Hello again…
I think Julia left off when we were just arriving back in Bangkok…I’d look it up, but it’d take about an hour of Nepalese dial-up time and likely crash the country’s system. SO…I’ll start from there.
Back in the sultry heat of Bangkok. We found our way back to our locale ‘behind’ Kheo San Rd…a crummy place, but with a bathroom and a wee television. We had a few things that we still wanted to buy from this land of cheap and plenty…so we set out shopping early in the morning (our train arrived at 6am…so early it was!) after some quick e-mail, a delicious mango and pineapple breakfast…I probably had some inappropriately early curry or something too. We also had to decide whether or not to come to Nepal, confirm many flights, purchase other flights for Europe, etc.etc. We also wanted to get in touch with our friends Beo again (for perhaps another feast), Sanny, and loh and behold…Rory and Shona (from Vietnam) also happened to be in Bangkok that day too. SO…off to bargain and wander. Our first stop…we…sorry, I tried to bargain for waterproof camping bags and only managed to piss off the store owners by offering too low a price. Next store…the cross-eyed lady questioned my man-hood…after I simply asked the difference between two materials of pant (she said all pants were the same material which they CLEARLY weren’t…even as a stupid tourist, I can tell the difference between silk and cotton)…she wondered if I was ‘100% man’…and said ‘If you only look…DON’T TOUCH’. Wow! Next place…a woman refused to sell us something because we looked too long…on and on it went. We were quite shocked really at the change in mood of the shop owners. ALL of them seemed pissed off. I wonder if the election results had something to do with it…or the approaching water festival (Son Kran)…their version of new year which is supposed to be quite fun… where they knew all the happy tourists would be soaking them with water guns. Ahh well. We did manage to buy what we needed…I even had to tuck-tail and return to the water-proof bag store and offer a better price…but no big deal.
Unfortunately, Beo was unable to meet us in Bangkok, we were unable to get enough done soon enough to get downtown again to meet Sanny (shitty…and sorry Sanny…we really wanted to see you again…but another time!), but did manage to have a quick beer stop with Rory and Shona. A quick exchange of stories…they were off to India, us to the travel agent. Nepal…the big question. If you don’t know…the Nepalese people, stirred on by the hopeful politicians, were hosting major demonstrations against the autocratic rule of their king. The stike continued there with businesses shut and vehicles NOT running. It was just a country in a little bit of turmoil…but we were SO excited to get there and go for a trek (who knows why…we sort of determined we weren’t hikers…but it had some strange appeal and Julia and everyone else raves about it!). SO…armed only with the knowledge that there were tourist busses available, and that airplanes were still running…we figured we could manage…or at least try. As such, we left Bangkok on the morning of the 12th…the very day that
ALL of Bangkok shuts down and readies itself for a major water fight(I think there might be some rice-flour involved too).
We did make it to the airport…but had to get there about 6 hours early because after 7am, taxi service ceased as well. Whatever…we wandered around and watched people from an upper airport balcony, we browsed book shops with time to read various books and magazines without paying for them, and we ate at Burger king…while getting nervous for our arrival in Nepal.
Nepal…I can only start by saying…what a GREAT decision!!! Having said that…we’re not out of the country yet…and so I may eat my words by tomorrow as the country is unpredictable from day to day. From the moment we stepped off the plane, we knew we were in for an interesting adventure. The people, the smells, the lack of life in the streets (from the strike and curfews), the interesting and different architecture…and so much more. We’ll have to re-write this entry sometime when I have time to think more creatively…but with the slow dial-up system and relatively high price for internet…I’m rushing a little. Sorry.
We were met by a barrage of tourist taxis…all trying to take you to their hotel and telling you that all the others didn’t exist, or burnt down or whatever. Julia and this dorky Australian man, who thought he was the end-all and be-all of Nepal tourist wisdom…having been here a few times before, led me into a taxi (a rust bucket) I was doubtful would hold all our weight. Anyway…we drove down the empty streets, past all the armed military and king-led police (keeping the streets quiet and riot free?) and into Thamel…the tourist district of Nepal. We chose to go to the Kathmandu Guest house as Julia was familiar with it…even though it cost about 10 times as much as some other places. It was nice, with a nice garden, decent rooms (by the standards here…which aren’t bad), and seemingly secure and filled with tourists. We immediately went out into the streets to do a little pre-hike shopping, and were quickly met by the hoards of merchants all trying to get you into their shops! As there had been many days of strike just prior (all shops closed), and a lower than usual tourist population due to the instability here these days…they were very interested in our business…and as expected, a little pushy about getting you to buy things. Having said that, they were also very polite and nice people! We did end up getting a few sweaters, hats, mits, some trail food, and Nepal trekking book. We were also majorly ripped off on some non-functional Chinese version of Tiger Balm (we paid 100 rupees for 1…we could have gotten 4 for that price!). All contributing to their economy I suppose. With that out of the way, and a few pastries in our bellies…we set out to read about the trek (Annapurna Base-Camp) we were about to do. There were so many neat treks to consider though, and by morning, we had decided that we’d likely prefer the Jomsom trek (part of the Annapurna circuit) to the base-camp…supposed to be more beautiful and filled with culture. With our minds set…we then went about getting the necessary air tickets to get to and from Pokhara, return flight from Jomsom, and our exiting flight to Delhi. We also managed to get our trekking permits (that weren’t ONCE checked on the trail), and a hotel room in Pohkara …all before we had to get a 9:30am taxi back to the airport for our departure to Pokhara. Just as all was paid up and perfectly timed to the DAY, we were informed by another trekker that busses weren’t operating in Pokhara to take us to the start of our trek (50km away)…despite tourist vehicles operating in Kathmandu! Shitty! This added about 2 days walking to our ‘precisely’ planned schedule. All a little stressy at this point!
Whatever, no time to change it now…we flew to Pokhara, made our way to the hotel, packed more than enough for our now supposedly 12 day hike (for which we only had 10 days), then sat down with the Hotelier to discuss our plans. Fortunately for us…he said that we’d EASILY be able to make the trek to Jomsom in time for our return flight…in fact, he said we’d have time to spare…then helped us work out the first 2-unknown days of our trek…as again, you normally get driven the first 50km to Birithanti before you start the official trek.
I must leave now…but can’t WAIT to tell you about the adventures we had along the way! Check back here soon.
Tyler
Back again after a LONG break from keeping up with our journal. Internet prices and time...not good to us the past few weeks.
Anyway...heading out from our hotel in Pokhara, we walked the mostly empty streets for a good 5 minutes before sitting down for a sandwich, drink, and internet break. Our last contact with civilization for 9 days (OUUUU...sounds so wimpy compared to the past when the net didn't exist!!). We walked through many km of town before we were met head on by a throng of angry protesters, and realized that MANY guns were pointed in our direction. Luckily the protesters weren't angry at us...and we were out of the way of the guns in no time and waited out the protest with a couple of old men in a corner of a store. With that over, and our hearts settled to normal pace, we walked on for MANY km before asking a local child to direct us to the path we needed to take to get to our first stop...a village named Sarangkot...900 meters higher than Pokhara. We were led off the main road (filled with stone pile road blocks to prevent traffic) and followed a group of locals down a tiny dirt path. At one point, one of the ladies bent over and scooped up a HUGE pile of fresh horse shit...presumably to burn or for fertilizer or something...but an interesting method of transportation...bare hands. Anyway, we walked HARD through sweltering heat for about 4-5 hours before reaching the peak where the cute little village of Sarangkot sat. The view to Pokhara was AMAZING, and the site of the surrounding Himilayas was humbling! We stayed...perhaps unfortunately...at the first hotel we came to. It happened to be a BIG hotel a few stories high...while all the other buildings were low, stone or mud construction, and definitely not rich. This was only about 2-3$/night though, and we were BUSHED, so needed to rest and drop our packs. We then decided that we'd support the other locals by eating our meals at some of the other restaurant/family home/hotel places.
We settled at a restaurant where very CUTE kids were playing with plastic bags and flattened balls, but having a blast! As the sun was setting and it was still warm, we sat outside with a lovely view over the city, many miles from where we started, and literally BASKED in the amazingly different, but surprisingly serene surroundings. After 30 minutes, our tea came. Milk tea...a FANTASTIC drink that Julia has craved for 6 years since last coming here. As the night and accompanying cold set in, the restauranteurs (a mother and her elder daughter of perhaps 11yrs) noticed that we were chilled, and so called us into their humble home. We sat on a wee wooden bench right in front of their 1 room house with the wooden bed where the two younger girls slept...perhaps all three of the girls. The younger two were sitting on the bed, 3 feet from us, staring at us with intense curiosity...us at them, but unable to communicate. It only took a few minutes for us to attempt our Nepalese language skills with them (all from the travel book we had) and find our their names were Rosalie and Sangita...to little wee girls, perhaps 3 and 2 years old. Soon they were laughing hysterically at us...which quickly moved into a game of tickle tag, and push the car, and and and...kids, basically the same all over the world. They warmed the house (and...how touching...our hearts) for the night with their frolicing, laughter and smiles...and when we were finally served our meals...we gladly shared what we could with them, and had a good (but lengthy) meal. Off to bed for the night...when I suddenly realized that I had forgotten the camera battery charger, and extra memory card!! SHEIZA (sp?)...I figured there'd be no electricity...but up until now, our camera had only lasted a max of 5 days. SO...we decided to play it safe and turn off the view screen for the duration of our hike, and hope the camera lasted (which...gladly...it did with much battery to spare!!).
Off the next day at about 7am, we chose a new place for breakfast...again, only to share the 'wealth' and because it'd be too hard to say goodbye to our new friends again. We ate lightly, but were entirely shocked, disgusted and strangely impressed when the young lady served us our tea, walked 5 steps behind us, and hocked up the HUGEST loogie ever hocked by a female! Right there...wow...I thought the Vietnamese were bad for that...the Nepalese take the cake (up to now!) hands down! Funny little differences in cultures...what is normal, and what totally isn't!
SO...on the road again. Quite literally, we were following a road. Unused now as no traffic was running...except for the MANY gangs of local kids hustelling the tourists for money for their 'clubs'. We were suckered into the first gang and gave them a few dollars...but were quickly wizened to the scheme and realized that speaking to them in french rather than english would get them off your back. They'd present you with a book with an english letter written in neat writing, suggesting that they had a legitimate club and needed funding (which could have been true...but for the hundreds of clubs spread out over only hundreds of kids...) followed by a list of the contributors, their nationality (to make it a competitive thing) and the amount they contributed (to which I'm sure 1 or more zeros had been added). Well...it's hard to say no...but one must or you'd be broke after 3km of walking. We also fell victim to one especially cute girl begging for (as commonly asked for) 'sweet', 'biscwits', or 'escool pen'. We had none, and are savy enough to know that it's bad to satisfy these requests and promote begging...but we did give her a canada flag tatoo on her arm, and I droped a few rupees for her to find with hugely satisfied eyes!! Poor things!
This second day was a LONG day of hiking. Mostly uphill, VERY hot, and very long. We passed many trekkers (as with the remainder of our trek) who were doing the reverse hike from us back to Pokhara after realizing (likely following 14+ days of hiking) that there were no rides available (YEICKS)...saw a few sights...but basically just walked our legs into the ground!
