Peace at last

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Hi folks,

Just a quick run down of a very relaxed time in Pokhara next to the lake... well relaxed after Linz had had the usual argument with the hotel owner regarding the room price (they tell you 150 NRs when you get into their free transfer but it inflates to 300 when you get to the hotel). Naturally Linz won and we spent 3 very confortable nights by the lake.
Pokhara is unbelievably beautiful (and would have been even more so if we could have seen the Annapurna's, but it was too misty whilst we were there.), with the huge lake and foot hills below the towering Himalayas behind.
There are trekking shops everywhere that sell unashamedly cheap knock offs brandishing labels such as North Face and Lowe Alpine. Everything is, however, very, very cheap to buy here and it seems all the more so as there aren't many tourists in, what we're told is peak season. Some of the locals think the political situation here is putting off the westerners (but the Chinese are here in droves).
Anywho we had a lovely boat ride across the lake (observing the constant stream of paragliders jumping off the side of Sarangkot) and, on reaching the other side, had a two hours trek up to the World Peace Pagoda. Naturally we were thoroughly knackered by the time we returned to lake level and all the more so as we had an early start the next morning to get, yet another uncomfortable, bus to Chitwan national park.

As ever we're both very well (although not looking forward to returning to India very much!) and, as we're not heading anywhere near Pakistan, we're unlikely to meet with any incidents regarding our last sleeper train in India (so those that might be worrying can chill out a bit (you know who you are!)).

Right, well we've got an Elephant ride safari shortly so I shall bid you all the best and take care until next time,

Bri and Linz

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