Day 44 cont- 51

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Day 44 cont

Well after I left you the others came back from their horse ride (including cheryl despite losing the saddle!) and we headed off for lunch folowed by hiring the biggest pedalo i've ever seen! Us 6 girls peddalled out to the middle of the lake and swam and chilled for a few hours which was so good to do after so much driving and sightseeing etc. The lake and the annapurna range round it was amazing as was the weather (the nepalese tourists taking photos and weird polish men however were not so good!) so really enjoyed that. We had a free meal at the hotel that night which was a local dish od Dhal Baat (rice, potatoes, spinach, lentils and salad) not the nicest but free so not too many complaints! Early to bed (before 9pm, a record!)

Day 45

A very early start! Left the hotel at 4.30am for the bus ride up a mountain to watch the sunrise over the valley. We drove for about 30 mins before being dumped in pitch black without torches to climb the next 45mins to the top. Would like to say it was worth it but it was cloudy and the views weren't that good! Walked back then got the bus back to the hotel intime for breakfast. Quick nap and then grabbed a takeaway sandwhich before hiring another pedalo for a few hours. We were joined halfway through by the boys on kayaks before they paddled off again. Got back to shore and made it back to the hotel before a quick shower and change and heading out for what was meant to be shopping but turned out to be more cocktails (ross I blame you!) A quick tea and more cocktails followed before again a fairly early bedtime of 11pm!

Day 46

Left Pokhara before 7am with half the group to go white water rafting on the trisurlee(?) river was a fairly long drive there followed by a long wait while they sorted equipment etc but well worth it! Loved it all but the funniest moment had to be when anna fell in losing her trousers and nat's flip lops (thank god for all in one swimsuits!) she was okay and found the funny side but that had to be one of the highlights of the last few weeks. Hilarious! This was followed by another long drive to kathmandu the capital of nepal. A long bumpy drive not helped by traffic and the fact i was knackered from so many early mornings and paddling for about 3 hours solid! arrived at the hotel (not the nicest but i did way overreact!) so was not in the best of moods, however a free chinese meal and some very cheap (but surprsingly ok) bottle of vodka did help!

Day 47

Woke in a much better mood helped by the sunshine and the heat! Left at 10ish for the indian embassy to apply for out transit visas to go back in ready for our flight to bangkok in a few days time. After a few hours there queuing and filling out paperwork etc we decided that it was time for a drink. So a few of us, slowly joined by about 15 others, headed for a really nice garden bar round the corner from the hotel to have lunch and drink waaay too many cocktails (btw NEVER try a laughing buddah, whoever thought whiskey, beer and mint made a good combo needs shooting!) This was about 1pm and after hitting up a celtic bar (they had no idea what the hell hit them apart from a healthy bill bar) roughly 8/9hours later I made it to bed!

Day 48

Despite remembering very little from the night before was again hangover free and left at 9.30 for a tour of Kathmandu and the local sights! First stop the monkey temple which is a buddhist temple and would have been much nicer if it wasn't for the beggars and people selling pointless crap! There were some very cute puppies though and some monkeys which brings me to one of the funniest moment of the trip! After leaving one side of the temple and heading over to a quieter side where there weren't as many people Ross and I commented how nice and peaceful it was and how there were more monkeys...3 seconds later an angry monkey runs down through the trees and throws himself at ross grabbing at his t-shirt and baring its teeth all beacuse it wants his bottle of coke! After throwing the bottle to the ground the monkey grabs it and sits on a wall trying to pierce the plastic with its teeth, evil little bastard! It was hilarious and sadly there were no more witnesses and no evidence of this apart from a dirty little monkey paw print on ross' clean white tshirt howver he will never go near a monkey again! After this we headed to somewhere else (forgot the name!) but its a pedestrianised area with lots of temples out of kathmandu really nice buildings and stautes but the same tourist crap! however the lowest point of the trip so far was 3 children playing with a dying puppy like its was a rag doll. Probably the worst thing i've seen so far and a definite reminder of where I am. Went on to the biggest buddhist stupor in nepal which was again really beautiful but surrounded by touristy stalls which spoilt it a bit (the sign by the entrance however did cheer me up!"Do Not Enter Animals" Gee thanks for that bit of advice!) By this point very tired so back to the hotel and then headed out for Cheryl's leaving meal before bed

Day 49

Said a quick goodbye to Cheryl as she was only booked half way on the trip and set off at 5.30 to the Last Resort at the Nepal/Tibet Border. The Last Resort is a relax resort in the jungle but it also does adventure activities such as Bunjee jumps and canyoning. I Booked myself in for a nights stay and a massage...! Was a fairly stressful drive there on the smallest bus and on the windiest roads but made it and it was worth it we were booked in tents and there's a bar and chill out area as well as free meals included. We got our lunch and some hot chocolate and after a torrential downpour headed back out over the bridge (A swing bridge 160m high) to watch emily do her canyon swing god knows where she got the balls but massess of respect! Nina and Simon followed with a bungee jump. After a few hours of chilling it was dinner and wine time follwed by an early night.

Day 50

Woke fairly early and headed for breakfast afterwards chilled out in the bar area drinking hot chocolate. Had lunch early and then Emily and I headed for our Nepali massages, the lady was about waist height but she basically beat the crap out of me, all good though! Climbed back on the bus (slightly better than last time) to head back to kathmandu again was exhausted so quick tea followed by bed!

Day 51

Got up again about 8 and after sorting all my things out and saying goodbye to Preya and Emily, who are leaving us for a week and meeting back up with us in Ko Samui, Anna and I headed for a wander we ended up in the dream garden which is a beautiful 1920s garden that was neglected and then recently refurbished, it was really nice to get away from the noise for a bit so that was lovely anyway back to the hustle and bustle for lunch and a chill out with a few more mojitos at our favourite place (the owners eyes light up now when we enter after that first day!) then back to the hotel to catch up with you guys back home!

Loves
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