Blogs from Nepal, Asia

I can’t put off writing this travel blog any longer. And I resent writing it now – as everyone who had fantastic travel plans and had to cancel them resents the way covid has changed the world. Though I should consider myself fortunate that covid has affected only my travel plans. I had a week in Nepal in November 2019. I went from meeting to meeting not leaving Kathmandu to establish collaborations and plan subsequent field visits for my research. Then two weeks in Nepal in February 2020 where I visited project sites in Kathmandu Valley and the lowland Terai region. The next visit in April was going to take me to the projects in the high Himalayas: in Mustang, in Far West Nepal, and around Tsho Rolpa Lake. From a research perspective, my project suffered ... read more

I always said "Why go to Everest Base Camp if you were not going to climb the mountain ?" I had previoulsy visited Nepal in the late 1970's when I had completed the Overland or Hippie Trail from the UK to Nepal on public transport, going through such places as Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India and finishing in Nepal. I had seen the incredible scenery of the Himalayas, having driven from Pokhara to Kathmandu and gone up into the mountains around Kathmandu. So, in April 2018, I decided to change my mind and head to Everest Base Camp, or EBC, having booked a trek again with World Expeditions. The trek was for 17 days and after checking the sizes of their tents, decided not to pay the single tent supplement. So I arrive in Kathmandu and after ... read more

Day 9 of the trek - November 11 - from Nepal Hiking Team itinerary. Bamboo to Jhinu Danda (1780m/5840ft. duration 6 hours. We shall hike the trail to Chhomrong, passing through Khuldighar where the people have established an experimental sheep farm, the journey paved with the abundance of our national flower, Rhododendrons, blooming in colors of red, white and pink, contrasting to the primary of glaucous green of the bamboo forests. From Chhomrong, the trail descends steeply to Jhinu Hot spring where you can respite in the naturally salubrious hot spring and have an interlude and rejuvenate yourselves. The second to last day and although we are still descending, we know there is an uphill slog from the suspension bridge after Sinuwa to Chhomrong (see day 5). 2550 stairs on this section alone! It would be ... read more

November 1. From Nepal Hiking Team itinerary : Kathmandu to Pokhara (910m/2985ft) Duration: 6-7 Hours by private vehicle. After breakfast, you shall be driven to Pokhara, the second largest city of Nepal. The drive will present you with the opportunity to see the wonderful landscape of terraced farmlands- green and wet with the sowing of rice and barley by the farmers, the frisky rush of the meandering rivers by the highway and the isolated valleys low-lying among the gargantuan hills and rocky gorges. The journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes about 6 hours, and upon arrival at Pokhara, we shall check into a hotel, which the city has an abundance of. In the evening, you shall be able to enjoy the respite of a beautiful boat-ride at Fewa Lake and on a clear day, you can ... read more

Bij het ontbijt werd het wel duidelijk. Pokhara is voor Nepal wat Benidorm voor Spanje is. Ongelooflijk veel groepen toeristen. De één al onbeleefder dan de ander. We moesten bijna vechten voor een tafeltje, want het was enorm druk, maar al bij al viel het goed mee. Het eten was verder weer niets op aan te merken. Om 9u30 moesten we klaar staan om te vertrekken. We ontmoetten onze nieuwe gids. Een zeer vriendelijke mens die ons in de auto al heel veel over de regio kon vertellen. Karen had het ondertussen al wel gehad met het gepamper en wou haar rugzak zelf dragen! Onze gids heeft het dus geweten. :) Sindsdien vraagt hij eerst of hij moet helpen. :) Je zou voor minder. Onze eerste stop was de bekendste en oudste tempel (uiteraard) van Pokhara. ... read more