Mum and Auntie Kathy came at the beginning of November to visit Nepal, and inspect my life of luxury here. I've broken this up into 2 parts of tourism, first outside the Kathmandu Valley and next time our visits in the Kathmandu Valley. This is a bit of a photo-blog, partly because my writing is not very good, but mostly because I am lazy and, as they say, a photo speaks a thousand words.
So, the first place we went outside the valley was the National park at Chitawan. This involved a bus ride down to the park, about 6 hours or so along some of the most scary roads in Nepal. When we arrived, we went for an organised wander around the park before heading to the river for the sunset - a part of all the "Chitawan Package" holidays.
The sunset in Sauraha across the Rapti river
The next morning, we were woken early for a canoe ride along the river to the edge of the jungle, followed by a visit to the elephant breeding centre. The boats weren't the most stable in the world, and Achut standing at the back didn't make the situation any better. The walk in the jungle was fairly uneventful, we saw lots of trees, some termite mounds and in the distance one or two deer. After the warnings that we might have to run from rhino, it was a bit tame, but what can you expect when there are 12 noisy people trampling through the surrounding. At the elephant breeding centre 7 days earlier one mother elephant given birth to the first set of twins in captivity in Nepal, the third in the world. One of the guides led out a baby elephant to be petted, then a small Nepali school boy ran into the enclosure behind the animals, causing a large amount of horn trumpeting and shouting.
Canoeing early morning along the river
A lake in the jungle - when noisy tourists aren't there, deer, rhino and other animals drink from the lake
The mother with her twins - both boys
From the elephant breeding centre we went back into Sauraha to watch the elephant bathing. Achut, the shy and retiring person he is, wanted to shower with them. This involved climbing onto the naked elephant's back and the elephant driver shouting things at it to wash itself and get Achut as wet as possible at the same time.
Achut about to get a trunk-full of water
After lunch, it was our turn to go on the elephants for our safari. We went on into the jungle, lumbering along at a lolloping pace. Every step pushed my rib into the wooden surround of the the carry-cot ontop of the elephant, eventually ending in a bruise the size of a tennis ball. The advantage of an elephant safari is that most animals know the elephants and don't run away, giving quite a cool view of the local wildlife, especially the endangered one-horned rhinos.
Mounting the elephant
An argument between the elephant and rhino?
Crossing the river
That was enough for one day, and we had an early night. The next morning we had the bird walk at 6.30, the morning mist rising from the river and the golden orange sun poking through. There were, however, a distinct lack of bird life. Maybe it was because it was cold. Maybe it was because it was very early. Or maybe it was because we were very very noisy. After that, we headed for the bus station and headed for Pokhara and the mountains.
The morning mist rising from the river
In Pokhara we first went to the lake, Phewa Tal, and had a two hour trip around the lake powered by an old Gurung lady. Lots of Nepali people were heading for the temple in the middle of lake, boats as overflowing as local buses.
'Buses' going to Tal Barahi
The view of the Annapurna Himalaya from Phewa Tal at sunset
Then we started our trek. It was a six-day trek up to Ghorepani, to watch the sunrise from Poon Hill before descending back down to Ghandruk, a preserved Gurung village, and back to Pokhara. Mum and Auntie Kathy didn't find it easy. Some days were long, almost 8 hours walking, but both did a most admirable job, and kept going through the pain that was at the end obviously pulsating through their bodies.
The start of the trek, bright eyed and bushy tailed...
Up hill, down dale...
Through rhododendron forest...
To Poon Hill for the Himalaya's best view...
And the sunrise...
Before reaching the highest point on the trek...
And returning downhill...
Through some beautiful Gurung villages...
And finally a well earned rest.
The trail always throws up one or two interesting parts. Ours was a quite funny really. In the hills around Pokhara, Marijuana is found naturally occurring. In one tea-house we stayed in, a foreign man in his forties or fifties came in rather off-his-head on the local crop. He had been there 10 times or so in the last month apparently. Everyone in the tea-house was whispering, what would the man do? He came in, got out his pipe, and then ordered some food. Later on, the guides and porters couldn't help themselves and were talking rather loudly about the man in Nepali, until someone asked him for some crop. He then started to complain that people always asked him for some, and never gave him any money, and that all the local people sold him their crop and ripped him off. My heart bled.
So once the trek was finished, we had a relaxing day around Pokhara seeing the sites before heading to Kathmandu the following morning.
The Kathmandu Valley part will come soon!
SAM
So, the first place we went outside the valley was the National park at Chitawan. This involved a bus ride down to the park, about 6 hours or so along some of the most scary roads in Nepal. When we arrived, we went for an organised wander around the park before heading to the river for the sunset - a part of all the "Chitawan Package" holidays.
The next morning, we were woken early for a canoe ride along the river to the edge of the jungle, followed by a visit to the elephant breeding centre. The boats weren't the most stable in the world, and Achut standing at the back didn't make the situation any better. The walk in the jungle was fairly uneventful, we saw lots of trees, some termite mounds and in the distance one or two deer. After the warnings that we might have to run from rhino, it was a bit tame, but what can you expect when there are 12 noisy people trampling through the surrounding. At the elephant breeding centre 7 days earlier one mother elephant given birth to the first set of twins in captivity in Nepal, the third in the world. One of the guides led out a baby elephant to be petted, then a small Nepali school boy ran into the enclosure behind the animals, causing a large amount of horn trumpeting and shouting.
From the elephant breeding centre we went back into Sauraha to watch the elephant bathing. Achut, the shy and retiring person he is, wanted to shower with them. This involved climbing onto the naked elephant's back and the elephant driver shouting things at it to wash itself and get Achut as wet as possible at the same time.
After lunch, it was our turn to go on the elephants for our safari. We went on into the jungle, lumbering along at a lolloping pace. Every step pushed my rib into the wooden surround of the the carry-cot ontop of the elephant, eventually ending in a bruise the size of a tennis ball. The advantage of an elephant safari is that most animals know the elephants and don't run away, giving quite a cool view of the local wildlife, especially the endangered one-horned rhinos.
That was enough for one day, and we had an early night. The next morning we had the bird walk at 6.30, the morning mist rising from the river and the golden orange sun poking through. There were, however, a distinct lack of bird life. Maybe it was because it was cold. Maybe it was because it was very early. Or maybe it was because we were very very noisy. After that, we headed for the bus station and headed for Pokhara and the mountains.
In Pokhara we first went to the lake, Phewa Tal, and had a two hour trip around the lake powered by an old Gurung lady. Lots of Nepali people were heading for the temple in the middle of lake, boats as overflowing as local buses.
Then we started our trek. It was a six-day trek up to Ghorepani, to watch the sunrise from Poon Hill before descending back down to Ghandruk, a preserved Gurung village, and back to Pokhara. Mum and Auntie Kathy didn't find it easy. Some days were long, almost 8 hours walking, but both did a most admirable job, and kept going through the pain that was at the end obviously pulsating through their bodies.
The trail always throws up one or two interesting parts. Ours was a quite funny really. In the hills around Pokhara, Marijuana is found naturally occurring. In one tea-house we stayed in, a foreign man in his forties or fifties came in rather off-his-head on the local crop. He had been there 10 times or so in the last month apparently. Everyone in the tea-house was whispering, what would the man do? He came in, got out his pipe, and then ordered some food. Later on, the guides and porters couldn't help themselves and were talking rather loudly about the man in Nepali, until someone asked him for some crop. He then started to complain that people always asked him for some, and never gave him any money, and that all the local people sold him their crop and ripped him off. My heart bled.
So once the trek was finished, we had a relaxing day around Pokhara seeing the sites before heading to Kathmandu the following morning.
The Kathmandu Valley part will come soon!
SAM
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