Nepal Day 5

After an unfortunate disturbed night visiting the bathroom, my birthday didn't start too well! However, after some rehydration salts and plenty of fluid I was ready to join the group for the start of our trek.

We took the bus for about 5 minutes, before meeting up with some of our Sherpa guides. We kitted up and started our walk.

The first part took us through some lovely woods and then started to climb steadily up to a stupa, which over looks the town. This took us about 2 and half hours. The views of the Annapurna mountain range beyond the town was amazing and the sign of much more to come.

The walk continued in an manner that was to be the pattern for the days to come. We walked until around 1230 hrs, where we would meet up with the sherpa and kitchen crew who had set up a wonderful lunch stop.

We would have a cold drink, followed by a wonderful hot lunch and tea. After an hours stop for lunch we would continue walking until we arrived mid to late afternoon at our camp. This was set up and ready for us with our trek bags laid outside. These had been caried ahead by the sherpas, along with tables, stools, kitchen cooking equipment and all manner of other stuff.

It was amazing to watch the men and young lads come walking passed us wearing only flip-flops, with a big smile on their face as they watched us struggle up the steep ascents!

Our first camp site was close to a small village and had some basic facilities, well, a drop toilet!

We got our kit bags unloaded and were given a bowl of hot water for a wash before being called for afternoon tea and biscuits. After that the ladies had a chance for some local shopping with the ladies of the village.

Around 1830 hrs the dinner gong was sounded and we went to the mess tent. Here we were treated to a truely excellent meal, produced in conditions that we would struggle to cook an egg in! We had soup to start and then local Nepalise food. Finally I was treated to a home cooked and decorated birthday cake with candles! It was a magnificent gesture, especially given where we were and I was truely touched. Nothing was too much trouble and the boys looked after us like kings and queens. If fact there were two staff to each one of us - therefore making 32!

We settled in in for a comfortable night in our tents at 1600 metres, dreaming of the mountains and rubbing tired limbs!

Nepal Day 4

The journey to Pokhara commenced with a trip on a nearby cable car up to the top of a mountain to another local and very active temple. We waited in line for an hour for the ride up, along with hundreds of locals and their chickens and goats, being taken up for sacrifice.

The ride up took about 10 minutes with breath taking views and an incredible incline and arrived at a small village, there only to serve the pilgrims and worshippers.

The temple was a hive of activity. With smoke, bell ringing, chanting and a large number of people waiting their turn to pray and honour Shiva to whom the temple was dedicated.

After an hours stop we braved the return journey by cable car and then continued our journey to Pokhara.This took most of the remaining part of the day.

Upon arrival at the Trek 'O' Tell, we received a briefing and our treking kit bag, sleeping bag and liner and then hit the town for some last minute shopping.

Of course we got some 'essentials', before catching some pizza for dinner and getting some rest prior to starting our trek.

Nepal Day 3

Today we took an hour and a half drive to Gorkha, the ancestral home of the Shah kings. This town is famous in history as the home of the original, khurkri-wielding, Gurkha soldiers. They were composed largely of Thakuri, Magar and Gurung men which fought the British in 1769 an again in the 1814-16 Anglo-Nepal war. So impressed by their fighting skills and bravery were the British that they started recruiting Gurkhas into the army, but it wasn't until 1886 that the British formalised this.

As luck would have it we arrived just a company of new recruits were under going some rifle drill and marching practice to the beat of a drum. Needless to say they were very smart and all in time. They were still there upon our return some four hours later! We set off for a hike up to the Shah Palace, Upallo Durbar, which dominates the town. The hike is an ascent of approximately 300 metres (1000ft) up via dirt tracks and stone steps, about two kilometres and a more direct descend via a steep stone stairway.

The walk up was very pleasant and took us past local houses, shops and fields. As we climbed we began to get far reaching views across the whole town and out to the surrounding hills. It was very hot in the sun, but cool and easy going within the tree line. The climb up took us about a hour or so, as we were all taking an easy, slow pace to allow us to adjust to the 5000 ft altitude and heat.

Upon arrival at the top, as this is a sacred Hindu temple, dedicated to Kali, we have to remove all leather goods, shoes, belts wallets etc, before entry is permitted. This temple carries out many sacrifices to honour Kali, mainly goats and cockrells. During the period known as Dasain, hundreds of buffaloes, goats and chickens are sacrificed which makes the compound of the temple run red with their blood. Thankfully today we only saw the bloodied remains of several unfortunate goats being carried down to teams of skilled butchers who remove the fur and skin, by boiling in water, before they burn off the remaining hair and expertly butcher the meat.

At the top the temple is a hive of activity with people coming in large numbers to worship. The building is highly decorated with wood carvings and the building has been carefully restored to its former glory. From its walls there are magnificent views of the snow topped mountains of Baudha, Himal Chuli and Manaslu - part of the Himalaya range.

We had a picnic lunch outside the walls and took in the mountain views again, before we descended down the steep steps back to Gorkha. In town we came across a little wooden 'off-licence', where I managed to purchased a couple of small bottles of the local Gurkha Rum. As I write this back at our hotel after a sleepy journey back, the rum is going down a treat, although making typing somewhat slower!

Tomorrow we move on, heading towards Pokhara and the start of our trek which commences the following day - my birthday!

Nepal Day 2

Today we left the hectic and polluted streets of Kathmandu and headed out on one of only a few 'highways'. At first we climbed until we reached a 'pass' over the valley. Here there were armed police as this is a major entrance point into the capital from the plains below. This was demonstrated by the number of commercial trucks struggling up from the valley below.

The road twisted and turned and deep groves were worn into the tarmac by the constant traffic of fully ladened trucks of huge weights, but only on the upward side of the road. We stopped at a view point before we lost too much height to take in a wonderful view of a couple of snow topped peaks in the distance. Parked at the side of the road was a school bus with all the kids hanging out the window saying "hello"! Needless to say they loved the attention of everyone taking their picture!

We continued to drop down towards the valley floor. As we did the scenes got more and more rural in nature. This is farming country and a major rice and crop growing area. There were numerous women carrying huge loads of produce in woven baskets on their backs, but supported via a strap around their foreheads. They certainly work hard for a living and it puts carrying your shopping back from the supermarket into perspective!

We dropped off three of the group who were doing the white water rafting on the river Trisuli. This was a 35 KM paddle with the current down some rapids up to grade 3. When we met up later they all seemed to thoroughly enjoy the experience! We went on ahead to overnight stop at Khairenitar, at the Riverside Spring Resort. This is situated next the river and has small bungalows set in lovely gardens. It was a real treat after the hectic pace of the capital. It was also very hot as we had dropped several thousand feet and the temperature went up a few degrees with each thousand feet we dropped.

We had a nice lunch on the lawn terrace in the sun and watched the numerous colourful butterflys floating past. We also got to see several different types of bird, which I haven't seen before. All in all a nice relaxing start to our second day.

In the late afternoon we went to visit the local village of Thauwatha. We had to cross the river by a long suspension bridge, before we arrived at the village proper. Here it was like a step back in time. Houses with crops drying from the balconies and numerous animals in the yard. Buffaloes, goats, chickens, ducks and cattle all had their alloted space within a swept earthen yard. Out in the fields men and women worked the soil. There was a buffalo team plowing a field and another farmer stacking his rice harvest into a neat conical stack. Of course their were many children running about and we met the wife, sister and daughter of our guide, which was really great. We also saw a women preparing some corn with a hand stone grinder. This looked very hard work and something which I suspect hasn't changed in centuries.

The sun disappeared behind the mountains and by 5 pm it was getting dark. The only good thing was that the temperature didn't plummet like it did in Kathmandu the previous night. Hopefully Clare won't be sleeping in her night treking attire tonight as she was the previous nights!!!
It is now almost dinner time and my chilled beer is going down a treat, a great day 2, I'm sure tomorrow will be just as good if not better.

Nepal Day 1

Today was our first full day (Monday) after arriving yesterday following our overnight flight with Jet Airways.



We took a walking tour of the temples and markets in the centre of Kathmandu. The streets were much as explected, narrow, very busy, with a mass of people going about their business. You had be very mindful of the mopeds and motorcycles speeding up behind you sounding their horns!



The street shops were selling all manner of goods, including fish and freshly butchered meat of goat, buffalo and chicken. We came across a fruit and spice market with a wonderful display of great looking produce and aromas.



There are apparently many hundreds of temples of varying sizes in Kathmandu. We went into several, mainly Hindu, including one where the living Goddess was present - sorry no photos allowed! Along with the temples came the obligatory Sadhu's in their brightly coloured dress and painted faces.



After an excellent lunch taken on a roof top restuarant we went to an area where the people burn their dead relatives on funeral pyres beside a river. Needless to say it was busy with three underway and several more planned.



Last stop was to vist the most sacred Buddhist temple of Boudha. This is the famous image you see on all the travel brochues with the all seeing eye of the Buddha. There were many Tibetan pilgrimes and refugees who live in the city and come every day to pray and walk around the temple, three times, each day.



A great first day, tomorrow we leave Kathmandu to go to Kurintar and Gorkha, homes of the famous Gurkha soldiers.