Idalis:
Getting to Nepal
Getting into Nepal was no easy task! Our adventure started in Varanasi, and included the exhaustive following, which took close to 24 hours:
- Very late, overnight train to Gorakpur, India
- Hot, stuffy, crowded bus from Gorakpur to Sunauli, at the Indian border
- Check post to apply for Nepali visa, payable only in US dollars. Money changer with bad exchange rate conveniently located across the street.
- One kilometer walk across border to Immigration Office in Belahiya, Nepal. Kissed the ground! More paperwork to fill out.
- Four kilometer mini bus ride to Bhairawa, where we get off prematurely because slimy rickshaw drivers say we must (evil!). Get back on crowded mini bus and continue our journey standing up with heavy packs on.
- Two hour bus ride from chaotic Bhairawa bus stand to Lumbini, our official first stop. Bus looks like a reject from India that has been gutted out. When people prefer to sit on top of the bus than actually inside it, you know it must be bad!
- Arrival in Lumbini, Nepal (finally!) hot, tired, and smelling like the raw sewage we passed along the way!
Lumbini
Not wanting to break with our recent Buddhist theme, Kevin and I spent a few pleasant days in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. We visited the Maya Devi Temple, the exact site of the birth of Gautama Siddhartha, according to Buddhist scholars. We walked around the vast grounds of the Lumbini Development Zone, where dozens of Buddhist nations from around the world have constructed elaborate and beautiful monasteries. Our favorites were the Zhong Hua Chinese Buddhist Monastery and the Great Drigung Kagyud Lotus Stupa, constructed by the German Tara Foundation. Kevin and I sat in the simple “Buddha Room” of the Korean monastery, where we reflected quietly on our good fortune and heard the melodic voice of a nun as she practiced her mantras. We walked to the top of the gleaming white World Peace Pagoda, and finally called it a day!
Pokhara
After a very bumpy, but otherwise scenic eight-hour bus ride, we arrived in Pokhara a few days later. Pokhara is a beautiful city on the serene Phewa Tal lake, and we enjoyed several peaceful days here. We spent our time making preparations for our upcoming Jomsom trek, having buffalo steaks and Everest beers in some of the many cafes, and buying fake North Face gear on sale everywhere in this town. A much-appreciated reprieve!
4 comments:
DEAR KEVIN & IDALIS,
EVERYTIME I SWITCH ON THEINTERNET I CHECK UR WEBSITE FOR ANY UPDATE. ITS NICE TO READ ABOUT UR TREKS IN NEPAL. WE PLAN TO GO TO KUMILI AFTER MY BROS WEDDING. PL TELL US WHERE TO STAY & WHOM TO CONTACT FOR TREKS THERE. ALL THE BEST FOR UR TIMEIN NEPAL.
RAJSHRU
Hey Guys,
Soooooo jealous you got to eat Buffalo Steak - it ain't roo but would be close enough for me right about now!!
So you now know I was not exaggerating about the border crossing - at least you did not have to stay in Gorakhpur overnight or for any amount of time for that matter - a small saving grace.
Nic
buffalo steaks, yak cheese, yak meat. Wow, the food must tast great! Just kidding, I bet being a vegetarian over there must be pretty difficult. I loved that you got to ride on the jeep on the roof. The pictures of the trek are beautiful. I loved Idalis's new hat, very cute. I love and miss you guys alot.
Rajshru, We thought about you two every single day of our trek! You must find the time to travel to Nepal. I think that it should be easy for you to do. It is beautiful! And, knowing how much you guys love to trek, we think it is a perfect match. In the meantime, enjoy your trip to Kumili! It is really beautiful. We cannot remember the place we stayed, we will look it up and send you an email. As far as the trekking is concerned, the vendors will find you. As far as I recall, we arranged the trip with our guest house. Their are several options for single day, or multi-day hiking. However, we opted for the one day (all day) hike that included trekking, a jeep tour and a paddle around the big lake. It was an action packed, fun filled day and eventually, we ended up seeing a ton of animals! We will get back to you soon with some info! Miss you and think of you often! Please come to Nepal!!!!!
Nic, We were talking about you at breakfast today and wondered if you were in your Tushita course and enjoying it. The buff steak is a good preparation for the roo and was soooooo tasty!!! Nepal has been great, and as usual, all of your recommendations...spot on! We love and miss you heaps and bunches and are counting down the days to OZ! Leaving for Kathmandu tomorrow. Wish us luck and the same to you!
Spicey, It is actually still very easy to be a veg here, but after four months of no meat, we felt we owed it to ourselves! After all, we have lost a fair bit of weight. Tell Shawn that I am now in his class at a whopping 165 pounds!!! Idalis keeps telling me how skinny I look, but if I eat any more, I will pop! The trek was great! Nepal is yet another place that we think you and Shawn would absolutely love. I have never seen such amazing landscapes in my whole life! Not to mention something like nine of the worlds tallest peaks! We love and miss you guys too and hope you are all doing well!
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