We caught the local bus from Tansen down to Butwal, then changed at the bus park to a Nepalgunj bus with no trouble at all. This time the bus was smaller, so there was no room for goats or potatoes. We got to Nepalgunj without any 'banda' interruptions - a small miracle for any trip along the Terai (flat areas) these days.
We visited the INF hospital on Monday. They were moving just about everything, ward areas, outpatients, some office space as well as painting (with some interesting un-asked-for feature walls). We came back on Tuesday to visit various office sections and get the run-down on the projects that are administered from the Nepalgunj office.
Lunch was at the "INF Canteen", a small road-side restaurant near INF (see the photo gallery). Many staff were eating there and it was certainly good value for money. Jenny just had to close her eyes when she walked past the washing up bucket. We actually went back there for lunch again later in the week - Phil can't resist a cheap meal.
Jenny had a day at the Maya Sadan orphanage school giving the teachers some ideas for activities to use with early childhood lessons - like how to make playdough.
At the end of the week we caught the bus to Mahendranagar. The journey started out in a small minibus with our packs tied on the roof rack. This seemed a quick way to go, but just after Bardia they transferred us onto a big bus and paid the other bus driver to take us onwards. Shortly after this the bus stopped at Ambassa (the turnoff to Bardia National Park lodges). Nothing happened for a while, then someone told us that the road was cut by floodwaters ahead. After an hour or so we moved again, sure enough we joined a line of waiting vehicles. Eventually some vehicles had a go at crossing (see photo gallery) then our bus went across. Some concrete sections of the floodway had moved and dropped lower in the river, so it was quite possible that they could give way completely with the weight of trucks and buses. It was pouring rain most of the time, but cleared up later in the day.
We spent the night in Mahendranagar. The next morning we caught the bus to the Indian border. We walked across a strange no-man's land - the good Nepali road just stopped, then there was a windy bit of rocky path/road. We foolishly got a rickshaw across this, but it would have been just as quick and comfortable to walk. Indian immigration was very officious - they spent quite a bit of time working out if our visa stamp was from the "consulate-general", "embassy" or "high commission" in Canberra. Then we walked across a huge bridge/weir that is used to hold up the river and redirect water into a large irrigation canal. The river was very wide and fast-flowing due to the monsoon. We tried to take a photo at the other side but officials told us "no no no". Apparently this is a hugely important piece of government property that needs to be protected?
A horse and cart ride took us 5km into Banbassa (the first town in India). It was pouring rain again, so chai and samosa was the order of the day whilst we waited in a typical village "cafe" for the bus to Haldwani. This is the worst bus so far (as in old and decrepit) although the engine did roar well and it actually got along at a good pace.
There was much flooding across the plains to Haldwani. We were often driving through a foot of water rushing over the road. Motorbikes were having trouble, stalling in the water. We changed at Haldwani for Nainital, up in the hills.
