Nepal

We crossed over the barren lands of Tibet and saw the highest mountain in the world, but the time came to go down and down and down again. We drove over the last of the Himalayas and descended into the valleys of Nepal. Our last stop in China was Zhangmu, a village on the border built on the steep mountain slopes around the sharp knife bends of the very narrow road.

What a change of landscape! Everything changed! The look of the local peoples, the plants around us, the weather - it was like a surge of new life and energy entered our truck with the lower altitude, green mountains and warm weather.

The Last Resort

This is a wonderfully secluded resort built in the mountains close to the border with China. The only way to get there is to park Calypso in a small village and cross a big gorge on a narrow suspension bridge 160 metres above the raging Bothse-Kosi river.

The daredevils in our group did bungy jumps, bridge swings, and white water rafting, while the more refined among us chose the sauna and plunge pool, or the deft hands of the resident masseuse.

Waiting for the bungy

Brave Bruce

Steve

Dave & Alicia in tandem

Jason

This crab protects the sauna

Plunge pool

Lots of waterfalls

Crazy digger loaders on the way to Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Our next stop was Kathmandu. What a city! In all the chaos there is some kind of system that works for the locals; and it worked for us. It is endlessly interesting with temples and stupas and Buddhas and monkeys. To keep us on our toes there are motorbikes, small Suzuki taxis, rickshaws, water tanker trucks, and everything else on wheels buzzing around in the narrow streets. For the first time in weeks we got decent coffee and food like we know back home in the west. We did not feel like rock stars any more. We were just twenty more backpackers amongst hundreds of others in a city of more than two million people.

We visited the Durbar square, the Swayambhu Stupa (Monkey Temple), the Garden of Dreams, the post office, and endless little shops and restaurants. It was like a refueling station for our senses. The girls (and Mark) all went for cheap and wonderful spa treatments. And of course there was a Nepali feast at the Thamel House.

Brooke at the Monkey Temple

Steve at the Monkey Temple

Pokhara

Wonderful as Kathmandu is, the busyness wears you out and it was time to hit the road again and head for the quieter banks of Lake Phewa and the town of Pokhara. Pokhara is in another amazing setting with the Annapurna mountain range as the backdrop on one side and the World Peace Stupa keeping watch on the other. It was quite hot and humid here, but that did not stop us from exploring the hills and town. Steve and Wayne hired bicycles and cycled up the 1590m Sarangkot hill. Brooke and Nico attacked the same hill on foot and met them there for lunch. Alicia and Tina did a full day of yoga, meditation, massage, healthy eating, and dance. Cal and Lorri walked around the lake. Jason and Jordan went in search of Club Amsterdam. Dave, Jason, Jordan, Mark, and Daniel went for a round of mountain (or valley?) golf, which Dave won. Steve, Wayne, Alicia, Brooke, and Nico went for a pre-breakfast walk up to the World Peace Stupa and were treated to some amazing views of the high mountains behind Pokhara's hills.

And as we departed Pokhara the 8000m Annapurna Mountains opened up from between the clouds and wished us a safe journey to Chitwan.

Wayne on his way to the World Peace Stupa

Almost at the top - Steve, Nico, Wayne, Alicia

The World Peace Stupa

Annapurna

Steve rowing us back to Pokhara

Boats for hire

Lady living on Sarankot

View over Pokhara from Sarankot

Chitwan

We were winding lower into a big valley and we could surely feel it. It was getting hotter and more humid. Chitwan is a national park in Nepal that is trying to save several species of fauna. The big ones are of course elephants, crocodiles, rhinos, and tigers. We all wanted to see these guys, so we went on all the types of safari they offered. We were lucky to see lots of birds, a rhino, elephants that we rode on, crocodiles in the river, and lots of spotted deer. But alas, no tiger. We'll have to go back there!

Drying mealies (corn)

Elephant hotel?

Rice paddies

The jetty in Chitwan

Jungle walk in Chitwan

Elephant ride in Chitwan

Jason, Jordan, Dave & Alicia

Luke, Lou & Daniel

Mikkel, Wayno & Steve

Nico and Brooke at the Elephant Dock

Muddy tracks

The one-horned rhino

Wild deer

Lahan

Our last stop in Nepal was Lahan. This was a half way transit stop on the way to the border. The air-conditioned rooms were very welcome. After the sun set the town seemed to wake up, and the markets and streets were bustling with activity. We went for a walk and looked at all the interesting little shops, selling everything and nothing, and the small factories producing plastic bags and packaged boiled eggs. The next day was pleasantly cool and a short drive to the border town, Kakarbhitta, where we had lunch and spent our last rupees before crossing into massive India.

These guys really don't need to ask for your horn

Lahan is bustling