Rainy days

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Yesterday we got up early to be dropped off for a 7am bus ride from the jungle to lakeside Pokhara. We travelled by tourist bus, which meant allocated seating and a bottle of water. Passing the non tourist buses this seemed so very fancy as the locals crammed into minibuses, sitting under a broken air conditioning vent with my ever present trekkers cough seemed a small price to pay - as was the $7 for a 6 hour drive. The westerners next to us and myself got in trouble a couple of times for opening the windows, we were to enjoy that aircon! The drive meandered through misty mountains, small by Nepalese standards but lovely. Random houses on the other side of a roaring river, with thr occasional bridge seeming to be put in place for one or two houses. I had the window seat and noted quite a few sheer drops with not much road between me and that drop - the driver seemed unperturbed, i mostly kept this silent from Kara next to me as she continued to adjust to Nepalese close driving. My theory is if they can drive so chaotically with such confidence they must be good drivers. We have yet to see an accident.

We arrived in Pokhara to a downpour, a sign of what was to follow, which quickly cleared. A moments concern as the taxi drivers tried to determine where our hotel was, with a later apology of 'there are so many hotels it is hard to know them all' no doubt, there are a lot here.

As the sun was shining we took a stroll and sat and relaxed by the lake. Much calmer here than Kathmandu, lake, greenery.. pavements! People out enjoying the lovely lakeside, like us on the grass or on a rented boat. Sprukers are also much calmer here with predominately calm half hearted attempts to sell their wares.. other than the mango ladies. Ladies carting around woven baskets filled with mangoes mounfully crying 'mangoes.. mangoes '. We had dinner lakeside, not wanting to miss an opportunity of the pretty view and sat out on a deck enjoying happy hour.

Woke this morning to pouring rain, have thus far ventured to a local cafe for coffee and to sit and watch the puddles increase - mooching off the free wifi of course! Life is hard work on holidays

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Photos

Traffic
Line up to cross a small narrow bridge, two could pass - but only very slowly