We arrived(20 hours of flying) in India to a sea of faces without a single placard with our name! A taxi line and off to the Shantigriha, and getting lost on the way as the taxi driver could not find it, we at last found that we arrived a day later than expected. After a short sleep we were off to the airport again and on to KTM. WE'll get a day in Delhi on the way back. KTm, as one might imagine with +1 million folks, is a busy, bustling place. THe people are kind and ever smiling.
MOst interesting was a tour of a monk's art studio, and seeing what goes into painting the Mandalas, Buddhist life story, etc. We also fed crackers to monkeys in one of the temples and walked along the river of a muslim shrine as bodies of the dead were cremated or prepared for such, and then swept into the river. NOt a place enticing for a swim.
Our flight to pokhara set off in the early dawn and we were greeted in that half hour flight with a magnificent panorama! Having wanted to see these mountains for a lifetime I could not have been more impressed by them!! Our flight @ 18,000ft was yet short of the peaks! Absolutley takes the breath away. We are situated for another day how at the FIsh tail Lodge-a tranquil oasis surrounded by Phiwa lake and a tropical little paradise. it's so nice to sit away from the crowds and watch the clouds circling the ANnapurnas. We hiked up to the World peace shrine yesterday and then to the Sidaraha shrine today with 2000' climbs to prepare ourselves for the upcoming trek. Now, many hours of standing and waiting for permits and visa extension which proceed in the usual extreme casual Nepalese manner, we will stroll the streets a bit, get a bite, and paddle across to our hotel. WE are happy, healthy and well fed and ready to strike out on trail! xxx c and w
