Last you heard from us, Kevin finished by explaining our crazy adventure en route to Pokhara, Nepal. The town immediately appealed to us as it reminds us of British Columbia. Beautiful mountains, a clear lake, clean air and all the outdoor activities that one could ask for. The tourist section of Pokhara is situated along the lakefront. It is a long street lined with guesthouses, restaurants, internet cafes and shops selling everything from The North Face expedition gear to Tibetan crafts. We happily spent time sitting in lakefront cafes sipping real filter-brewed coffee and cappuccinos (in India they proudly serve Nescafe like it’s a good thing).

The second day in Pokhara we met up with Oren, David and Yogi (our Israeli friends from the road trip) and we rented motorcycles to do some sight seeing. David and Oren had recently learned to ride and Yogi went on the back of David’s bike. Just getting going was an effort: everyone had to wake up, there were errands that needed to be run, bikes to be organized, but finally we were off - or so we thought. On our way to the gas station, one of the bikes ran out of fuel. After we got that problem resolved we were off again - or so we thought. Oren miscalculated a left hand turn and clipped another motorcycle going the other direction. He pulled to a stop with the local rider of the other motorcycle right behind him. “My friend”, the Nepali said in calm but heavily accented English, “You are not a very good rider”. “I know”, replied Oren equally as calm, “I only learned yesterday”. This sent the rest of us into a fit of laughter not joined in by Oren as he handed the man 150 rupees (about $2.50 CAD) to cover required repairs. At this point in time we rightly decided to hire a guide not only to show us the sights, but to double Oren as well. And we were off – for real.

We rode up a steep hill, which lead to a lookout that promised spectacular views of the valley and the Himalayan peaks to the north. It was at this time that our bike (only 150 cc’s) decided that it only had enough in it to pull one person up the hill so I had to do some walking. Eventually we parked the bikes and climbed up some steep steps to the lookout of Sarangkot. As are many places in Nepal, the summit of this particular hill is fortified and manned with military police. They hang out inside a low walled area, which is in turn surrounded by loops of razor wire and then further protected by large holes dug in the ground with branches over top covering the pointy spikes at the bottom. Previous to this, I had only seen these types of traps in cartoons. Despite the appearance of the barricade, the soldiers were quite friendly and content just lazing in the shade. Inside the compound there was a small gazebo and the views it afforded were worth all the effort it took to get there. We had a clear view of some of the highest peaks in the world: snow covered massifs towered over 8,000 metres into the sky.

Nepal is well known for its trekking opportunities and Pokhara is the base for one of the most famous trekking areas: the Annapurna Range. Trekking lengths here range from one to twenty-one days. Due to time constraints as well as our steadily declining physical ability, we decided to do a trek on the short end of this scale. We met a local guide that we took a liking to and arranged a four-day, three-night hike into the Annapurnas with the crowning achievement being an early morning hike up a lookout called Poon Hill to watch the sun rise over the Himalayas. Due to a stomach bug that I was trying to get over, we delayed our departure by one day and then set out early in the morning by taxi with our guide Narayan to get to our starting point of Naya Pul, just one hour northwest of Pokhara. The day started out in spectacular sunshine as we hiked through local villages and up through the foothills of the Annapurnas. The recently departed monsoon had left everything green and lush and we climbed through fields of rice and along the bank of a river. After a delicious lunch of local Nepali cuisine, we stood in the river valley looking straight up at the mountain above and the 3,280 stone steps that would lead us to the guesthouse we would call home for the night. Luckily we were only carrying small packs and a cool rain began to fall about half way, making the heat and humidity bearable. Nonetheless we were very happy to reach our destination and to sit inside with a cup of tea as the skies opened up and the rain came pouring down. In the early evening the clouds cleared enough for us to see the peak of Annapurna South at the end of the valley.

The second day was a shorter trek but one that also had a lot of uphill and not much down. The sky was back to its brilliant blue and by 9 am it was very hot. Again luck was with us and much of the climb took place in a beautiful rainforest full of waterfalls and rhododendrons as big as oak trees. We passed only a few other trekkers. Many people are staying away from Nepal because of the violent Maoist activity that has occurred here over the last couple of years (they have recently called a three-month ceasefire). It is not uncommon for trekkers to be confronted by Maoists and asked for a “donation”. All donors are provided with a receipt as protection from further requests for donations, but I don’t believe they are tax deductible. We were looking forward to a Maoist encounter as Narayan told us they are usually quite pleasant and if their English is good enough, they are eager to tell their side of the story. Unfortunately, it was not to be. We arrived at our destination of Ghora Pani in the early afternoon only to learn the Maoists had left that same morning.

Ghora Pani is a mountain village set at 2,874 metres and is a junction for several different trekking routes. It is amazingly developed considering that everything needs to be carried up the trail by foot or mule. There are many guesthouses and restaurants and a few shops selling such staples as beer and chocolate. Narayan picked out another spectacular guesthouse for us and we had a little room overlooking the valley and the Himalayas beyond. The restaurant/common area was a large windowed room with a fireplace in the middle for chilly nights. We had the place to ourselves with the exception of one other guide and his Taiwanese client. Despite this, Narayan turned it into a party with the Nepali folk music cranked and dancing lessons for all.

The next morning was an early wake-up call for a 45 minute hike to the top of nearby Poon Hill to watch the sun rise. Unfortunately, my sickness that I thought I was rid of in Pokhara returned and the short climb was very difficult for me. However the views were stunning and we watched in awe as the sun rose and one-by-one touched each snow-covered peak with its red glow. Our original trek plan included a loop route which called for two more full days of trekking, but we decided that it would be better for my health and everyone’s happiness if we returned on the shorter downhill route the way we had come. Hoping to make it back in one day but unsure if my energy would hold out, we had a quick breakfast and started down. Again we had clear skies and the walk was enjoyable. We did manage to make it the entire way in one day, losing 2000 metres of elevation over 19 kilometres including those killer stone stairs. It is embarrassing but true that our calves were sore for days afterwards. But we were glad we made it in one day as the following day I was not feeling any better and the sky had turned grey and rainy. A day or two of rest and a good dose of antibiotics were all I needed to get back on my feet and on to our next adventure.

On a hill overlooking Pokhara and the valley beyond sits the World Peace Stupa, a very large, recently constructed Buddhist temple. On our last day in Pokhara we decided it was about time we made our way up to see it close up so we visited our friendly motorcycle rental guy who owed us a free rental because of the crappy bike we got last time. We were on our way to the gas station and had gone not yet a kilometer when the bike ran out of gas and we found ourselves walking again. Once we had fueled up, we found a washed-out, switch-backed, rocky road and rode that damn bike straight up it. At the top we got into a more peaceful mood as we walked around the stupa and enjoyed the view. The stupa was huge and adorned with four images of Buddha. We were glad we finally made it to see it up close. Back down the hill, we stopped at a waterfall where a river suddenly disappears 100 m into a hole in the ground. It is named Devi Falls after a woman who disappeared down the hole some time ago.

Sadly, the next day we said good-bye to Pokhara and our friend Narayan, who saw us to the bus station for the next leg of our journey which he had helped arrange. We were embarking on a two-day, one-night white water rafting trip down the Seti River. On the bus we met the other couple that would be traveling with us: Tal (Israel) and Natalie (France). Our guides were also on the bus and all of the necessary gear, including three kayaks, was piled on top. At the put in we carried all the stuff down to the river and the guides inflated our raft and carefully tied all of the gear in the middle. Guides outnumbered the clients almost two to one: there were three guides in our raft and three safety kayakers, although I think one or two of them were just along for fun. The Seti River is one of the only warm water rivers in this area and is open for paddling year round. The first day did not offer up any spectacular rapids – there was not too much I wouldn’t do in an inner tube. But I suppose the lack of death-defying white water is nothing to complain about when partaking in budget rafting in Nepal. It was nice just to be on the water and the scenery could not be beat. The river, which was a pale milky green, followed a lush jungle valley full of ferns and palms dripping with vines. Occasionally a foot bridge crossed the wide span of the river but there were no roads and no traffic.

We made camp at a bend where the river had deposited a beach of sand. We had a clear night and a full moon rising and we made an effort to appreciate all of it as these spectacular nights seem to be the norm rather than the exception these days. Best not to take anything for granted - soon we’ll be back behind a desk like the rest of you shlebs.

The following day offered some higher rated rapids and a bit more excitement, although the only person to be thrown from the boat was one of the guides. Nevertheless we spent a lot of voluntary time in the water just drifting along with the river. By lunch we were done and we pulled the raft out near a highway. Our backpacks, which all this while had been stowed in dry bags on board, were thankfully dry. At the highway we flagged down a southbound bus and said goodbye to Tal, Nat and the crew (they were headed back to Pokhara) and started on our next adventure. And quite an adventure it has turned out to be so far. Tune in next time for Kevin’s update.

B.

PS: Despite the all-in-good-fun “shleb” comment above, we really appreciate the comments that our readers post on our website. It is our reward for our effort and we enjoy checking in to see what messages we have received. So for those of you who use the message board on our website, please continue and for those of you who are have just been lurking, we look forward to hearing from you soon - even if it's just to say hi.

PPS: Anyone interested in trekking in the Annapurna area should contact Narayan at Ridge Trail in Pokhara: sapkotanp26@yahoo.com, tel 00977-61-533581. We will definitely be using his services when we return to Nepal one day to do the full Annapurna circuit.

Photos:
Breakfast with David, Yogi and Oren
Our Crappy Bike
Mule Train on Footbridge During Trek
Himalayan Village
But we didn't inhale...
Rainforest Waterfall and Us
Prayer Flags at Sunrise
Fishtail Mountain from Poon Hill
Sunrise at Poon Hill
Kevin at the Peak
Us and Narayan
World Peace Stupa
Buddha Closeup
Kevin Kayaking
Rafting Campsite with Nat and Tal
Camping by the River
Rafting Day Two