Travel companions & Hot springs

Where ever we walked, even when I couldnt imagine that people could pass through or even live in such remote places, then someone would come along and disappear as quickly as they came. Often carrying things like sacks of grain or massive piles of wood in baskets off their backs, and well into their old age, I never ceased to be amazed.

We managed to pass through one village as school was coming out for the day and children joined us as we made our way along the hill pathways. Practicising their English, and my Nepali, but mostly with Bishnu's translation, they made for excellent travel companions.

The small village and bus stop where we spent the night in a local tavern. Three meals, accommodation and drinks came to a total of R54.

The Seti (white) River flowed past and to the edges were natural hot springs that people from the village and across the hills would come down to each evening for a hot bath. With much curiosity from their side, I joined in, but no photos were taken!

Trekking off the Beaten Track

There are a number of trekking opportunities in Nepal, and some of them incredibly popular. Many people head to Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Base Camp where the altitudes get high quite quickly, full gear is needed to deal with the snow and you often compete with a number of other trekkers on the same route. I was wanting to get out of the cities, but not exactly up into the Himalayas.

Wanting to find a local guide so I could get a closer experience of the area (and not get totally lost!), I had come across 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking which is run by three sisters (go figure), but is highly unusual in that they are not only women owned but also train female guides which was previously unheard of. They are doing some amazing work with women empowerment in the region and protection of children. After chatting to them, one of their amazing guides was able to take me into a conservation area below the Himalayas that was far off the beaten track.

On our first day, we walked through fields alongside fields in a rich valley with a few villages inbetween. 

A woman chasing cheeky monkeys out of the fields.

Sunrise over the Annapurna Himalayas

 

 Early the next morning I dragged myself up before sunrise to get to the top of Sarankot Hill. I made my way to the top just in time to catch the first light breaking over the Annapurna Himalayas and lighting up the snowcapped peaks. 

You could even see the winds sweeping across the top - spectacular!

Around 05h30, you could hear the valley below starting to wake up...

 ... and finally the sun broke through for a beautiful sunrise. A great way to start the day!

Off to Pokhara

 

On the advice of some friends, I headed out of Kathmandu and to the beautiful lakeside city of Pokhara. Pokhara is the departure point for many trekkers, rafters and general outdoor adventure seekers in Nepal, as well as a haven for any hippies who seemed to have fallen off the beaten track. It is set alongside the spectacular Phewa Lake in a valley of forests and rice paddies.

Sunset over Phewa Tal.

Ram, a friendly guide to the Lake.

In the middle of the lake is an island temple, and the light at sunset was just perfect.

Gangs of laughing children and stray hippies roam the streets of Lakeside, Pokhara.

Patan Durbar Square

Kathmandu has a few Durbar Squares in the heart of various districts. I was staying in Patan, previously it's own capital, and often passed through Patan Durbar Square in my two days in Kathmandu. Its a perfect place to meet friends, take your lunch break or just people watch.

From paintings and photographs in the museum, little seems to have changed in the ancient centre over the past few centuries. That is until you step back on to the main streets. 

Boudha Stupa

  

Whilst still in Kathmandu, I ventured to the Boudha Stupa - the largest Buddhist pilgrimage site outside of Tibet. Travelling a bit too lightly, my zoom lens couldn't capture the whole large white Stupa but here are some closer shots from the beautiful site. The area is an oasis of peace compared with the bustling city just a few metres away and home to a large Tibetan community in exile.

Kathmandu!

Just over a week ago I touched down in Kathmandu as the first stop of a few weeks adventuring in the area. Kathmandu is many things but most of all it is an assault on the senses! Everything seems to have hit the city with a bang, leaving a wake of pollution on the streets, in the rivers and choking up the air. In what I would soon learn is Nepalese style, there are beautiful dashes of colour and old world beauty mixed in throughout the city and all held together with a good dose of Nepalese friendliness and hospitality.

My first glimpse of the Himalayas after an afternoon rain storm cleared the smog for a few hours. This view and the one below from my hotel window.

The minibuses here are more like battle rams, fitting in as many as we do back home but navigating congested streets at a speed that would blow your mind.