The one in Pokhara and the ultimate Rowday-Friday!

Seems odd that this is only my 3rd blog, and will be one of the last... time in Nepal is already nearing it's end, with one week to go I'm swinging from feeling like 'time has flown by' and the feeling like I have been here 3 months rather than 3 weeks and that having Anna by my side was the way I was born!

But what a couple of weeks it has been.... ups and downs galore! I left you at the Chitwan National Park feeling guilty for enjoying the elephants! We took the long bus journey back to Kathmandu and spent the rest of the week in Thamel..... with myself mainly confined to the bedroom!! Seems my tummy basket isn't too equipped for Nepal and all its delights, and I somehow managed to get mild dysentry! Nice, thought I should share the whole experience with you, we are all friends after all hehe... I won;t go into detail but it was pretty horrendous and I was doubled over in pain for the majority of those days! I was so dehydrated and weak that I went to the hospital where they took some samples and sent me on my way with a bag full of drugs! The hospital was shocking, hygiene is the least of their worries there.... think dead rat in entrance, litter decorating the corners of A&E, curtains for privacy 50 yr old rags and don't even get me started with the toilet... let's just say not a pleasant experience! Plus the drugs they gave me were too much and made me vomit, so after spending half an hour tyring to force down plain rice... well, yes I wasn't happy! And was in even more pain, so Anna got the hospital to call out a Doctor for me, who spoke good english, and he prescribed the right drugs, which got to work straight away, have worked and touch wood I am now a lot better! Phew... it was touch and go at times I tell thee, I did wonder at 3am that night whether I should just throw my entire body down the toilet as would of saved alot of time!

A-hem, anyway.....

Anna and I were getting pretty bored of Kathmandu, the traffic, the pollution and the chaos, so went to Bhaktapur saturday through to sunday. We took the local bus, which we knew where and how to get this time round, and spent the afternoon/evening wondering around the Durbur Square there, taking in a whole number of Temples and shrines, statues of Gods and generally soaking up the culture and the quiet! We even got to have a peak at a local school performance of traditional songs.... the entire family attending, tots to Grandparents and the colours were blinding. It was a treat to have stumbled upon such a local thing. We returned on the Sunday and decided to take in yet another Durbur Square in Patan, but soon reaslised that you can see too many temples 24hrs and so got on a local bus back to Thamel... or so we thought, 30 mins later we didn't have a clue where we were and the bus no longer was destined to Thamel.... so we quickly hurried off and reluctantly got in a taxi, our tails in between our legs for getting lost... at least we tried!

Monday I was up early doors, to go queue at the Indian Embassy for my visa, it opens at 9.30 but who knows when people start queueing, I got there 7.30 and was 20 back! 4 hours later my number comes up, I give them a form, hand over my passport, money, photo and told to come back at 5pm! This being my second time there, after handing in a form before.... they need a week inbetween to see if i'm alright! The day we spent doing very little, relaxing and soaking up the last of Thamel. I managed to get my visa after another hours wait, but was thankfully made more interesting by speaking to an adventuring Italian, who later joined us for dinner and became storyteller/ oposing side to debate with Anna for the evening!

Tuesday saw the last of Kathmandu, fresh air returned after we left its smog.... 8 hours later we arrived in Pokhara, this place is a dream! We were worried that we hadn't booked a room ahead, but somehow stumbled upon one that we've stuck too- the White Lotus Guest house, it's great - reasonably cheap, own bathroom, TV, balcony and really helpful owners! We ventured straight to a cafe on the lake and soaked in the view of Lake Phewa.... until the rain set in, and then it rained and it rained, it rained and rained, rained into the night, during the night, in the morning, yes it rained for 24hrs!!! Which is unheard of for this time of year, monsoon season ended come september! Typical, so our first day here was spent inside cafes or in our room, thank god for our TV! It may sound like a waste of a day in Nepal but the rain was so heavy that the roads were small streams and to be out in it for a minute would soak you to the bone, so bed and TV it was haha! It did clear up in the evening though and so we sat our and had dinner to celebrate! Wenesday wasn't a great deal better as it still rained, but on and off and lighter so we had a to-do day and sorted out a bus to the indian border and our trekking permits (exciting)! Now Friday is where the adventure for us really started, a sign of things to come.... what a beautiful day... it actually deserves it's own paragraph...

After a delightful breakfast over looking the stillness of the vast lake (i'm going to paint the day for you) we wondered along the front, past the bathing water buffaloes and the locals washing their clothes, seeing to their boats and such we got into our own little rowing boat! A small wooden thing, bright blue with the number 22 painted on the front, oares a ready and we were off... almost, well we were off but we weren;t sure on what direction, but after a few minutes we got the hang of steering and each other paddling and made our way over to the other side of the lake and away from everybody. The sun shined brightly and warmed our skin, snow capped mountains poked out from the clouds and overshadowed the rolling hills that kissed the lakes, paragliders flew over head like birds, the water lapped gently against our little boat, dragonflies made love on the side of the boat (that's how great the atmosphere was haha) and Anna and I lay back and soaked it all up with smiles from ear to ear, with one particular song just being the cherry on the cake- Bonobo 'Terrapin'. It really was a perfect moment! 4 hours later we rowed over to the temple that stood on a island in the lake, had a quick wonder and then made for land.... we returned to the hotel so very content, so very relaxed and so very sunburnt! Whoops, I had however put some suncream on so only suffered burnt knees- my poor forgotten knees! Anna however Didn't put any on... and is suffering now! Anyway, we ventured out for the evening had a lovely dinner of Panner (Yes I am on proper food again, food with flavour) and went for a drink with a lad who reigns from Bristol (small world). And that was Friday, great day!

We got up early Saturday and ate breakfast on the walk up to the World Peace Pagoda... we decided on the 2 hr scenic walk, scenic and easy to get lost on - especially when local kids tell you one way and then think it funny to make 'scary' wolf noises behind! Uphill we went in the heat and with the aches of sunburn... we got to the Stupa in the end with a couple of leeches included (thankfully we didn;t see them on us, just one dead on a step!) We soaked up yet another beautiful view overlooking the town and then walked down the 'quick' route to the boats and got rowed back to lakeside! Now we had planned to go to a 24hr open air reggae event... a massive party for locals and backpackers.... but after looking into our purses, feeling the heat from the sunburn, the muscle burn from the walk (in flip flops) and with more rain coming in we decided against it... glad we did as boy did it rain! Instead we had dinner, played pool and had a couple of beers with a few locals in Layla's bar! Who offered to show us around Pokhara the next day, today.... and so today, Sunday, Anna and I have spent the day seeing areas you wouldn't normally get to see, and eating things I wouldn't normally eat- buffalo and curried fish and sampling the nepalese wine, which is basically a very pure spirit that tastes like vodka watered down. Yuck. I was not a fan, especially as in my head a yummy glass of red awaited me! All that and on the back of a motorbike (sorry mum!) but I've survived and you'll be pleased to know they were very cautious drivers and the roads were empty... haha, but that was my first time on a bike! And that brings me back up to now, where I sit in an internet cafe where I'm wondering what yummy place to eat before packing up our bags, for tomorrow..... tomorrow we're up at 6 to get the bus up t Naya Pul where we start a 6 day trek! Two days on the Jomsom track, a detour up to Poon Hill (3000m eek) and then down to... to Ghak... Ghkat... some err little village and back down to Naya Pul! Not sure how we'll both fair in the heat, altitude and so many days walking (it's been a while) but it will be fun and the scenery will probably be worth the pain!

So there we have it, a rough start but we're now well into the travelling ways and enjoying every second! I will write again once I have some trekking tales under my belt!

I hope everyone is well and happy back home, missing you all very much... can you believe its been 6 months pretty much since I left home! Thats like Half a year, so now we can say 'It's not even a year" whenever i'm homesick!

Love to all
Extra hug to Maisy Dog to say get better soon!!

Oh and if you haven't already then basically you need to do the following.... As you may know I have a bit of a superhero father, who enjoys a good few half marathons every year, and you may know how great he is and how speedy he is averaging a mere 2hrs and you may know he also runs for charity... well if you're as proud of him as I am, and that pretty god damn proud well you might fancy going to this website and sponsoring his runs with a quid or so, which in the scheme of things really isn't much - I know he'd be really grateful for any donation and I'd be super happy too... so once you've finished reading this go too - www.justgiving.com/richard_taylor. Thank you!

(*sigh, how great is my Pa!)

Lessons Learnt:
Stay clear of greasy food made in Chitwan, salads, ice cubes and river water when bathing elephants!
To appreciate good food you need to appreciate the bland foods that contrast!
Put suncream on - Everywhere! Just because they're in the sun alot, doesn't mean they won't burn!
My dad's great.... I'm making this the Dad appreciation Blog. Wooo Go Dickie T go! Hehe.

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Part of trip: New Zealand...

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