Blogs from Chitwan, Nepal, Asia - page 14

When we woke up the next morning we were hoping for some news that would let us get back to Kathmandu and catch our flight to Delhi, which was the next day. Unfortunately the problem had gotten worse which left one local man dead and fifteen sent to seriously injured. This was not the news we were hoping for. Our guide, Gopal, informed us of a route that might work to get us passed the road barricades, but it wasn't a guarantee and it would be a lot longer. With a flight looming and trying to avoid changing all our trains back in India we decided to take a chance. We hopped on the bicycle rickshaw that would take us through the jungle for five hours on a road made of rock and dirt. I had ... read more

BE Warned !!- this one is a long impression and reading it might result in an uncontrollable urge to promptly book a flight to Nepal, next February. When I started my no-planning-stage to Nepal, I fantasized about the Himalayas, about Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, about long tracks in thin air. Right of the bat in Kathmandu I realized that I was unquestionably "Templed-Out", and that if i see one more statue of Buddha I'd become a Born Again Christian with a Jehovah-Witness-Behavioral-Disorder. Just think of a light consistent knock on your door, one unsuspecting afternoon, and here is Mr. Travlin Z packing a Bible, covered in crimson colored lacy cloth, and offering you a word of pseudo-brotherly-compassion in a futile attempt on your soul. So I wandered about aimlessly for a couple of weeks. Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nayapul, ... read more

The journey from Pokhara was by bus, and not just any bus - it was the most rickety ramshackle bus that we have ever seen. It looked like it had been sitting in a bus yard for decades. There were a lot of tall people on the bus, and they kept whacking their heads because the roof was so low, and dad was one of them, in fact every time he stood up he hit his head. We left Pokhara at 7:30AM and the journey took 6 hours - but it felt like 2 days. It was soooooo boring, there was nothing really to do. We even made up menus for a pretend cafe. As soon as we arrived in Chitwan we got a taxi to our camp and the driver was called Chris, he was ... read more

The bus south left at 7.30am. My rucksack was hoisted atop the bus and I settled in my seat, trying not to infect the whole bus with my persistent gurgling cough. It was very chilly. I had on every clean layer I had but still felt the cold. The road south took the bus through mountains terraced for farming and winding cliff roads that overlooked a beautiful turquoise river. Houses spotted the countryside on both sides of the water. Women washed their children and clothes in water from the stand pipes in front of their houses clinging to the mountainside. I think there was at least one goat outside every house. Long precarious walkways were strung over the water, some nothing more than a cage on a wire that would be moved by hand. After a ... read more

Caught another local (tourist) bus to Chitwan National Park.. was very excited at the prospect of seeing loads of wildlife - Rhinos, Tigers, Deer, Elephants etc... Stayed at the Riverside which I really recomend - very much enjoyed sitting by the river and watching the sunset from my hotel bar - beautiful. And met another big group of travellers.. Got up for a very early morning canoe down the river then then into the National park for a jungle walk to supposedly see the wildlife... loved the canoe trip saw many birds .. but the walk was a bit long winded - expecially as it was hot and all the guys showed me was animal dung and some footprints...where is this wildlife? Although was glad not to come across a Rhino when I was walking through ... read more