My Nepal Travel

here some memories from Nepal

Katmandu

After 16hrs delay from Abudabi arrived in Katmandu, heading to my hotel with the youngest taxi driver I ever been driven by, looking out my first frame of this country was many many old cars, chaotic traffic, fuming exhaust ,,, meantime the morning mist was just lifting off the busy dusty streets of the city, receptionist welcomed me and told that I have the best mountain viewed room at the top floor not knowing the mixture of mist and polution of the city hovers over Katmandu until around 10 am, I saw nothing , said to myself , is he pulling my legs ? where are the mountains?

My plan was to have a few days around Katmandu, visiting the temples, shrines and get the feeling of the mixed culture and religions, everday life and then move to Pokhara region for a week, to do tea house trekking on the heights of Annapurna mountain range, believe me it is very wise to move out of the capital city after breathing polluted air for 3 days, I needed some fresh air in my lungs besides an urge to wash away the dust from my eyes with the spectacular view of the snow capped mountains, thick rhododendrons forest, terraced villages, beautiful traditional houses, wild life, warmth of ethnic country people s smiles!

Katmandu is a city although over populated over polluted and poverty marks in every corner yet as much as that its a mystical one as well, It overloads you with it s religions, smells, colors, Pagoda temples,shrines, burning candles, burning bodies by the holy river, street sellers, gods ,masks, colorful dressed people, old art and crafts work....somehow it drags you in unconsciously.
For me if you go to Nepal you became a native of that place only if you open all your senses and heart not just your eyes. So much to take in and learn in such a compact place, like in Durbar Square, One can sit on the temple steps among a homeless person or Sadhus--(kind of priest only lives on enough food to survive, not relaying materialist life) contemplate ordinary people s daily calm prayers , their flower food offerings to gods or someone s sleep on the foot of a temple under the midday winter sun or locals selling their vegetable goods , everything goes on those small city squares, no one seems to rush , you might spend many minutes watching it all , its guide therapeutic really. Is this why those mixed ethnics can go on in harmony in such a poverty and corrupted system.

Where I stayed in the heart of touristy part of the city, Thamel: was full of travelers from all over the world, most of them comes for either to be inspired by eastern way of life, religion or to live the little left feelings of the 60s 70s flower life , or drown to here by the magnet of the heights of Himalayas. More than enough shops, restaurants, bars, hotels in narrow streets of Thamel.... and the other side of the city with its poor conditioned way of life, you have to walk in the narrow streets to observe all this. Traveling on my own I had no trouble at all. Nepalese people are friendly and helpful or perhaps I bumped in to nicest ones, don't know?

I even got myself in to cooking the Turkish cuisine in one of the poshest restaurants in Katmandu, I was honored guest chef for one night, great fun that was! with 6 people helping me in the kitchen was easy peasy ,, If you ever go there visit Shoba s restaurant =1905 = and ask for Turkish food!

Annapurna Mountain trekking ---- Pokhara lake

Long distance bus services are very cheap and comfortable enough in Nepal but cold in the morning hours as they don't have heating and bloody slow too, like traveling 230km in 6 hours, well I will never complain in Turkey again ! Driving between Capital and Pokhara was a scenic country drive along the rivers and narrow valleys. As we all do, going in to deep thoughts of things here and there with our own life while the bus wheels takes us to the next place, we gaze through the bus window and then, one scene, can shake us up and bring us back to that moment, like: a local gurung woman washing clothes in the cold water of the river at the side of main road or I often saw in Nepal country people actually bath half naked in rivers. Sometime we admire the differences or feel sorry and lucky with our own life by comparing.


Pokhara Town at side of Phewa Lake is surrounded by magnificent Annapurna mountains, reaches up to 6697m - Machhapuchhare mnt , Area is clearer and greener , After one night stay at the touristy lake side I couldn't wait to start walking in the mountains, the tea house trekking with my private guide Min and the porter Subas.
6 days up and down walking millions of steep steps passing the ethnic Gurung people villages is something very special. Tasting the best traditional home cooking by the wood burning stove with locals at their family run lodges end of each day was very rewarding

Weather was warm in the day, very pleasant temperature for walking in thick forest, birds singing ,occasional monkey families popping out for me to get the glimpse of them . I was one lucky person to be able to see, in January , 2 rhodondoren trees blooming in pink flowers . Normally March is the season.
We reach up to Ghorapani village at 2800m height for the second night , I ve been told by my guide that we might be visited by a Maoist rebel, they usually come and ask donation money from the tourists I wanted to see one really and I wouldn't mind giving donation, so far I ve seen the country, needs democracy not monarchy.
One morning at 5 am after1 hour walk up to Poon hill reached 3210 m to see sunrise and view of the whole Annapurna range, was the best!
Villages are pretty and clean compared to below city and towns , Sure air is thinner too..
People have simple and hard life on these heights, They have to carry everyday requirements in baskets on their back, miles away down from the towns up to their village . Steep hills layered with narrow terraces and only allows a few types of vegetations to grow. No tractors no cars nothing only human and buffalo power to farm .
I had good companions .. my guide and porter... to walk with. My legs were very fit at the end of 6 days. Next time I d like to walk up higher, above 4000m, The Country has many great trekking routes ,,



Chitwan...... Terai region

Nepal has highest mnts in the world and you think must be cold in the winter but its warmer than Turkey . its very dry in the winter till summer rain arrives. Snow is on above 4000m. Chitwan area is south of Nepal, north of India, very flat , as low as 100m . A region with fertile soil, covered with beautiful yellow mustard fields at this time of the year , simply built bamboo and mud village houses, subtropical forest that rivers runs throughout , its a nice survived reserved natural conservation area. I got to stay on the biggest island in the jungle, me only !!! what a pleasure to have whole island to myself , no tourist due to off season, no electricity , Sitting by the wooden platform at the river side at sunset watching the wild boar crossing the river, a peacock flying above my head hearing only wildlife sound , simply sipping the whole nature in me deeply a moment I will treasure. I had a few safari rides with working elephants in the jungle hoping to picture the rhinos, live freely but didn't get so lucky. Seen many deer, birds , two crocodiles by the river. You have to be very very lucky to see tiger, sure one can think opposite ,!! There are only a few tigers left thanks to British and Nepalese aristocrats hunting for sport! early in the century.

Coming back from Chitwan to Katmandu traveled by plane wanted to see mountains canyons and rivers from the air,
When arrived back to Katmandu and a few other big cities was under curfew for 3 days after 21 00hr .
Some Nepalese were protesting the coming election on the streets and government thinking could suppress any coming trouble like this ?
Ordinary Nepali people do not like their king they liked the previous King whom was killed at the massacre. By his son? no one knows the real truth about that.

Back in Katmandu visited more Buddhist and Hindu temples went to see holy river Bagmati, witnessed the bodies burning ,
two other cities nearby, Patan and Bhaktapur had different characters. I liked Bhaktapur very much, with narrow red tiled streets no cars allowed in the centre of the town, wonderful Tibetan art on the window frames with all hand carved sal wood, famous with pottery and craftwork

like I said You have to get out of the city from time to time, so I did often , went to see Nagorgot where you can see Shagarmatha mnts , The Top Of The World==The Everest! not climbing that one yet.!

Last days was relaxing and doing a bit of shopping, enjoying local rum with Nepalese and international friends , listening good live music at cafes and bars in Katmandu.
I ve got 3 Nepali friends , coming to visit me in May hopefully, I am really looking forward to see them and return their hospitality .

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Mel