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The Annapurna Himalaya
Viewed from Sarangkot Viewpoint First, I should apologise for the last blog and its length - it's interesting to see how a
fifth of the readers dropped off before reading Part II; I don't blame them, especially when
Part II had no photos. This time, I've deliberately made it refreshingly shorter.
I feel much better now - stupidly, as soon as I got back I was already missing the clean
air, tranquility, cooler (!) climate and views. I guess it's human nature that we always
want what we don't have - or are simply fickle! One of the first things I had when I got
back was a litre of fruit juice and a succulent, big steak! Simple pleasures. But these are
often the best.
I spent 2 more days in Kathmandu, which is a city now acting like nothing's happened,
besides the odd traffic-blocking demonstration I saw. Popping into the O'Seas Language
Centre to say 'hello' (after being invited based on the interview I had in Durbar Square 2
weeks previously), I had planned on staying 30 minutes. But realised the phrase "better
things I could be doing" consisted simply of stuffing my face with more food I'd missed, I
ended up staying
for 4 hours. This was mostly spent in a room on my own as it happens, but
with two microphones for company as I read out phrases like "Hello Policeman. I have lost my
bag. Can you help me?" and "Who is that over there? That's Sally. She is good looking. Yes
she is. She is good too." (I tried to make corrections where possible) for the use of both a
set of audio and visual tapes. Why anyone would want to learn English from a short, hairy
guy with a limited vocabulary-base, who speaks at a 'motormouth' pace (to quote my junior
school headmistress) is above me. Nevertheless, I was happy to help. and was fed and watered and left with an offer of full-board accomodation if I ever returned to Kathmandu. It's a pity I was fleeing the country in a week.
That evening, I then braved a local nightbus to Pokhara that didn't seem fit to travel 100m,
let alone 100 miles. When I got to the bus, I was greeted by an amused pack of locals. "Ah,
so I'm the only Westerner today am I? Fantastic. Namaste!" A couple of them nodded back,
grinned, made
Bag Bazaar
Home of the O'Seas Language Centre directed Nepalese small talk, and stared as I got on board with my bag and
shown my, surprisingly comfortable seat. Dark, dingy, dank, full of men, the task of
'building a rapport' with the locals so I could feel safe, felt that much more necessary
than usual.
I made it however, though at times I'm not sure how, as an hour in I developed a fever and
nearly passed out while vomiting. Fortunately (for the teenager next to me), neither
happened, though we still seemed to take endless stops, and at around midnight I heard a
tremendous BANG. Travelling through Asia, it's a sound I've become used to, and it took one
and a half hours to change the tyre, the burst one shoved next to me in the aisle and made
for a pleasant foot rest.
Upon arrival, I'd followed a tout (which do occasionally have their uses) to a hotel, where I stayed pretty much the whole of the next day recovering - with much-needed private bathroom, and 61-channel TV, it was a good place to recover.It transpires, after diagnosing myself (so probably wrong, then), that I have Giardia, but am slowly treating it with antibiotics,
so by India I should be well...ready for the next bout. I'm not unwell as such, and indeed, after a day's full rest, I was out exploring once more, hiring a bike, dodging cows, exploring some hills, and even climbing 1000m to Sarangkot viewpoint - with no altitude effects, or bulky bag, it was a pleasant overnight walk and the views were once again breathtaking, of the entire Annapurna Range in full spread, plus surrounding hills, valleys, villages, more terraces, the usual.
Pokhara is a pleasant, less hectic place, perched on the edge of Phewa Tal, Nepal's second
largest lake, which is surprising because my much-missed bathtub is bigger. In a town where
the number of cows (oh holy creatures) dominating the roads surpasses the number of cars,
most tourists are naturally attracted to the lakeside, where low-and-behold, it's another
Khao San Road, although this time, it's pretty much dead and thus bad for business and good
for me. Pokhara witnessed some of the worst of the demonstrations and naturally is taking a
bit of time to recovering - attracting only the stupidest of tourists . Blockages are
still present, and the army is still everywhere - and you
get the impression they've got
nothing better to do as they play with their sticks, cut grass or move the same sandbag for
the 10th time.
Otherwise, the place is peaceful, besides for the ubiquitous thunderstorm we've had every
afternoon so far, twice which I have been caught in. This wouldn't be too bad except that I
was drenched to the bone and my feet and neck are now bruised from hailstones the size of
postage stamps thundering down at me.
I suppose I should see it as the final goodbye to cold weather as I enter India tomorrow,
during the season that few travellers venture out in - the temperatures consistently rising
above 40oC. Oh my, I'm going to die. I could also see it as Nepal's final salute, reminding
me what a harsh and surprising place this country can be, where one has to expect the
unexpected. Anything can happen here, and probably will. But what a country! It's on par
with the Philippines as one of my favourites. It's a cliche, but the culture is so rich and
varied, not to mention the outstanding geography, naturally (pun not intended). I'm going to
miss this place,
but I know without doubt I'll be back.
Keep enjoying yourselves, all the best.
Simon
p.s. - 200days has just passed! It's moving on at a rapid pace, 90 days left.
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J-P
non-member comment
ahem...
...very nice...very very nice...