Rafting

After a few days resting decided to move onto Kathmandu via Royal Chitwan National Park. Thought it would be fun to raft there on the Seti River, a nice sedate river without the pollution of the most popular river. We shared our trip with 2 isreali girls. Dropped off at a bridge we squeezed our stuff into not so dry bags on the beach, donned our lifejackets and helmets, issued with a paddle and off we went! The rapids where gentle, at first and then one of the two guides who where with us started to bail out the water that was ankle deep. Paddling was hard work and sometimes when we were told to paddle there was no water there - we were surfing the waves! We got a chance to swim in the river which was a sureal experience, you could feel the currents through your legs like seaweed and I also stubbed my toe on several massive boulders from below - needless to say I did not let go of the boat in these warm waters.

Lunch and dinner where eaten heartily on beautiful beaches, the first day was great fun and the scenery was spectacular. A man appeared from nowhere offering beer, the four of us accepted and sat them to cool in the river.
When we decided to go to bed we discovered the guides had put out tent up right outside a ricepaddy overflow - dur! Fortunatly the tents where waterproof, less fortunate for the guides they got wet - they where sleeping under the raft.

The rain in the morning started at 6 and didnt stop till 10! The river had swollen over night and had changed from a pearly blue to a muddy brown. A new 'driver' had arrived during the night, he was taking over from here as the rapids get more - technical, comforting. This was where we had our nightmare senario - dumdass (driver) starts to show off and gets us caught on a rock in a rapid and the boat starts to fill with water, I nearly get thrown out the boat by the power of the water and we all have to get on to a rock to reboard the sinking ship!

During this commotion we lost two paddles, further down the river people had found them at the egde and we beached up to collect them. We shouldn't really of been surprised to find out that fornominal baksheesh was expected for them and that theprice negioation would take about 30mins - each paddle! David was going mad "if this was england I'd have smacked him!" Kind thanks its not and a scene was avoided.

Not a terrific first rafting expereince, especailly when in the last two rapids one guy came to the front specifically to pull the front up over the waves, we bailed water again from up to our knees - this cant be right, something tells me we where a little overloaded for this trip down river.
However we had excellent humour and company and more importantly got to Sauraha.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Started from Nayapal which was a few houses on a narrow road at 08:30 down to the river and Birethanti where we encountered the Moaists who asked for a donation with obvious implications of refusal. We haggled and managed to get a discount which was clearly marked on our receipt. It was hot even this early in the morning and the views, vegetation and sense of adventure filled us with energy and good spirits.

Walked to Chimrong for breakfast then on through tropical jungle and a relentless steep climb to our destination Ghandruk. We stayed in Snowland G.H. at the top of the village which had stunning views of the mountains we were heading for. When we arrived we were exhausted, breating heavily with sweat running into our eyes and dripping from our fingertips. It was a lovely traditional wooden two story building with tiny doors and windows from which we could see Annapurna South, Hunchuli and Machhapachhre Mountains.

Next day left Ghandruk (1939m) as the sun was rising down into the valley through mossey woods for 2 hours then up the other side and over the next ridge. Passed through terreced fields of rice maze and millett towards Chomrong. Sun was blazing again and we stopped at lunch time and stayed the night.

As the nights soon became dark and the trekking was tough we went to bed early and rose at dawn for the whole trip. Next day steep walk down into the valley then and equally steep walk up to Sinuwa (2340m) for breakfast. Getting up early also meant we walked for at least 2/3 hours without the sun blazing down on us. Moved on through the shade of the forrest up to Khuldigar (2540m) then down again to Bamboo (2335m). Through bamboo forrest to Dovan (2505m) for 13:00 for lunch and it started to rain so we decided to stay for the rest of the day and regain some energy. Getting colder in the evening and feeling tired and legs are aching. Looking forward to assalt on M.B.C.(3700m)tomorrow and advised that avalanche risk is low -thank god!! Passing through the wet forrest there are leeches everywhere and to Tracy's delight I got one on my back.

Arrived at Himalaya (2920m) for breakfast next day then on through the valley following the river and past avalanche area to Deurali (3230m) in full sunshine. Tracy suffering with blister on heel even though boots are well worn in!! Started to feel the effects of altitude from this point on so we took it slowly. Could feel the chill off the mountains and were getting tired with the constant uphill but the view of M.B.C. kept us going. Arrived for lunch and hug stuff out to dry before the sun disappeared behind cloud. As the clouds rolled in the temperature plummeted so sat in the lodge with blankets around us.

Slept well and set off for Annapurna Base Camp (4130m) late but had clear skys all the way. Being so close to 8000m+ mountains takes your breath away and brings a tier to your eye - cannot explian the feelins. Met Sebastian who climbed with Robert in Ley so had a great time reminising whilst trying to keep warm in the evening. Tracy feeling very cold and a horrible weepy sty in her eye and both have dull headache. Up at 05:00 for sunrise in the freezing clear moring - amazing and very special expience never to be forgotton. Then the walk down - it semed so easy!! After about 3 hours we both went through the pain barrier both physically and mentally cos we knew it was a long way back. After the high comes the low but we pushed on and walked for 10 hours until dusk and arrived at Siniwa further than we had expected. Sleep came quickly as we were totally spent.

Next day into blazing hot sunshine for most of the day to the hot springs of Jhinu Danda to give our worn out bodies a well deserved soak. Then onto Himal Pani for dusk to a wounderful small family lodge traditionally run and obviously very few visitors - it was great. Next day we were stopped by Moaists at Landruk but we had the receipt so passed through at no extra charge. Onto Deurali through leech infested forrest with deffning insect noise, banna trees and lush green plants in abundance. Really hot and leeches now a nuisance until we arrived at Dhampus (1650m)ready for the allegid wounderful sunrise accross the Annapurna range.
Cloudy morning so walked for 3 hours to road a caught a bus back to Pokhara.

Pokhara

Dropped at the grotty border town of Sonauli by our shared jeep to walk up to Indian immegration to officially depart India then 100meters up the road to a very laid back border crossing to Nepal. Everyone shouting 'welcome to Nepal' from the queueing trucks paid our $30 and we were in! Booked into a small guest house who arranged bus to Pokhara and accommodation for tomorrow. Had a decent beer at long last and bed.

Up at 05:00 to meet the small local bus which went all over the place looking for passengers for about an hour before leaving the border town. Arrived in Pokhara at 15:00 where a man was waiting with a sign for 'Mr david' and we were wisked away to our hotel.

Pokhara (884m)has a lakeside tourist town from where you can view the amazing Annapurna Mountain range. We were both knackered and dirty from the journey so showered and hit the town for a large steak. Met Dafna in the town form Kassardevi then home knackered.

Took it easy for the next few days finding our way round and seeing how things worked. Realised how much the journey had taken out of us. It struck us how expensive Pokhara is and all the shops have got together to fix tourist prices. We hired bikes to go further out of the town - went to Devi Falls and cave opposite, Damside and the non tourist part of town which was much cheaper.

Pokhara is a really beautiful place and very relaxing but we were desperate to get to the mountains and waited for the clouds to disappear. On day six we decided the time was right to go - the skys were crystal clear and we had read all the books!

Kasar Devi

Kasar Devi is a short jeep ride from Almora and we soon learnt was the new Isreali mecca! We have only learnt from this place from isreali's and so weren't surprised on arrival that it was full of isreali's.

Here was chance for us to catch up on the lack of cooking we'd done since away. Our Guesthouse was more of an apartment, we had a hot shower, sink and gas hob in our 'studio' room. The view here is also something else, being slightly higher than Almora we had 360 degree panaramic views of the Himalayas (when not shouded with cloud). Michel was not the only person we knew from previous destinations. While here we where fortunate to make new friends to enjoy home cooked food, whiskey, music and football on TV with. Thankyou all guys our stay here was extremely enjoyable. David and I even mastered making Shakshuka! I did try to learn hindi here but I'm afraid I felt my teacher was crap and so had to give him the elbow.

During our stay here we visited Binsar in company of Michel and Abi, were we scaled 11km up and back down through a Nature Reserve rich in flora and fauna. We where lucky enough to have a troop of Langur monkeys rattle through the trees over our heads - magic. We also had the most expensive Thali ever so we made sure we got at least 3 refills!

This trip was our first hitch hike experience as usual we find in India when you don't know where your going the locals are more than helpful in getting you to your destination, in this case it mean't at the end of our share taxi line the driver flagged down a tatta truck and blunded us in - we returned this way also, being four we felt it was a safe and exciting alternative to walking - even if the driving is scarey. If your familiar with these beasts you'll know how highly decorated they are and they're sure the same inside, all manner of jaggley, plastic and holy decor jiggling as we challanged the lumpy road.

Jageshwar was also impressive, Michel (David was ill) explained that it was what the tomb raider place is like in Cambodia. Its a complex of 124 temples all sizes with stone masioners repairing the relics, to the babas frustration we where more keen on watch this than parting with our cash for puja.

Almora 2nd - 7th Septmber

Local bus, easy ride to Almora even tho taxi guys wanted to take us to Almora for 8 bloody hundred!! I told the one guy to go whistle for 800, that really tickled David and stunned the driver. I lost/forgot my second umbrella of the trip. The weather is better already now, even tho it did pour the first day we arrived.

Almora (1646m) predates the Raj, 1560, and so has fantastic intricate cobbled alleys laced with carved wood and stone buildings. Its a major market town and is full of the excited bustle of new purchases - great window shopping! There is an Ashram here that Ghandi came too and serves as a local museum to the guy.

Another local festival!! Town was packed, a prossesion of loud and boisterious men carrying a god over there heads seemed to be the climax of the two day event. We witnessed a mobile tattooist brandasing people with ugly tats of reliogious thing, daggers and english spellings of names. The needle was the same for every man, the needle was powered by a car battery the whole thought of it madness and god knows what he uses as ink!

Kausani was a good over night stay, we where very luck to have an excellent view of the Himalayas while there the monsoon weather is clearing yet the clouds have yet to disperse fully - Ghandi came here too. Our drop of point in Almora from Kausani was not as expected, the bottom end of town but it lead us thro a lovely kind of surburbia come village where people where thrashing millet, drying chilli's on roofs and shouting at us for looking at there Buffalo, well one mean old lady, most everyone else was entreaded to see tourists strayed from the town. In Almora David fell in love with Indian sweet - he'd eat at least 5 a day!

I dyed my hair here with henna, its a bit red, Davids not too keen, I guess it'll calm soon - i hope! Again no phots they where eaten by the virus.

Nanital 28th - 1st September

We had a very sweaty walk out of Rishekesh, climbing the steps out of Laxmanjula are not good at noon. Our train tickets where from Hardiwar, this is only a cheap shared tuk tuk away but the drivers where so money hungery we took the bus, not as exciting (nor as deadly) but cheaper than what they where asking for.

The train departed at 20.45, now a little train wise from China we arrived at 18.00 and had our tickets checked by the appropraite ticket guy who brought our attension to how early we where for our train - 6h! It was at 00.05!! The guy we had had got it from had told us the wrong time - so now we have leanrt how to desiphir Indian trian tickets (which isnt really that hard if you read them properly) - better early than missed. The time was filled with kids practising english on us, guys approaching David only, wanting to talk to David only, (I am the invisable female) and when they find out I am 'merly' his girlfriend he gets a knowing nod and wink and I get a glace of 'his mistress hey?'.

Egerly we watched trains observing indian train etique, a free for all really, a crush and jam to your seat/bed. People with seats compete for baggage space and people without seats just compete for breathing space. You can hang out the doors of trains in india, slightly unnerving but you feel so free hanging out the door in the wind. Our train was to Kathgodam for Nanital a short ride away.

Naintal is a hill station 1938m up with a large lake and its in the Kumaon region of Uttaranchal. As Shimla rich indians come here for monsoon relief and honeymoons, we especially enjoyed the food here .... hmmm chicken tikka, not dyed bright red as we are accustomed to but marinaded to sweet perfection! Unfortunatly as with Rishekesh and Rajiji National Park no Corbet Park visit, it closed during monsoon the tracks are just too muddy.

While here we experienced a local hindu festival which a fair had come to town for. David described it as how he would precive vitorian fairs to be, shakey rides (no we did not go on anything!) snake charmers, magic shows, freak shows (incl. deformed animals and people), market stalls and the wall of death. Anyone who has experienced india will know something about indian safety standards or the complete lack of them! On one hand it is a release not to be contricted by day to day rules of health and safety, so you find yourself in the most obserd situations thinking what the hell am I doing here ... I could die at any minute! The wall of death was one of these experiences. It was the traditional english wall of death stunt sprinkled with indian superhuman ego trip entertainment and safety, two cars and three motorbikes wracking the fragile shell that shuddered when you sneezed on the thing out of action.

Sadly no photos we even took video of the horifiying yet exhilarating experience but a virus in Almora ate our photos :-((

Rishekesh 24th - 28th August

We arrived to the usual barrage of touts vieing for our money, it was a day of traveling from Dehradun to Hardiwar to Rishekesh but quite a laid back and swift journey. The town itself is not revered as a place to stay but an area close, Laksmanjula, is where the holy action kicks off. This is what we have come to Rishekesh for to witness. Its the point where the ganges leaves the mountains and serges through the plains of India. The place is plagued with baba's on the plifer, pilgrims for mediation, yoga or people who simply want to perform puja on the banks. The beatles came here - ringo described it as butlins....hmmm I think much has changed.
I again had masses of washing to be done by hand so our room quickly became widow tawnkey's, but our clothes dried quick as we have noticed a big change in the weather since Renuka - Very hot and very wet.
Our first glimpse of the ganges really struck us, its so huge! especially at this time ... Monsoon. The bathing ghats have chains and ropes incopurated into the design to prevent people being swept away, which does happen occasionally.
Unfortunuatly is rained everyday we where here, lots, David didnt like the place and I didnt really get much of a good vibe from it, I dont think the constant rain helped. It seems there are just too many people making profit from the whole religious razzmataz that goes on here. Yet many people that visit do love the place, we met up with our friend Ifat on our last day only, unfortunatly and she was buzzing off the place, good to see how different places are good for different people.