo Hotel for this festive occasion and decided on a vegetable noodle soup with garlic.
By 14:30 James and I were ready to plow on so we left the boys to their feasting. They know how to put it away. It was a steady uphill climb and like the earlier sections there are signposts that suggest some interesting diversions off the trail. If you had a 30 day itinerary and weren’t fixated on making the next village then you would be rewarded with a more fulfilling trek. About 30 minutes later we passed through the small village of Bargachap. I was slightly ahead of James and sat down to wait for him. He was taking his time I thought and then I saw him trudging up the hill with a scowl or a wry smile on his face. James had accidently taken a paved path and got to see most of Bargachap’s sprawling metropolis. Another quick drink and we were on our way again. Before we knew we had reached the outskirts of today’s final destination, Danaqyu.
There was a safe water station with the Tibetan Hotel directly opposite. The owner was keen for us to stay but we said that we would look at some of the other hotels further up the road. He asked us what we had paid for a room last night and we said zero. As quick as a flash he met that rate which meant that we had to look at a room. We demanded a room each and he acquiesced. On inspection the rooms were comfortable with plenty of space and included a power point so we can charge our electrical devices. There was a gas shower which to James disappointment failed to live up to expectations. There is once again wi-fi so we both managed a good chat with our loved ones. I chose the solar hot water and had a reasonable shower. James did some more doctoring on my shoulder before we adjourned for dinner. There is a strong wind chill factor and it is very cold as I sit here in the dining room writing this tome. It is only my puffer jacket and speedy fingers keeping me warm at the moment. So without further adieu I am off to the warmth of my sleeping bag.
Thursday 20th October – Up and Down, Up and Down (Danaqyu to Chame, 12km – 2710m)
It was another cold night but we both managed a good night’s sleep. By 7:00am it was warm enough to enjoy breakfast in the courtyard. Whilst we were eating there were plenty of early trekkers marching past. In fact when we took off at 7:50 there was no one left at our lodge. The first section wasn’t too difficult as we followed the road steadily upwards for about 30 minutes. The real fun began when we hit the old trail which was a steep climb up and old staircase and a rutted track. On this section we passed a couple of groups who were finding the going pretty tough. After about an hour and 15 minutes of sweat and heart quickening trekking the lower section of Timchi Village was in sight. We took a ten minute break here before slogging uphill yet again to reach the higher section of the village.
The scenery along this section is breathtaking and the clouds that cling to the peaks lend the mountains an air of mystery. The clouds are setting in and the wind is picking up which is making it a lot cooler. After following the road for a while we saw a sign that pointed to the old trekking and a conflicting sign that indicated the road. In the end we opted for the trail because after all it is a trek and we are men. The trail was excellent and interesting with a crossing of a suspension bridge at the bottom to top it off. We then entered a world of pain as we clawed our way up the slope and into the village of Thanchowk. We told our porters that we would meet them for lunch here but seeing it was only 10:45 we decided to push on. Quite a few trekkers had taken the road option which basically was cut into the side of the mountain and thus saved then from the punishment that James and I suffered.
We saw an old pine log on the side of the road so we thought this was the ideal place for a smoko break. The view was great but the peanut muesli bar was better. With our break over we struck out for Chame which I thought was four hours away but it turned out to be 45 minutes. At midday we arrived in the new section of Chame. We could have continued on for another 20 minutes to the old section but James struck a deal with the owner of the Kangla Inn Guesthouse. No free room tonight but we have two doubles for 100 rupee each. Once again there is Wi-Fi, charging points in the room, and the promise of hot water. It feels like we are glamping and not trekking.
After a protracted lunch it was time to brave the shower so I could get into some warmer clothes. The shower did not have much pressure but the piping hot water more than compensated for it. The bathroom even comes equipped with a very modern toilet cistern. James and I after a Dal Bhatt will surely punish that. With the access to Wi-Fi we decided to check the weather for the villages in front of us. Manang which we will reach in two days time is expecting a negative temperature during the day and dropping down to minus 10 degrees during the night. Afternoon rain is also expected. Well at least we know what we are heading into. Oy vey! That is enough rambling for today.
The trek begins
Sunday 16th October – Detox Day or Just Relaxing
Shekhar and his staff cooked us up some fried eggs with potato and toast which really hit the spot. After breakfast we made a payment for 16 days of trekking ($16 or 1300rupees/porter), permits, accommodation and transport back to Besi Sahar. We also booked but have not paid for our flights back to Kathmandu which will cost about $US125. Not cheap but it will be worth it to avoid the long rough trip back. With the high finances over we took a walk down by the lake and arranged a couple of massages for 17:00. A little further along the waterfront I gave in to the juice salesman and had a detox drink of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. The price of 350 rupees was more than a happy hour beer but well worth it.
After a bit more walking and some last minute purchases by James we were ready for lunch. There are so many eateries to choose from but we could not resist one offering smashed avocado on toast with bacon and poached eggs. I continued my detox program with a cup of green tea and then a cup of ginger tea. Both were made with fresh ingredients and did not come in a tea bag. We had taken a footpath seat which is always a mistake as you are a target for every salesman and beggar that walks by. Our lunch eventually arrived and it definitely exceeded my expectations. It was the best poached egg that I have had in some time.
On returning to the hotel we retrieved the washing that we had done earlier this morning. This means that we will start the trek with a clean wardrobe. We then turned ourselves to the task of sorting and discarding the items for the trek. A monumental exercise but we now have our packs down to a manageable weight. With everything done we headed down to the lake front for our therapeutic massage. James and I shared the same room and two grown men in their undies is not the most pleasant of sights. Our massage began in earnest and both of us were squirming when they applied some real pressure into our knotty shoulders. The hour went quickly and hopefully the deep tissue massage will stand us in good stead when we start trekking tomorrow. To seal what was a pretty good day we, well I mean me enjoyed a large Nepali Ice beer at the happy hour price of 250 rupees. It was then off to the Pokhara version of the Everest Steak House where we enjoyed another top quality steak. I of course could not resist a couple of ice cold Gorkha beers.
Monday 17th October – Let The Trek Begin (Pokhara to Bahundanda 9+8km - 1310m)
Our taxi to Besi Sahar is booked for 8:00 so we took a leisurely breakfast and then finished our packing. It was time to meet our porters and we were a little surprised when I saw how old they were. They are mere boys when compared to us but they are 21 and 22 years of age. On questioning them we found out that their monikers were Khrishna and Tika with a combined experience of two or three treks between them. Well I suppose they have to get the experience from somewhere. I think my old friend Shekhar is making a few rupees out of this one. He should have tag teamed one of them with an experienced porter.
At 8:15 we all piled into the hatchback taxi. Obviously James was placed in the front seat while yours truly was sandwiched in the back. Our old driver was pretty experienced and he managed to safely weave his way out of Pokhara and onto the Prithvi Highway. The trip to the Dumre was unexciting and took about two hours. The driver who doesn’t say much took the turn off for Besi Sahar and soon had us moving along at a reasonable rate. That was until we caught up to one of the many buses that ply this route. I reckon that they must be on a 15 minute headway. It is difficult to pass them as the tarmac is only wide enough for 1.5 vehicles and the side of the road is mined with potholes. After a torturous, bumpy and squeezy hour we pulled up opposite the TIMS registration office at 11:35. The porters were hungry but we decided to purchase our bus tickets to Bhulbhule (600 rupees for 2/2). It was a smart move as the next bus was departing at midday.
The bus was on time and we were soon bumping our way along the goat track towards our destination. The road has improved since my last visit in 2012 but there are still plenty of hazards for the unsuspecting. These buses must be made of stern stuff as they take a real battering. Given the time of day it was only half full so we at least had a comfortable seat. I had heard that the road had been extended all the way to Manang but had not expected an extension up to Bahundanda. Anyway the bus just stopped along the road in the middle of nowhere whereupon the 15 year old conductor shouted Bhulbhule. We all piled out including a young French couple and started walking up the road in the direction of Ngadi. We reached there at 14:00 and decided that a late lunch was better than no lunch. I could see the tears of joy on the porter’s faces when we called a halt. James and I settled for our old lunch favourite which is garlic soup. It is guaranteed to ward off all sorts of maladies including advances from the opposite sex. We started off again at 14:30 as we wanted to reach our destination before dark and the last section is a long steep uphill climb. The pair of us were sweating like pigs as we hauled our sorry butts up the unforgiving slope. James who has not had the opportunity to train for the trek is really feeling it but he keeps plugging on. On the way up we were approached by a guy on a motorcycle proclaiming the virtues of his hotel. He weaved such a story that I thought we would be staying at the Hilton.
We eventually reached Bahundanda at 16:30 and collapsed into a chair. After a tour of the facilities I could tell that it wasn’t the Hilton. In fact one of my Dad’s old beach camps felt more homely. The saving grace however was that they had wi-fi which is something I have never had in Nepal whilst trekking. Our porters finally made it to the top and by the look on their faces they were done in. Their last job was to haul our bags up to our broom cupboard, oops I mean room. The hot shower did not eventuate but we were still hot enough not to care. The wi-fi however did work and I managed to contact Alice and have a trekking chat. After a good meal we hit the sack at 19:30. Even with the paper thin walls sleep came easy.
Tuesday 18th October – Lots of Waterfalls (Bahundanda to Chamche 12km - 1385m)
The other six trekkers that were staying at the salubrious North Pole Hotel started moving around at 6:00 as they wanted to be on the trail at 7:15. There were plenty of unsavoury noises emanating from all the rooms which meant it was time for breakfast. James and I had chosen the more sensible time of 7:00. After a decent omelet and a pot of tea was time to start walking. In the end we set off at 8:00 and were only a few minutes behind the other group. What goes up must go down and so it was for the first part of the trek this morning. We told the boys that we would meet them further down the trail and so we left them to their own devices. The trail is more or less the new road and the old trail overlapped. Fortunately for us at least there has been a couple of landsides which means there are no jeeps travelling in this section.
Our route took us through some thick verdant forest, past farms and included a few small creek crossings. Prior to reaching Ghermu there were a couple of spectacular waterfalls which had small rainbows. We passed the other group who decided to take a rest break in one of Ghermu’s restaurants. We crossed a large suspension bridge which gave us a great view of the spectacular waterfall at Syngae. After 2.5 hours of walking we decided to have a short break prior to heading off to Jagat.
This section basically follows the road but there are a couple of steep sections that really taxes the knees, legs and your wind. I went ahead to find a restaurant for lunch and left James to his own devices. We may have had a small breakdown in communication or I may have stuffed up but I chose the last restaurant in the village. James thought I had said the first restaurant and spent some before he tracked me down. I did however redeem myself by ordering him a bowl of onion and garlic soup which was laced with large pieces of both ingredients. As we were finishing our lunch our faithful porters arrived. They of course had a Dal Batt for lunch which seems to give them the energy to keep on going.
James and I set off at 12:30 and we both had no idea how long this section would take. We followed the road for a while and had great views of the boiling river below us. One of the small villages boasted access to a hot spring down by the river which was supposed to a twenty minute walk away. It was tempting but we want to spend the night in Chamche which has a special place in my heart but more of that when we arrive. Just beyond the village we had an opportunity to fast track it to Chamche by taking the low route along the road or the more challenging high route which was the old trail. The road less travelled was just for us and we were soon climbing upwards over an uneven trail that was slippery due to all the small waterfalls. When we crested the trail I was lathered in sweat. It was the good feeling you get when you conquer or master a difficult task. A little further on there was a good lodge called Rainbow View. It had spectacular views of the large waterfall on the adjacent side of the river and at the base there was a beautiful rainbow. Just past the lodge there was a strange sight. A soccer field had been constructed on the side of the mountain and it had a high wire fence to keep the ball from falling into the abyss. You would not like to fall over on the field as it is all dirt and stone without a single blade of grass. Twenty minutes later at 13:30 I arrived at Chamche.
I was going to have a look at a few hotels and then choose the best one for us. A young female at the Hotel Chamche tempted me to have a look at the rooms. They were definitely a large improvement on last night’s debacle and the shower was heated by gas. I feigned indifference and she then offered us free accommodation and 100 rupees off the Dal Batt. I could not resist the deal and signed off for the night. Now Chamche is close to my heart as in 2009 I stayed here with Jemma after she had gotten sick and it is the same hotel. The early finish to the day has given me the chance to catch up on the diary, wash some clothes and to give our legs a chance to recover. Most of the other groups have pushed onto Tal which is the next village. Oh, the shower was hot, the meal delicious and the wi-fi, yes wi-fi is working.
Shekhar and his staff cooked us up some fried eggs with potato and toast which really hit the spot. After breakfast we made a payment for 16 days of trekking ($16 or 1300rupees/porter), permits, accommodation and transport back to Besi Sahar. We also booked but have not paid for our flights back to Kathmandu which will cost about $US125. Not cheap but it will be worth it to avoid the long rough trip back. With the high finances over we took a walk down by the lake and arranged a couple of massages for 17:00. A little further along the waterfront I gave in to the juice salesman and had a detox drink of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. The price of 350 rupees was more than a happy hour beer but well worth it.
After a bit more walking and some last minute purchases by James we were ready for lunch. There are so many eateries to choose from but we could not resist one offering smashed avocado on toast with bacon and poached eggs. I continued my detox program with a cup of green tea and then a cup of ginger tea. Both were made with fresh ingredients and did not come in a tea bag. We had taken a footpath seat which is always a mistake as you are a target for every salesman and beggar that walks by. Our lunch eventually arrived and it definitely exceeded my expectations. It was the best poached egg that I have had in some time.
On returning to the hotel we retrieved the washing that we had done earlier this morning. This means that we will start the trek with a clean wardrobe. We then turned ourselves to the task of sorting and discarding the items for the trek. A monumental exercise but we now have our packs down to a manageable weight. With everything done we headed down to the lake front for our therapeutic massage. James and I shared the same room and two grown men in their undies is not the most pleasant of sights. Our massage began in earnest and both of us were squirming when they applied some real pressure into our knotty shoulders. The hour went quickly and hopefully the deep tissue massage will stand us in good stead when we start trekking tomorrow. To seal what was a pretty good day we, well I mean me enjoyed a large Nepali Ice beer at the happy hour price of 250 rupees. It was then off to the Pokhara version of the Everest Steak House where we enjoyed another top quality steak. I of course could not resist a couple of ice cold Gorkha beers.
Monday 17th October – Let The Trek Begin (Pokhara to Bahundanda 9+8km - 1310m)
Our taxi to Besi Sahar is booked for 8:00 so we took a leisurely breakfast and then finished our packing. It was time to meet our porters and we were a little surprised when I saw how old they were. They are mere boys when compared to us but they are 21 and 22 years of age. On questioning them we found out that their monikers were Khrishna and Tika with a combined experience of two or three treks between them. Well I suppose they have to get the experience from somewhere. I think my old friend Shekhar is making a few rupees out of this one. He should have tag teamed one of them with an experienced porter.
At 8:15 we all piled into the hatchback taxi. Obviously James was placed in the front seat while yours truly was sandwiched in the back. Our old driver was pretty experienced and he managed to safely weave his way out of Pokhara and onto the Prithvi Highway. The trip to the Dumre was unexciting and took about two hours. The driver who doesn’t say much took the turn off for Besi Sahar and soon had us moving along at a reasonable rate. That was until we caught up to one of the many buses that ply this route. I reckon that they must be on a 15 minute headway. It is difficult to pass them as the tarmac is only wide enough for 1.5 vehicles and the side of the road is mined with potholes. After a torturous, bumpy and squeezy hour we pulled up opposite the TIMS registration office at 11:35. The porters were hungry but we decided to purchase our bus tickets to Bhulbhule (600 rupees for 2/2). It was a smart move as the next bus was departing at midday.
The bus was on time and we were soon bumping our way along the goat track towards our destination. The road has improved since my last visit in 2012 but there are still plenty of hazards for the unsuspecting. These buses must be made of stern stuff as they take a real battering. Given the time of day it was only half full so we at least had a comfortable seat. I had heard that the road had been extended all the way to Manang but had not expected an extension up to Bahundanda. Anyway the bus just stopped along the road in the middle of nowhere whereupon the 15 year old conductor shouted Bhulbhule. We all piled out including a young French couple and started walking up the road in the direction of Ngadi. We reached there at 14:00 and decided that a late lunch was better than no lunch. I could see the tears of joy on the porter’s faces when we called a halt. James and I settled for our old lunch favourite which is garlic soup. It is guaranteed to ward off all sorts of maladies including advances from the opposite sex. We started off again at 14:30 as we wanted to reach our destination before dark and the last section is a long steep uphill climb. The pair of us were sweating like pigs as we hauled our sorry butts up the unforgiving slope. James who has not had the opportunity to train for the trek is really feeling it but he keeps plugging on. On the way up we were approached by a guy on a motorcycle proclaiming the virtues of his hotel. He weaved such a story that I thought we would be staying at the Hilton.
We eventually reached Bahundanda at 16:30 and collapsed into a chair. After a tour of the facilities I could tell that it wasn’t the Hilton. In fact one of my Dad’s old beach camps felt more homely. The saving grace however was that they had wi-fi which is something I have never had in Nepal whilst trekking. Our porters finally made it to the top and by the look on their faces they were done in. Their last job was to haul our bags up to our broom cupboard, oops I mean room. The hot shower did not eventuate but we were still hot enough not to care. The wi-fi however did work and I managed to contact Alice and have a trekking chat. After a good meal we hit the sack at 19:30. Even with the paper thin walls sleep came easy.
Tuesday 18th October – Lots of Waterfalls (Bahundanda to Chamche 12km - 1385m)
The other six trekkers that were staying at the salubrious North Pole Hotel started moving around at 6:00 as they wanted to be on the trail at 7:15. There were plenty of unsavoury noises emanating from all the rooms which meant it was time for breakfast. James and I had chosen the more sensible time of 7:00. After a decent omelet and a pot of tea was time to start walking. In the end we set off at 8:00 and were only a few minutes behind the other group. What goes up must go down and so it was for the first part of the trek this morning. We told the boys that we would meet them further down the trail and so we left them to their own devices. The trail is more or less the new road and the old trail overlapped. Fortunately for us at least there has been a couple of landsides which means there are no jeeps travelling in this section.
Our route took us through some thick verdant forest, past farms and included a few small creek crossings. Prior to reaching Ghermu there were a couple of spectacular waterfalls which had small rainbows. We passed the other group who decided to take a rest break in one of Ghermu’s restaurants. We crossed a large suspension bridge which gave us a great view of the spectacular waterfall at Syngae. After 2.5 hours of walking we decided to have a short break prior to heading off to Jagat.
This section basically follows the road but there are a couple of steep sections that really taxes the knees, legs and your wind. I went ahead to find a restaurant for lunch and left James to his own devices. We may have had a small breakdown in communication or I may have stuffed up but I chose the last restaurant in the village. James thought I had said the first restaurant and spent some before he tracked me down. I did however redeem myself by ordering him a bowl of onion and garlic soup which was laced with large pieces of both ingredients. As we were finishing our lunch our faithful porters arrived. They of course had a Dal Batt for lunch which seems to give them the energy to keep on going.
James and I set off at 12:30 and we both had no idea how long this section would take. We followed the road for a while and had great views of the boiling river below us. One of the small villages boasted access to a hot spring down by the river which was supposed to a twenty minute walk away. It was tempting but we want to spend the night in Chamche which has a special place in my heart but more of that when we arrive. Just beyond the village we had an opportunity to fast track it to Chamche by taking the low route along the road or the more challenging high route which was the old trail. The road less travelled was just for us and we were soon climbing upwards over an uneven trail that was slippery due to all the small waterfalls. When we crested the trail I was lathered in sweat. It was the good feeling you get when you conquer or master a difficult task. A little further on there was a good lodge called Rainbow View. It had spectacular views of the large waterfall on the adjacent side of the river and at the base there was a beautiful rainbow. Just past the lodge there was a strange sight. A soccer field had been constructed on the side of the mountain and it had a high wire fence to keep the ball from falling into the abyss. You would not like to fall over on the field as it is all dirt and stone without a single blade of grass. Twenty minutes later at 13:30 I arrived at Chamche.
I was going to have a look at a few hotels and then choose the best one for us. A young female at the Hotel Chamche tempted me to have a look at the rooms. They were definitely a large improvement on last night’s debacle and the shower was heated by gas. I feigned indifference and she then offered us free accommodation and 100 rupees off the Dal Batt. I could not resist the deal and signed off for the night. Now Chamche is close to my heart as in 2009 I stayed here with Jemma after she had gotten sick and it is the same hotel. The early finish to the day has given me the chance to catch up on the diary, wash some clothes and to give our legs a chance to recover. Most of the other groups have pushed onto Tal which is the next village. Oh, the shower was hot, the meal delicious and the wi-fi, yes wi-fi is working.
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Dogmandu
Thursday 13th October – Porters and Permits
Apart from the barking dog we both managed a decent night’s sleep. I always think that Kathmandu should be renamed Dogmandu. We wandered downstairs at 8:00 and had a substantial breakfast that should keep us going for most of the day. Later in the morning I contacted Shekhar Pageni who manages a hotel in Pokhara. He is like Arthur Daley from Minder fame and Alice, Jemma, Telissa and I met him in 2009 in Pokhara. He is going to organize two porters for us and will charge 1300 rupees ($16) a day for each of us. There is still some coordination to work out and as we are hiring porters they need to be show on our TIM’s card (trekking permit). Presently we are waiting around for a mystery man who will arrive at the Tibet Peace Inn to organize the permits.
Well after a long wait we gave up waiting and headed off for some lunch. Along the way we advised the rafting agency that we would cancel if they did not have the required numbers by lunch time tomorrow. I needed a couple of items for the trek so we dropped into the Snowland trekking store which has served me well since 2005. My purchases were simple enough and they were able to supply me with a poncho, waterproof bag for my sleeping bag and a rain cover for the backpack. Our next stop was the Himalaya Java café which does a mean frozen mint lemonade. We chilled here for a couple of hours and I finished off with a expresso affogato. It was time to walk off our lunch so we hit the backstreets of Kathmandu for a couple of kilometres. We finished up on the Kitchen Curry rooftop and enjoyed a bit of people watching.
Our evening meal tonight was at an old restored Newari building called the Thamel House restaurant. I convinced James that we should try the buffet which has about ten traditional dishes. Some of the fare included bean curd soup, deep fried potato, lamb mince mo mos, wild boar, fish, grilled chicken, vegetable curry and back lentils. James couldn’t finish his meal but he did manage to squeeze in the yogurt and fruit salad desert. During dinner we were treated to some traditional Nepali dancing. I finished off with some rice wine which warmed up the old cockles. The meal and drinks set us back about $18 each which was expensive by Kathmandu standards but well worth it. It was a good end to a relaxing day.
Friday 14th October – A Change of Plans
Due to an increase in the number of guest’s breakfast this morning was more of a buffet. The food was similar to yesterday however the Bain Marie only kept it lukewarm. The tomato omelet however was freshly cooked and delicious. James adjourned to the room and while I was immersed in the Kathmandu Post the mystery man arrived. Shekhar’s friend was here to get copies of our passports and a photo which he was going to forward to Pokhora so we could get our TIMS and ACAP permits. He was a nice man and seemed to know what he was doing.
After sorting out our bags we headed off for a walk around the shops. Just before lunch we dropped into the rafting agency and to our disappointment they did not have the necessary numbers for the trip tomorrow. We ended up cancelling the trip and will now travel to Pokhora tomorrow. To achieve this goal we headed up to the Greenline Bus company and purchased two tickets. They were $US25 each but that includes travel insurance, water and lunch at a decent restaurant. The only downside is that we have to be at the bus depot at 7:00 in the morning.
With our business dealings over it was off to our favourite lunch place, the Pumpernickel Café. We ordered a fresh roll with goat cheese and a slice of ham which was really corn meat. It was delicious and the garden setting at the back of the café gives you a break from the hustle and noise of Thamel. With some time to kill we took a stroll down to Durbar Square to see what damage had been done in the 2015 earthquake. We did get sidetracked when on a side alley we spotted an interesting stupa. It was called Kathesimbhu Stupa and it radiated with colourful prayer flags and stone statues. Further on we passed a number of dentist shops which advertised their prowess with signs showing a grinning mouthful of teeth. At nearby Bangemudha Square there is a wooden shrine to the toothache god. It was easy to navigate our way as all we had to do was follow the yellow brick road or more truthfully the road was paved with stones. There were also plenty of locals on the move as they continued to celebrate the Dashain festival. We both reneged on paying the 1000 rupee cover charge as the sign outside proclaimed that at least 50 percent of the temples were damaged and many others were partially damaged. This was evidenced by the number of timber props we could see holding up sagging walls. Nevertheless it was a good walk and gave us a good workout.
Prior to dinner we thought we would visit a bar near our hotel that was called the Hole in the Wall. As we approached I could hear the strains of Johnny Cash being belted out of a speaker. I thought this is for me and ventured up the narrow staircase to a very small room. It definitely was a hole in the wall as it made my back deck look as big as Boondall Entertainment Centre. The owner is a young Nepali around 25 years old with a taste in music that brings a tear to this old fella’s eyes. His signage promised a cold beer and he delivered in spades. Slowly sipping my Nepal Tiger beer I couldn’t help but admire the old gramophone and posters that adorned the walls. There are a couple of other floors all of the same shoebox size. We left to the sounds of the Doors blasting out Changeling from their L.A. Woman album. Ah! Sweet memories and we’ll be back for more. Dinner tonight was at the Mountain Steakhouse which has taken over from my old favourite the Everest Steakhouse. The menu is the same with great cuts of beef that they import from Calcutta but sadly it has lost a lot of its charm as the old décor has all but disappeared. The manager who worked for the Everest Steakhouse told me that the old owner had gotten sick and sold up the business. On a side note the steaks are still delicious.
It is an early night for us as we have to be up at 6:00 so we can catch our bus to Pokhara.
Saturday 15th October – The Never Ending Journey (206km)
Well we did wake up just before the alarm went off and even had time for a cup of coffee. The Tibet Peace Inn has been a good spot to stay and as a bonus they even prepared a takeaway breakfast for us. James and I shouldered our backpacks and set off up the street en-route to the Greenline Bus depot. We hadn’t walked more than 20 metres when the first taxi driver stopped and asked if we wanted to avail ourselves of his services. Along with the rickshaw riders this scene was repeated many times as we trudged the 15 minutes to the depot. After loading our bags onto the bus we still had another 25 minutes to kill prior to our 7:30 departure. Our packed breakfast came in handy and I had soon eaten a couple of bananas and a boiled egg.
Finally, we were on our way and making good time through the suburbs of Kathmandu. In general the road wasn’t too bad but there are still plenty of sections that are quite potholed. The main thoroughfare to Pokhara is the Prithvi Highway and as soon as we started our descent into the valley of the Mahesh Khola we came to a standstill. Most of the trouble is caused by buses and trucks that cannot pass each other on the tight hairpin turns. It was stop, start for about 45 minutes before we were able to break free from the jam. The vehicles going up the hill were going to take a lot longer to clear. With all the delays, stopping, starting and potholes could feel a code yellow coming on. To relieve the pressure on my bladder I stood in the aisle for about twenty minutes. In the end I succumbed and knocked on the door of the driver’s cabin. I mumbled toilet please and within five minutes we had pulled over at a rest stop for a break and morning tea. I was the first out of the bus but there were a few others who were obviously in the same boat.
After a fifteen minute break we were on our way again and as there was a spare seat at the front I abandoned James for a window view. The road continued to follow the twisting, contorting Trisuli River passing the minor towns of Bhaireni where many white-water rafting companies set off from and Malekhu which is famous for its smoked river fish. We stopped for lunch at 11:30 at the River Side Springs Resort. It seemed to be popular with the Chinese as many of them were staying in the resort and enjoying the tranquility of the river as well as the swimming pools. The set menu of chicken and dal baht wasn’t too bad either.
With lunch over we hit the highway and four kilometres down the road we stopped. The problem was that a huge number of locals were wanting to visit the Manakamana Temple. Parking was at a premium which caused a massive traffic jam especially in the other direction. There is an Austrian engineered cable car that soars up an impossibly steep hillside to the temple that attracts all of the Hindu devotees. Once through the traffic jam it did not take long to reach Mugling which is the turnoff for Chitwan and Pokhara which is another 96km away. The next major town is Dumre which is the turn-off for Besi Sahar the starting point of the Annapurna Circuit. We will be back this way again on Monday. I could feel another code yellow coming on but luckily the driver pulled over for a rest break. The last hour of the journey went slowly and James felt a bit off when we finally reached Pokhara. The journey time was 8.5 hours and we made a resolution to take the 30 minute flight back to Kathmandu at the end of the trek.
Shekhar whom I immediately recognized was waiting at the bus terminal for us. He soon had us in a taxi which soon had us at his hotel the Global Inn. We chatted for a while about our families and I found out that his daughter is now married and living at Mowbray Park in Brisbane. There were no deluxe rooms available so we had to settle for the standard 2000 rupee room. It is comfortable and will serve its purpose for the next two nights. In the early evening we went for a stroll and were amazed at the number of people who were out and about. We eventually took a table at the Godfather Restaurant who were offering ice cold San Miguel beers for 250 rupees. There are no prizes for guessing their specialty however we opted for a pasta dish which we added some extras too. I thought that I would watch a little television but before I knew it I was chasing out the zzz’s.
Apart from the barking dog we both managed a decent night’s sleep. I always think that Kathmandu should be renamed Dogmandu. We wandered downstairs at 8:00 and had a substantial breakfast that should keep us going for most of the day. Later in the morning I contacted Shekhar Pageni who manages a hotel in Pokhara. He is like Arthur Daley from Minder fame and Alice, Jemma, Telissa and I met him in 2009 in Pokhara. He is going to organize two porters for us and will charge 1300 rupees ($16) a day for each of us. There is still some coordination to work out and as we are hiring porters they need to be show on our TIM’s card (trekking permit). Presently we are waiting around for a mystery man who will arrive at the Tibet Peace Inn to organize the permits.
Well after a long wait we gave up waiting and headed off for some lunch. Along the way we advised the rafting agency that we would cancel if they did not have the required numbers by lunch time tomorrow. I needed a couple of items for the trek so we dropped into the Snowland trekking store which has served me well since 2005. My purchases were simple enough and they were able to supply me with a poncho, waterproof bag for my sleeping bag and a rain cover for the backpack. Our next stop was the Himalaya Java café which does a mean frozen mint lemonade. We chilled here for a couple of hours and I finished off with a expresso affogato. It was time to walk off our lunch so we hit the backstreets of Kathmandu for a couple of kilometres. We finished up on the Kitchen Curry rooftop and enjoyed a bit of people watching.
Our evening meal tonight was at an old restored Newari building called the Thamel House restaurant. I convinced James that we should try the buffet which has about ten traditional dishes. Some of the fare included bean curd soup, deep fried potato, lamb mince mo mos, wild boar, fish, grilled chicken, vegetable curry and back lentils. James couldn’t finish his meal but he did manage to squeeze in the yogurt and fruit salad desert. During dinner we were treated to some traditional Nepali dancing. I finished off with some rice wine which warmed up the old cockles. The meal and drinks set us back about $18 each which was expensive by Kathmandu standards but well worth it. It was a good end to a relaxing day.
Friday 14th October – A Change of Plans
Due to an increase in the number of guest’s breakfast this morning was more of a buffet. The food was similar to yesterday however the Bain Marie only kept it lukewarm. The tomato omelet however was freshly cooked and delicious. James adjourned to the room and while I was immersed in the Kathmandu Post the mystery man arrived. Shekhar’s friend was here to get copies of our passports and a photo which he was going to forward to Pokhora so we could get our TIMS and ACAP permits. He was a nice man and seemed to know what he was doing.
After sorting out our bags we headed off for a walk around the shops. Just before lunch we dropped into the rafting agency and to our disappointment they did not have the necessary numbers for the trip tomorrow. We ended up cancelling the trip and will now travel to Pokhora tomorrow. To achieve this goal we headed up to the Greenline Bus company and purchased two tickets. They were $US25 each but that includes travel insurance, water and lunch at a decent restaurant. The only downside is that we have to be at the bus depot at 7:00 in the morning.
With our business dealings over it was off to our favourite lunch place, the Pumpernickel Café. We ordered a fresh roll with goat cheese and a slice of ham which was really corn meat. It was delicious and the garden setting at the back of the café gives you a break from the hustle and noise of Thamel. With some time to kill we took a stroll down to Durbar Square to see what damage had been done in the 2015 earthquake. We did get sidetracked when on a side alley we spotted an interesting stupa. It was called Kathesimbhu Stupa and it radiated with colourful prayer flags and stone statues. Further on we passed a number of dentist shops which advertised their prowess with signs showing a grinning mouthful of teeth. At nearby Bangemudha Square there is a wooden shrine to the toothache god. It was easy to navigate our way as all we had to do was follow the yellow brick road or more truthfully the road was paved with stones. There were also plenty of locals on the move as they continued to celebrate the Dashain festival. We both reneged on paying the 1000 rupee cover charge as the sign outside proclaimed that at least 50 percent of the temples were damaged and many others were partially damaged. This was evidenced by the number of timber props we could see holding up sagging walls. Nevertheless it was a good walk and gave us a good workout.
Prior to dinner we thought we would visit a bar near our hotel that was called the Hole in the Wall. As we approached I could hear the strains of Johnny Cash being belted out of a speaker. I thought this is for me and ventured up the narrow staircase to a very small room. It definitely was a hole in the wall as it made my back deck look as big as Boondall Entertainment Centre. The owner is a young Nepali around 25 years old with a taste in music that brings a tear to this old fella’s eyes. His signage promised a cold beer and he delivered in spades. Slowly sipping my Nepal Tiger beer I couldn’t help but admire the old gramophone and posters that adorned the walls. There are a couple of other floors all of the same shoebox size. We left to the sounds of the Doors blasting out Changeling from their L.A. Woman album. Ah! Sweet memories and we’ll be back for more. Dinner tonight was at the Mountain Steakhouse which has taken over from my old favourite the Everest Steakhouse. The menu is the same with great cuts of beef that they import from Calcutta but sadly it has lost a lot of its charm as the old décor has all but disappeared. The manager who worked for the Everest Steakhouse told me that the old owner had gotten sick and sold up the business. On a side note the steaks are still delicious.
It is an early night for us as we have to be up at 6:00 so we can catch our bus to Pokhara.
Saturday 15th October – The Never Ending Journey (206km)
Well we did wake up just before the alarm went off and even had time for a cup of coffee. The Tibet Peace Inn has been a good spot to stay and as a bonus they even prepared a takeaway breakfast for us. James and I shouldered our backpacks and set off up the street en-route to the Greenline Bus depot. We hadn’t walked more than 20 metres when the first taxi driver stopped and asked if we wanted to avail ourselves of his services. Along with the rickshaw riders this scene was repeated many times as we trudged the 15 minutes to the depot. After loading our bags onto the bus we still had another 25 minutes to kill prior to our 7:30 departure. Our packed breakfast came in handy and I had soon eaten a couple of bananas and a boiled egg.
Finally, we were on our way and making good time through the suburbs of Kathmandu. In general the road wasn’t too bad but there are still plenty of sections that are quite potholed. The main thoroughfare to Pokhara is the Prithvi Highway and as soon as we started our descent into the valley of the Mahesh Khola we came to a standstill. Most of the trouble is caused by buses and trucks that cannot pass each other on the tight hairpin turns. It was stop, start for about 45 minutes before we were able to break free from the jam. The vehicles going up the hill were going to take a lot longer to clear. With all the delays, stopping, starting and potholes could feel a code yellow coming on. To relieve the pressure on my bladder I stood in the aisle for about twenty minutes. In the end I succumbed and knocked on the door of the driver’s cabin. I mumbled toilet please and within five minutes we had pulled over at a rest stop for a break and morning tea. I was the first out of the bus but there were a few others who were obviously in the same boat.
After a fifteen minute break we were on our way again and as there was a spare seat at the front I abandoned James for a window view. The road continued to follow the twisting, contorting Trisuli River passing the minor towns of Bhaireni where many white-water rafting companies set off from and Malekhu which is famous for its smoked river fish. We stopped for lunch at 11:30 at the River Side Springs Resort. It seemed to be popular with the Chinese as many of them were staying in the resort and enjoying the tranquility of the river as well as the swimming pools. The set menu of chicken and dal baht wasn’t too bad either.
With lunch over we hit the highway and four kilometres down the road we stopped. The problem was that a huge number of locals were wanting to visit the Manakamana Temple. Parking was at a premium which caused a massive traffic jam especially in the other direction. There is an Austrian engineered cable car that soars up an impossibly steep hillside to the temple that attracts all of the Hindu devotees. Once through the traffic jam it did not take long to reach Mugling which is the turnoff for Chitwan and Pokhara which is another 96km away. The next major town is Dumre which is the turn-off for Besi Sahar the starting point of the Annapurna Circuit. We will be back this way again on Monday. I could feel another code yellow coming on but luckily the driver pulled over for a rest break. The last hour of the journey went slowly and James felt a bit off when we finally reached Pokhara. The journey time was 8.5 hours and we made a resolution to take the 30 minute flight back to Kathmandu at the end of the trek.
Shekhar whom I immediately recognized was waiting at the bus terminal for us. He soon had us in a taxi which soon had us at his hotel the Global Inn. We chatted for a while about our families and I found out that his daughter is now married and living at Mowbray Park in Brisbane. There were no deluxe rooms available so we had to settle for the standard 2000 rupee room. It is comfortable and will serve its purpose for the next two nights. In the early evening we went for a stroll and were amazed at the number of people who were out and about. We eventually took a table at the Godfather Restaurant who were offering ice cold San Miguel beers for 250 rupees. There are no prizes for guessing their specialty however we opted for a pasta dish which we added some extras too. I thought that I would watch a little television but before I knew it I was chasing out the zzz’s.
Not Nepal Agan
Monday 10th October – Nothing To Declare
The good news for me is that today I’m off on another adventure to Kathmandu for a trek around the Annupurna Circuit. Accompanying me on this epic journey is my young partner in crime James of TransLink fame. With typical transport precision we timed our arrival at Brisbane International Airport within minutes of each other. After a big hug from Alice, James and I entered the sacred transit hall where we lined up in a short queue at the Thai Air check-in counter. The tip here is make sure you check-in online and thus save lining up in the conga line. To quote Thai everything including immigration was as smooth as silk.
The only issue was that Thai announced that the plane was delayed by 90 minutes so our take-off was now timed for 15:30. No problem as my Priority Pass would for a small fee give us access to the new business class lounge. Entry did not include alcohol but that was of no concern given the time of day. The surroundings, wi-fi, food and coffee were all excellent which made our stay very relaxing. By 14:30 our aircraft had yet to arrive at the departure gate so we assumed we would be delayed further. We happened to glance up at the departure screen and saw our epitaph “FLIGHT CANCELLED”. Without any prompting we both sprang into dynamic action and headed down to gate 79 where our flight was supposed to depart from. We had walked into a maelstrom, absolute chaos as overwhelmed Thai staff tried to explain what was to follow. Essentially we had to fill in an arrival card, then walk down the ramp as if we were boarding our aircraft and then hang a left so we could exit onto the arrival floor. The process after that was similar to when you arrive. It was a quick walk through duty free where I was tempted to see if we could buy anything which was followed by immigration. As we headed towards the baggage carousel I quipped to Border Control “Nothing to Declare”. After picking up our luggage we exited back into the outside world and thus ending my quickest trip out of Australia.
Our ordeal wasn’t over as we had to join a very long queue where Thai staff was issuing accommodation and transport vouchers. In the end James and I wrote our details on the boarding passes and handed them to a Thai representative. As we were from Brisbane we did not have to wait but we would have to return to the international terminal the next day at 10:00am at which time we would know our fate. The staff was absolutely winging it (nice analogy) and seemed to have no idea on how the process should work when a flight was cancelled. There was also no explanation as to why the flight was cancelled. The only saving grace was that Alice had not departed for the wilds of Currimundi and was able to pick us up. We dropped James at home just before four with plans to pick him up the next day at nine.
Later in the evening I started the process of rebooking our accommodation in Bangkok and Kathmandu. Given the late notice we will most likely have to pay for the cancelled nights. The travel insurance will not cover it as the excess is $200 and as usual I have booked rooms that are under $40 a night. We may be able to claim something back at a later date from Thai Airways. There were no messages from Thai so on spec I thought I would check my booking. Low and behold there was a fatal error message but there were details of a flight to Bangkok via Melbourne the next day. It was getting late so I contacted the Thai 24 hour number in Bangkok who forwarded me a copy of our new flight details. I gave James a call and he checked his details and came up with the same result. By 10:30pm we had worked out that we would meet at the domestic terminal around 8:30am where we would catch the 10:00am QANTAS flight to Melbourne.
Tuesday 11th October – Milk Run to Bangkok
Alice and Bob drove me to the airport and once again James and I coordinated our arrival to near perfection. It was so perfect that we just beat a busload of other stranded passengers to the QANTAS check-in counter. They were expecting us but the system wasn’t. The QANTAS staff were great and we soon had our boarding passes for Melbourne and our bags checked through to Bangkok. By 9:00 James was tucking into a couple of Vietnamese vegetable rolls while I checked my messages. He also tried to contact the Brisbane Thai office but that was an exercise in futility as they were not answering their phones. The irony of it all was that we would have missed this flight if we had relied on Thai Airways contacting us. James’ sister did receive a call from them at 8:40am but that would have been too late for him to make this flight.
The flight down went smoothly and as soon as we landed we high tailed it to the international terminal. It was about a 10 minute walk and as a result of our speed we were second in line for the disenfranchised Brisbane. The Thai check-in lady was exceptional as she booked us through to Kathmandu and without too much cajoling from James gave us the exit row seats. The staff were told not to upgrade any of the Brisbane passengers or provide them with meal vouchers. It was a pretty poor effort from Thai management given the inconvenience that the cancellation caused. Nevertheless all of the passengers were in good spirits and looking forward to their shortened holiday.
James did finally get on to the Brisbane office but couldn’t get any satisfaction from them. There was an apology but no recognition of the poor effort they made in contacting customers. I don’t know where we would have been had we not looked at our booking on-line. From that conversation we have deduced that our flight was diverted into Bali due to mechanical issues and they have a couple of hundred Brisbane bound passengers stranded there. I suppose I could think of worse places to be stranded.
After an easy passage through immigration and security we killed a couple of hours over an expensive airport steak sandwich. Take off was scheduled for 16:15 and we were hurtling down the runway soon after that. Our aircraft looks like it has seen better days as it rattled and squealed as it headed up into the stratosphere. Our seats are excellent as we can stretch right out and relax without anyone in front of us reclining their seats into your knees. The hosties were excellent and kept me well lubricated with water, wine and a couple of meals. After two movies I grabbed a little shuteye and perhaps it was the small snifter of cognac that according to James caused me to drool. Anyway we had a tailwind which got us into Bangkok 30 minutes early and the opportunity to reach our hotel before 22:30.
James and I put on our speed boots and did a half marathon to the immigration counter where much to my surprise there were no queues. We sped through immigration and after clearing customs were soon at the carousel. Our speed was so good that we beat our baggage by about ten minutes. We are staying tonight at the Silver Gold Garden hotel which offers a transfer to and from the airport. It is a budget hotel and at $31 for a double, transfers and breakfast it is a bargain. We found the transfer section and about 10 minutes later we were on our way to the hotel. After checking in we made a bee-line to the local Tesco store and purchased some water and snack food. It has been a long day and the bed looks inviting. Oh! By the way we do have twin beds.
Wednesday 12th October –Back to Kathmandu
Despite me getting up and down a few times throughout the night James did manage to get some sleep and gave a good impression of a faulty chainsaw. Seriously though I did get a good night’s sleep and awoke just before the alarm went off at 6:00. This will give us enough time to clean up and have breakfast before catching the 7:30 shuttle to the airport. The buffet breakfast down by the canal was a simple fare but the fried rice was a standout. By the time we finished the shuttle was ready to leave so we joined the rest of the guests and were at the airport just before 8:00.
We were lucky having our boarding passes as this allowed us to just drop our bags off. Within minutes we were through security and immigration and heading off to find a coffee shop. There was a Burger King but we sidestepped them and took a seat at Starbucks to while away the time. I could feel the death adder in my wallet as I parted with a 165 baht ($6.20) for a large cappuccino. The coffee was okay but it did give us a chance to logon and ring home with an update on our progress. The flight departed on time and just over 3 hours later we touched down in Kathmandu.
Immigration in Kathmandu is usually a nightmare as everyone is vying to be first in line in order to facilitate a smooth transition into this mountain kingdom. James and I were among the first off the plane and as we hit the tarmac, it is old school here as you have to descend down steps, and did our fast walk into the immigration hall. I thought I knew what I was doing and ignored James’ advice and headed straight to the immigration counter. It turned out that we needed to purchase our visa ($US40 for 30days) at another counter. Bugger our advantage was lost but fortunately the visa payment line wasn’t too long and within ten minutes we were back where we started. I left James at immigration and headed down to the baggage collection area. Nothing in Nepal is ever simple as you have to put your carry-on luggage through security to access the baggage area. It was a sea of chaos as everyone was jockeying for a position in a very cramped area. I eventually saw our bags on the carousel and elbowed my way through the masses to retrieve them. James arrived just as his jumbo pack appeared.
Outside it was a sea of tranquility as all the touts for the various hotels and taxis were kept at bay by a stout iron fence. James spotted a wizened old man holding a placard with my name on it and the hotel where we are staying. He guided us to a minivan where our bags were stowed. For his troubles I gave him the $US1 note that Alice had found in her stash of foreign currency a few days before. The trip to our hotel the Tibet Peace Inn was surreal as there was hardly any traffic on the roads. It is normally teeming with traffic with blaring horns and suicide motorcycle riders. We did find out that it was a holiday as the Nepali’s a celebrating their Daisan Festival.
At the hotel they were very welcoming however we were a little shocked at having to pay $US10 for the taxi. I must be getting tighter or maybe it is the principle of being ripped off that I don’t like but it was only $4 more than it should have been. Our room although small for two big men is clean and functional and good value. There is cable television and wi-fi in the room. There is also backup electricity for when the power shedding is on. After settling in we went for a walk and have made a booking for a two day rafting trip on the Bote Koshe River. We are opening our wallets on this trip as it is $US130 per person. For the trip to come off they need three more passengers so we will see what happens. Back at the hotel we had some good news as the manager will not charge us for the night we missed on Tuesday.
We finished our day off at the Roadhouse Café in Thamel where they specialize in wood fired pizzas. The place was packed which is a good sign so we had to take a seat at the bar. Our pizza arrived fairly promptly and was delicious. After the trials of the last three days we were ready for an early night.
The good news for me is that today I’m off on another adventure to Kathmandu for a trek around the Annupurna Circuit. Accompanying me on this epic journey is my young partner in crime James of TransLink fame. With typical transport precision we timed our arrival at Brisbane International Airport within minutes of each other. After a big hug from Alice, James and I entered the sacred transit hall where we lined up in a short queue at the Thai Air check-in counter. The tip here is make sure you check-in online and thus save lining up in the conga line. To quote Thai everything including immigration was as smooth as silk.
The only issue was that Thai announced that the plane was delayed by 90 minutes so our take-off was now timed for 15:30. No problem as my Priority Pass would for a small fee give us access to the new business class lounge. Entry did not include alcohol but that was of no concern given the time of day. The surroundings, wi-fi, food and coffee were all excellent which made our stay very relaxing. By 14:30 our aircraft had yet to arrive at the departure gate so we assumed we would be delayed further. We happened to glance up at the departure screen and saw our epitaph “FLIGHT CANCELLED”. Without any prompting we both sprang into dynamic action and headed down to gate 79 where our flight was supposed to depart from. We had walked into a maelstrom, absolute chaos as overwhelmed Thai staff tried to explain what was to follow. Essentially we had to fill in an arrival card, then walk down the ramp as if we were boarding our aircraft and then hang a left so we could exit onto the arrival floor. The process after that was similar to when you arrive. It was a quick walk through duty free where I was tempted to see if we could buy anything which was followed by immigration. As we headed towards the baggage carousel I quipped to Border Control “Nothing to Declare”. After picking up our luggage we exited back into the outside world and thus ending my quickest trip out of Australia.
Our ordeal wasn’t over as we had to join a very long queue where Thai staff was issuing accommodation and transport vouchers. In the end James and I wrote our details on the boarding passes and handed them to a Thai representative. As we were from Brisbane we did not have to wait but we would have to return to the international terminal the next day at 10:00am at which time we would know our fate. The staff was absolutely winging it (nice analogy) and seemed to have no idea on how the process should work when a flight was cancelled. There was also no explanation as to why the flight was cancelled. The only saving grace was that Alice had not departed for the wilds of Currimundi and was able to pick us up. We dropped James at home just before four with plans to pick him up the next day at nine.
Later in the evening I started the process of rebooking our accommodation in Bangkok and Kathmandu. Given the late notice we will most likely have to pay for the cancelled nights. The travel insurance will not cover it as the excess is $200 and as usual I have booked rooms that are under $40 a night. We may be able to claim something back at a later date from Thai Airways. There were no messages from Thai so on spec I thought I would check my booking. Low and behold there was a fatal error message but there were details of a flight to Bangkok via Melbourne the next day. It was getting late so I contacted the Thai 24 hour number in Bangkok who forwarded me a copy of our new flight details. I gave James a call and he checked his details and came up with the same result. By 10:30pm we had worked out that we would meet at the domestic terminal around 8:30am where we would catch the 10:00am QANTAS flight to Melbourne.
Tuesday 11th October – Milk Run to Bangkok
Alice and Bob drove me to the airport and once again James and I coordinated our arrival to near perfection. It was so perfect that we just beat a busload of other stranded passengers to the QANTAS check-in counter. They were expecting us but the system wasn’t. The QANTAS staff were great and we soon had our boarding passes for Melbourne and our bags checked through to Bangkok. By 9:00 James was tucking into a couple of Vietnamese vegetable rolls while I checked my messages. He also tried to contact the Brisbane Thai office but that was an exercise in futility as they were not answering their phones. The irony of it all was that we would have missed this flight if we had relied on Thai Airways contacting us. James’ sister did receive a call from them at 8:40am but that would have been too late for him to make this flight.
The flight down went smoothly and as soon as we landed we high tailed it to the international terminal. It was about a 10 minute walk and as a result of our speed we were second in line for the disenfranchised Brisbane. The Thai check-in lady was exceptional as she booked us through to Kathmandu and without too much cajoling from James gave us the exit row seats. The staff were told not to upgrade any of the Brisbane passengers or provide them with meal vouchers. It was a pretty poor effort from Thai management given the inconvenience that the cancellation caused. Nevertheless all of the passengers were in good spirits and looking forward to their shortened holiday.
James did finally get on to the Brisbane office but couldn’t get any satisfaction from them. There was an apology but no recognition of the poor effort they made in contacting customers. I don’t know where we would have been had we not looked at our booking on-line. From that conversation we have deduced that our flight was diverted into Bali due to mechanical issues and they have a couple of hundred Brisbane bound passengers stranded there. I suppose I could think of worse places to be stranded.
After an easy passage through immigration and security we killed a couple of hours over an expensive airport steak sandwich. Take off was scheduled for 16:15 and we were hurtling down the runway soon after that. Our aircraft looks like it has seen better days as it rattled and squealed as it headed up into the stratosphere. Our seats are excellent as we can stretch right out and relax without anyone in front of us reclining their seats into your knees. The hosties were excellent and kept me well lubricated with water, wine and a couple of meals. After two movies I grabbed a little shuteye and perhaps it was the small snifter of cognac that according to James caused me to drool. Anyway we had a tailwind which got us into Bangkok 30 minutes early and the opportunity to reach our hotel before 22:30.
James and I put on our speed boots and did a half marathon to the immigration counter where much to my surprise there were no queues. We sped through immigration and after clearing customs were soon at the carousel. Our speed was so good that we beat our baggage by about ten minutes. We are staying tonight at the Silver Gold Garden hotel which offers a transfer to and from the airport. It is a budget hotel and at $31 for a double, transfers and breakfast it is a bargain. We found the transfer section and about 10 minutes later we were on our way to the hotel. After checking in we made a bee-line to the local Tesco store and purchased some water and snack food. It has been a long day and the bed looks inviting. Oh! By the way we do have twin beds.
Wednesday 12th October –Back to Kathmandu
Despite me getting up and down a few times throughout the night James did manage to get some sleep and gave a good impression of a faulty chainsaw. Seriously though I did get a good night’s sleep and awoke just before the alarm went off at 6:00. This will give us enough time to clean up and have breakfast before catching the 7:30 shuttle to the airport. The buffet breakfast down by the canal was a simple fare but the fried rice was a standout. By the time we finished the shuttle was ready to leave so we joined the rest of the guests and were at the airport just before 8:00.
We were lucky having our boarding passes as this allowed us to just drop our bags off. Within minutes we were through security and immigration and heading off to find a coffee shop. There was a Burger King but we sidestepped them and took a seat at Starbucks to while away the time. I could feel the death adder in my wallet as I parted with a 165 baht ($6.20) for a large cappuccino. The coffee was okay but it did give us a chance to logon and ring home with an update on our progress. The flight departed on time and just over 3 hours later we touched down in Kathmandu.
Immigration in Kathmandu is usually a nightmare as everyone is vying to be first in line in order to facilitate a smooth transition into this mountain kingdom. James and I were among the first off the plane and as we hit the tarmac, it is old school here as you have to descend down steps, and did our fast walk into the immigration hall. I thought I knew what I was doing and ignored James’ advice and headed straight to the immigration counter. It turned out that we needed to purchase our visa ($US40 for 30days) at another counter. Bugger our advantage was lost but fortunately the visa payment line wasn’t too long and within ten minutes we were back where we started. I left James at immigration and headed down to the baggage collection area. Nothing in Nepal is ever simple as you have to put your carry-on luggage through security to access the baggage area. It was a sea of chaos as everyone was jockeying for a position in a very cramped area. I eventually saw our bags on the carousel and elbowed my way through the masses to retrieve them. James arrived just as his jumbo pack appeared.
Outside it was a sea of tranquility as all the touts for the various hotels and taxis were kept at bay by a stout iron fence. James spotted a wizened old man holding a placard with my name on it and the hotel where we are staying. He guided us to a minivan where our bags were stowed. For his troubles I gave him the $US1 note that Alice had found in her stash of foreign currency a few days before. The trip to our hotel the Tibet Peace Inn was surreal as there was hardly any traffic on the roads. It is normally teeming with traffic with blaring horns and suicide motorcycle riders. We did find out that it was a holiday as the Nepali’s a celebrating their Daisan Festival.
At the hotel they were very welcoming however we were a little shocked at having to pay $US10 for the taxi. I must be getting tighter or maybe it is the principle of being ripped off that I don’t like but it was only $4 more than it should have been. Our room although small for two big men is clean and functional and good value. There is cable television and wi-fi in the room. There is also backup electricity for when the power shedding is on. After settling in we went for a walk and have made a booking for a two day rafting trip on the Bote Koshe River. We are opening our wallets on this trip as it is $US130 per person. For the trip to come off they need three more passengers so we will see what happens. Back at the hotel we had some good news as the manager will not charge us for the night we missed on Tuesday.
We finished our day off at the Roadhouse Café in Thamel where they specialize in wood fired pizzas. The place was packed which is a good sign so we had to take a seat at the bar. Our pizza arrived fairly promptly and was delicious. After the trials of the last three days we were ready for an early night.
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