Chanting in Kathmandu

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Kathmandu and around

One week, three trips and $140 is what it took to get my Indian visa. If I was Ozzy it would have cost me $40. Arriving back in Thamel from such beautiful scenery was a real shock to the system. You sort of forget what it’s all about. The beeping and hocking had gotten worse, and without a dust mask it was hard to breathe. But on a Sunday evening, after a five hours bus trip turned to eight we only had one goal. Falafel! I don’t know if it is because we are away from home, but anytime you catch a sniff of good western food I could swear it is the best ever tasted. At the end of Mandala street (quiet little walking street in Thamel lanes) and opposite Pumperninckal bakery, you can get the biggest and most phenomenal, flavoursome Falafel and chips you may ever eat. But first you must complete a 10 day trek to get full effect.

On Monday we went for a walk around Thamel to check out some of the sights. Carefully moving between Cars, Bikes and hordes of Chinese tourists with telescopic cameras we found many local Stupas, a couple of great Indian sweet shops and a super tasty samosa man. (B etter than koh tao) After an hour or so we eventually made it to Durbar Square where we would enjoy a beer on a roof terrace and simply enjoy the day go by. As the air began to cool and the government power came back on, we plodded back to the room to enjoy the Fan for a few hours. Simple pleasures!

Tuesday Morning would be the beginning of a very long process. The Indian Visa takes seven days. First, the visa office opens at 9.30am. You are recommended to arrive at 7.30am to join a queue of people and sit for two hours outside until they decide you can come in (if you don’t do this you may not get seen to within the three hour opening time due to applicant numbers). You need a full online application, that was processed at least 24hours prior and a printed copy for this first visit. You also need a copy of your passport, one or two photographs 2inch by 2inch, and the Visa that you are currently on (in my case the Nepal visa). After waiting for two hours outside speculating with other applicants what you may need, you then get brought in to the premises and told to take a ticket for your number.

Make sure everything is included. The print out must have your Name in full for instance, middle name included. It must be signed and the picture must be fixed with glue and not a staple. When your ticket is called you head up to counter 1, on the left and give them the paperwork. If there is anything wrong with it you can get it edited in the next building. On the directions of counter one proceed to counter two and pay the ‘NONE REFUNDABLE’ fee (by this I mean, if they reject the visa your money is gone). Beware the guy on the money counter is an ass hole so be nice and ensure you have correct change. (even though they have a draw full of every note in Nepal they insist there is no way of giving it to you).

Once Paid, they give you a receipt and then stamp it with your return date. It’s always around 5 business days later. We began the process on a Tuesday so our return date was on the Monday. After filling your week with sights and sounds (I suggest leaving Thamel) you then go back at the same time of 7.30am. sit tight, grab a ticket, sit and wait and then you go up to counter one to see if they have approved the visa you requested (Many who had applied for 6 month visas didn’t get them. They only received 3. It’s a bit of a lottery). If approved They take your passport and tell you to come back tomorrow at 5pm to collect. So on visit three you arrive a little early of course out of training to find you don’t need to be early and that you don’t need to take a ticket. Instead you sit and wait and then when its opening time there is a mad rush and eventually after a lot of pushing and pulling you get your visa (if it is ready. Most were that day). Hope this helps hahaha!

So after our first visit on the Tuesday we did a bit more of the same, wondering Thamel, eating Falafels and relaxing to a few episodes of Boardwalk Empire (awesome show). We had a great room at Choice Hotel, but be sure to ask for the roof rooms (All of the others are dingy and smelly). Later that day we decided that we would take a trip somewhere for a few days to kill the time between Visa dates so after great deliberation we decided on Chitwan National Park.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitwan_National_Park )

‘Chitwan National Park (Nepali: चितवन राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्ज; formerly Royal Chitwan National Park) is the first national park in Nepal. It was established in 1973 and granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. It covers an area of 932 km² (360 sq mi) and is located in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal in the Chitwan District. In altitude it ranges from about 100 m (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 m (2,674 ft) in the Churia Hills.

In the north and west of the protected area the Narayani-Rapti river system forms a natural boundary to human settlements. Adjacent to the east of Chitwan National Park is Parsa Wildlife Reserve, contiguous in the south is the Indian Tiger ReserveValmiki National Park. The coherent protected area of 2,075 km² (801 sq mi) represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki, which covers a 3,549 km² (1,370 sq mi) huge block of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist deciduous forests.

On Wednesday morning we jumped out of Bed and went in search of our bus. Suitably seated, and another miss quoted time of arrival we eventually arrived at Chitwan bus terminus to be greeted by every taxi driver in the area. In the lonely Planet we had found a spot called Chitwan Village resort and on finding the taxi and being taken to the hotel it was evident that the crew here really take pride in their home. Chitwan Village resort rooms are very clean, very spacious and the staff are great. Well recommended on tripadvisor and in the lonely planet you would be silly not to stay.

Housed only one hundred meters from the river we decided to get straight down there to see the elephant bathing. On day one we had already missed it but day two we got to see most of the wildlife without taking a single tour. (we would have taken the jeep safari but for some reason at this time of year they are not available). Within a few minutes we were at the river to witness the bathing session. I am not sure how I feel about it but many of the Chinese tourists loved jumping up top and getting sprayed by these enormous beasts. After 20 or so minutes we left to take a stroll down the river and it wasn’t long before we saw two crocs and deer on the opposite embankment. All of this was amazing but to top off our morning we were advised to take a trip past the army check post on one of the tracks where rumour had it a Baby Rhino would be wobbling about eating the lawns of the locals. After a few minutes of shit your pants scary searching (Tigers be in these woods) we saw the little fella grazing and enjoying the sun. I think the Guy told us the Rhino wasn’t a year old but already weighed in at 600kg. Fully grown it would weigh 4 tonnes. Worry not though, the little fella (I think) was super placid and as he hadn’t horned up yet he did seem like an armoured puppy dog. A real cool experience for sure.

After filling the rest of the day wondering the streets we felt we had seen enough so decided to head back to Kathmandu to explore a few other options we had up our sleeves and that we did. The following evening we arrived once again in Thamel and quickly booked into a room a few k’s out.

Arriving in Boudhanath we realised instantly thet we had been making the tourist mistake of staying in Thamel for way too long. Boudhanath greeted us with amazing weather, great food and a super room that was on the back of a rally cool monastery. For a few days we wondered about taking a few snaps and filling Casey’s belly with heaps of vegetarian food but sure enough the weather changed and we got rained in. Little did we know that whilst we were shacked up in the room reading and wondering between restaurants up on Annapurna Circuit there were and I believe still are Trekkers and Sherpas alike in a desperate struggle for their lives. According to the news at current there are plus 25 dead and many still are missing. Once again my heart goes out to the families and we really hope the remainder of the trapped make it home safe and sound.

On that note I will leave it there. Enjoy the pictures and the read, then go to a pub and raise a glass for the lost. Casey and I are safe and have just arrived in Mumbai, Indai where we are lucky to have the chance to hang out with a very good friend of ours ‘THE MIGHTY JOE’ and his much better half Annie.

Until next time

Niki



Love to you all

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Comments

[Dancing Dave]

Great pic
Full of allure & intrigue...essence of Katmandu