Wow! The day after we left Tashi was a day of contrasts. When we left Samar, it was sunny and pleasant
(I saw a new bird on the roof of the guesthouse). And then the wind started to blow. It was interesting coming back the same way
that we had gone up to Upper Mustang, because you saw the same amazing sights
but from a different perspective. When
we got to Kagbeni, Davindra desperately needed to go to the loo so Jan and I
had a chance to get a coffee from the Johnny Cash Coffee Shop. Yum!
The wind kept blowing and the sights were still amazing. I love this vastness. The almost otherworldliness. I am humbled by the immensity of the landscape and the beauty of the formations. The dust and wind and dryness are definitely not plusses but the landscape calls out to me.
Tsering wanted to see a lake on the way. So after getting advice from a few people, we headed up a lovely little road, surrounded by pine trees, ferns and rhododendrons. We were going along fine until we got to a car, parked in the middle of the road. No-one was around and we couldn’t get past. We waited and waited and finally people came back to their vehicles … they couldn’t see what the problem was because “no-one ever comes up this way”. We reached Sekong Lake, which is a holy lake in Nepal. Famous for bird watching, deer and blood drinking ceremonies! It was about the size of a large dam … nothing obviously inherently holy … but it was a beautiful drive to get there.
We stopped in Lete for a beautiful dhal baht and were just
about to leave when the heavens opened.
Torrential rain, lightning and thunder, hail – it was quite
bizarre! One moment we were basking in
sunshine and the next we were shivering in the rain. We set off but after a while, Tsering said we
had to stop. The roads were rivers and I
could tell he was concerned about landslides.
On again, when the rain started to abate and then we hit the roadworks. In the same area as the broken down truck and the people throwing rocks. This stretch of road is doomed. We got to the roadworks just before 3pm. And waited. And waited. And waited. Some impatient people started to jump the queue (not that it got them very far) so in the end (I was bored and a bit cold) I got out of the jeep and started directing traffic. First I shook a finger at the queue jumpers, then stood in their way, only to jump quickly back … they weren’t going to stop for anyone. Then the other side started to come through so I danced and clapped and high-fived and generally made an idiot of myself. But at least I was warm. Jeromee joined in and then we had a busload of students take up the challenge. They sang and danced (much better than me) and we had a fun time … waiting, waiting, waiting. Eventually, after 5pm, our queue started to move so it was off to Tatopani.
Hmmmm. After a lovely night’s sleep, I got up (another cold shower) and went out for a walk. Only to meet Tsering who told me the bridge was down! Yes! The bridge that we were meant to drive over today. When we walked down, it was a bit of a worrying sight. The bridge (a huge concrete slab) was now a couple of metres lower. What to do? The policeman came, the mayor came, lots of people came. Some people almost ignored it and just jumped down into the pit and kept walking. Then came the news that further up the road there had been a landslide so that had to be cleared before they could start working on the bridge.
So breakfast, and then Tsering said “relax” since the bridge won’t be fixed until this afternoon. So Carolyn and I went for a walk up the road, across the river to a little village where the hibiscus and bougainvillea’s cascaded over stone fences. Turning back, we went to the hot springs where we immersed in one of the hottest pools I’ve ever been in. There was a rather skinny Hari Krishna boy in the pool too and he started a conversation. Halfway through, he declared that he loved me and wanted to marry me. I let him down as gently as I could but he seemed to take rejection rather well since he then started on Carolyn.
Back to the guesthouse where I enjoyed a cold shower (phew! The hot springs were REALLY hot!) and then we ate dhal bhat, fluffed around and then … zum zum … into the jeeps and into the queue and we were off. The bridge was ‘fixed’ and we were changing the itinerary again and heading to Pokhara. Aah! Pokhara! A hot shower and clean hair. Out for dinner at the Tibetan restaurant (their blood sausage is AMAZING!) and back to a very comfy room. A last nightcap on the balcony …
The next morning was a delight. Carolyn went off to do paragliding while the rest of us piled into jeeps and drove up to the Shiva Temple, on the other side of the lake. The blue statue of Shiva, sitting on a tiger skin, dominates the temple. It was a busy place, teeming with tourists from India and a few from Nepal – but most seemed to be devotees, forehead inscribed with a tikka and very solemn. And then there were the TikTok girls. OMG! You should have seen the display. They would pace out their runway and then position their filming flunky and do this incredible strut. There you are … your 3 seconds of fame. Then another pose and another. It was quite mesmerising how self centred these girls were.
Surrounding the dome were lots of little sculptures, which Jan thought were quite cute until we told her they were phalluses poking through vaginas. The hindus were walking around, touching each one and then their forehead, while some were also pouring milk into the vagina trough. It was a little bit graphic really but as a fertility aid possibly effective, and certainly a form of sex education.
Back in the jeeps, we went to the World Peace Pagoda. There was a plethora of signs: no smoking, silence, no jumping, no shoes, no alcohol, no pets, no tripods, no naked, no food or drink, no video AND no TikTok! What would our girls do!?!? The quiet of the pagoda suited its simple white walls and occasional golden relief showing aspects of the Buddha’s life. It was a beautiful place.
Tsering, Jan, Claude and I decided to walk down the hill from the pagoda to the lake, while Hannes and Sigrid went back in the jeep. The way down was steep but with lovely stone steps so it was pleasant descending in the cool shade of the rainforest. Eventually we reached the lake where we booked a boat to take us across to the other side. It was peaceful being rowed across by a slip of a girl and we were feeling all happy and relaxed until Tsering discovered her story.
Dust, dust, dust. The next day we set off for Bandipur and our road was even worse than I remembered from 2 weeks ago. Sometimes, Davindra needed to almost stop because he couldn’t see the road in front of him. More dust. Roadworks. Roadworks and dust.
Eventually we left the main road and wound up through the hills to the beautiful Newari village of Bandipur. We had packed daypacks because the main part of the village is closed to vehicles. The main street is beautifully paved with stone and the wood and brick buildings line each side. The people are an ethnic group (Davindra is also Newari) and they are softly spoken, gentle seeming people. Our hotel is gorgeous and I have an enormous room (3 beds) all to myself.
We walked around the village and then stopped at a small restaurant where they had Newari food. Time to eat! Again! I tried Aila, which is the local version of rakshi, which also contains spices like cardamom and cinnamon. It was quite strong but very enjoyable. I had two! We ate samay baji (buff) which was delicious and quite different to a thakali plate.
Well! That was the worst night’s sleep I’ve had for many a day/week/month. There were mozzies eating me all night and the dogs were barking until about 3am right outside my window. I slept for perhaps half an hour or so – feeling pretty much worse for wear. I got up just after 5am and Carolyn and I walked to the top of a hill that gave great views into the valleys – all terraces and scattered houses. This is a truly lovely place. I would like to come sometime and spend a few days here.
After an amazing breakfast (plunger coffee!!!!) we walked to the jeeps, jumped in and set off to Kathmandu. I won’t bore you with tales of roadworks, dust, driving in 2nd gear for kilometres, dirty trucks and diesel fumes, rude drivers, bad drivers, cheeky drivers. I was really tired but managed to use the time to write the words of a farewell song for Davindra. Eventually, we were back at Tsering’s where his wife had cooked momos for us. So lunch, a beer, then farewells to the drivers (15000 rupees each and a song) and then they drove us to our hotel. It’s new and lovely … but I could be anywhere, it’s so lacking in Nepalese personality.
Tsering had designated my last day as a sight-seeing day. We had a guide, Dave, and an electric van and set off into the Kathmandu traffic. We got to Bhaktapur and walked around the different temples. However, it was very quiet and many of the shops weren’t open. The potters weren’t potting, the shops weren’t selling and the curds makers were no to be seen. Evidently, the Newari people were having a festival today in their homes so there wasn’t much happening.
Off to Boudhanath, one of my favourite places in Nepal. We waited while Dave introduced Carolyn and Jan to a thanka place and then waited while they heard the spiel and then waited a bit more. But I was happy with the time and walked around the stupa and then Dave wanted us to go to a particular restaurant for lunch. I ordered water (gurgly tummy today) and then left everyone to their meals, walked around the stupa again and then sat down and watched the people. I was accosted by a group of Year 9 students (Thank you for coming to Nepal. What is your name? Where are you from?) and then chatted with some Nepalese. Finally the others came down from lunch and we headed off to Pashupatinath. Unfortunately, it started to rain and so Dave and some of the others were really keen to leave. Carolyn and I stood and watched a pyre burning for a few minutes but we weren't allowed to stay.
Back to the hotel where I entertained myself by writing my diary and drying my sodden clothes. At 6 we all went out to dinner, including Tsering’s wife and Davindra. We went to the Everest Steak House and I had an enormous meal of steak and chips and veggies. It was a happy meal and then we came back to the rooftop bar and had more drinks and some happy times. But it was time for Sigrid, Hannes and me to go to the airport. I was ready to go … it is time for the new adventure - walking in England. Let’s go!
