I had always wanted to go to Nepal. Don't know why. May have been the mountains, the shrines and prayer flags along the mountain paths, the breathtaking scenery in all the photographs I had seen growing up. Needless to say, I barely saw any of this...
We had been told Kathmandu was a bit mental. Clearly these people had never been to India. While the traffic still weaved around the pedestrians, and mopeds still beeped their horns, it was a lot more relaxed than we had expected. Our accommodation also took a few steps down as we chose more basic guesthouses. In Kathmandu we stayed at the Madhuban Guesthouse. Inexpensive and with no air-con, it is close to the main tourist area of Thamel where most bars and hostels are located, and also many shops selling clothes, souvenirs, other tat and fake North Face etc equipment. Worth the risk if you're not expecting too much from them. Thamel itself is a maze of narrow roads and alleyways, also used by the locals for day to day living, and has a definite charm.
The few sights to see can be done in a couple of days. The Kathmandu Durbur Square (one of three but the most lively to see) is just south of Thamel. Which we found out after going it completely the wrong direction after thinking it was something else on the map...
It is a complex of 49 temples, strewn through the streets, with market stalls selling jewelry and ornaments, all in a fairly small area. Also near here is 'Freak Street' where the hippies first stayed back in the '60's. I can't imagine it's changed all that much. A further walk took us to Swayambhu, a Buddhist temple also know as the Monkey Temple due to the number of monkeys that live here - and harass the tourists. A climb up over 300 steps brings you to a large stupa with further shrines dotted around. Prayer flags flow between the buildings and trees to all quarters. There are also great views over the Kathmandu valley.
Two further temples are worth a visit. Boudhanath is the centre of Buddhist learning in Nepal. A central stupa is surrounded by a circle of shops and restaurants, but alleyways lead off to hostels and monasteries making it feel more austere. A 20 minute walk takes you to Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple to Shiva. It is considered so holy that non-hindus cannot enter the main temple, but the whole complex is pleasant enough, although maybe not warranting the high entry fee... Due to the great importance of this temple cremations regularly take place (three were ongoing as we visited, and another (shrouded) body was being washed in the river). On the other side of the river (and up more steps) is the temple of Goraknath. Again we could not enter the main temple, but could walk through the many shivalaya in the forest.
From Kathmandu we got a tourist bus (different from a local bus - it's comfier) to Pokhara. A much more relaxed city located next to Phewa Lake, it is the starting point for many treks around the western Himalayas and the Annapurna range. As it was not trekking season, and we only had a few days, this was not an option. We did, however, get to do a little day trek... A path winds its way from the south end of the lake up through the forest to the World Peace Pagoda. It is definitely worth the walk for the views alone! I found the route to the top to be a great analogy for peace processes - there are many paths, not all go to the right place and it is very easy to get lost! After appreciating the views we made a critical error - we continued walking, aiming for a village called Bhumdi with the intention of walking around the lake. It turned out to be a lot further than anticipated... After walking for miles, mainly uphill, with no food and little water, using only vague directions from helpful locals ('that way - 2 hours', '2 and a half hours', 'just another 2 km'), we eventually started going downhill. It was late and was thinking about raining when we found a bus. They said it was still 2 hours to the bottom of the hill, let alone back to Pokhara - so we got the bus home. Three to a seat, down the very steep rocky roads we had achingly walked up for 5 hours...
The next day we decided to do something more sedate - paragliding! This was amazing! Not only did we get our only sight of the Annapurna peaks above their clouds (apparently only seen twice in the previous few weeks) but it was a truly wonderful experience. My pilot, Elli, was unable to find any thermals to get a decent flight, something which had never happened to her before. This meant only one thing - we packed up, hot-footed back to the top of the hill and went again. This may have been the most awesome time of my life! Finding the thermals this time, Elli took me into the bottom of the clouds, went over the lake and treated me to a few little acrobatics. This second flight had given me a chance to talk to her about the sport and to appreciate more than a single flight may have done. The feeling of freedom floating through the air is incredible, and as long as you can find the thermals you can fly for as long as you want. The result? She let me fly her kite for a little bit and I am now completely hooked! I will definitely be going back to take a full course and become a qualified paraglider!
The rest of our stay was spent having massages, having a boat trip on the lake, eating and drinking. The only thing you have to get used to here (and in Nepal in general) is regular power cuts. But as the bars usually have their own generators this is a problem quickly fixed...
Our stay here was greatly enhanced by our choice of guesthouse. The Pushpa Guesthouse is family run (the children will want to play with you) and the owner is very knowledgeable about the excursions on offer - he will not try and sell you the most expensive, unless it's the best, or something that he does not feel would be suited to you. Highly recommended!
This left only a bus journey back to Kathmandu (staying at the same guesthouse, enabling me to return their purloined guidebook) and flight back to Malaysia.
Nepal has left me wanting more. I want to see the mountains. I want to go on week long treks. I will be back...
We had been told Kathmandu was a bit mental. Clearly these people had never been to India. While the traffic still weaved around the pedestrians, and mopeds still beeped their horns, it was a lot more relaxed than we had expected. Our accommodation also took a few steps down as we chose more basic guesthouses. In Kathmandu we stayed at the Madhuban Guesthouse. Inexpensive and with no air-con, it is close to the main tourist area of Thamel where most bars and hostels are located, and also many shops selling clothes, souvenirs, other tat and fake North Face etc equipment. Worth the risk if you're not expecting too much from them. Thamel itself is a maze of narrow roads and alleyways, also used by the locals for day to day living, and has a definite charm.
The few sights to see can be done in a couple of days. The Kathmandu Durbur Square (one of three but the most lively to see) is just south of Thamel. Which we found out after going it completely the wrong direction after thinking it was something else on the map...
It is a complex of 49 temples, strewn through the streets, with market stalls selling jewelry and ornaments, all in a fairly small area. Also near here is 'Freak Street' where the hippies first stayed back in the '60's. I can't imagine it's changed all that much. A further walk took us to Swayambhu, a Buddhist temple also know as the Monkey Temple due to the number of monkeys that live here - and harass the tourists. A climb up over 300 steps brings you to a large stupa with further shrines dotted around. Prayer flags flow between the buildings and trees to all quarters. There are also great views over the Kathmandu valley.
Two further temples are worth a visit. Boudhanath is the centre of Buddhist learning in Nepal. A central stupa is surrounded by a circle of shops and restaurants, but alleyways lead off to hostels and monasteries making it feel more austere. A 20 minute walk takes you to Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple to Shiva. It is considered so holy that non-hindus cannot enter the main temple, but the whole complex is pleasant enough, although maybe not warranting the high entry fee... Due to the great importance of this temple cremations regularly take place (three were ongoing as we visited, and another (shrouded) body was being washed in the river). On the other side of the river (and up more steps) is the temple of Goraknath. Again we could not enter the main temple, but could walk through the many shivalaya in the forest.
From Kathmandu we got a tourist bus (different from a local bus - it's comfier) to Pokhara. A much more relaxed city located next to Phewa Lake, it is the starting point for many treks around the western Himalayas and the Annapurna range. As it was not trekking season, and we only had a few days, this was not an option. We did, however, get to do a little day trek... A path winds its way from the south end of the lake up through the forest to the World Peace Pagoda. It is definitely worth the walk for the views alone! I found the route to the top to be a great analogy for peace processes - there are many paths, not all go to the right place and it is very easy to get lost! After appreciating the views we made a critical error - we continued walking, aiming for a village called Bhumdi with the intention of walking around the lake. It turned out to be a lot further than anticipated... After walking for miles, mainly uphill, with no food and little water, using only vague directions from helpful locals ('that way - 2 hours', '2 and a half hours', 'just another 2 km'), we eventually started going downhill. It was late and was thinking about raining when we found a bus. They said it was still 2 hours to the bottom of the hill, let alone back to Pokhara - so we got the bus home. Three to a seat, down the very steep rocky roads we had achingly walked up for 5 hours...
The next day we decided to do something more sedate - paragliding! This was amazing! Not only did we get our only sight of the Annapurna peaks above their clouds (apparently only seen twice in the previous few weeks) but it was a truly wonderful experience. My pilot, Elli, was unable to find any thermals to get a decent flight, something which had never happened to her before. This meant only one thing - we packed up, hot-footed back to the top of the hill and went again. This may have been the most awesome time of my life! Finding the thermals this time, Elli took me into the bottom of the clouds, went over the lake and treated me to a few little acrobatics. This second flight had given me a chance to talk to her about the sport and to appreciate more than a single flight may have done. The feeling of freedom floating through the air is incredible, and as long as you can find the thermals you can fly for as long as you want. The result? She let me fly her kite for a little bit and I am now completely hooked! I will definitely be going back to take a full course and become a qualified paraglider!
The rest of our stay was spent having massages, having a boat trip on the lake, eating and drinking. The only thing you have to get used to here (and in Nepal in general) is regular power cuts. But as the bars usually have their own generators this is a problem quickly fixed...
Our stay here was greatly enhanced by our choice of guesthouse. The Pushpa Guesthouse is family run (the children will want to play with you) and the owner is very knowledgeable about the excursions on offer - he will not try and sell you the most expensive, unless it's the best, or something that he does not feel would be suited to you. Highly recommended!
This left only a bus journey back to Kathmandu (staying at the same guesthouse, enabling me to return their purloined guidebook) and flight back to Malaysia.
Nepal has left me wanting more. I want to see the mountains. I want to go on week long treks. I will be back...
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