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Archive for October, 2009

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No updates for a while

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Just to let all know that I am in Lhasa Tibet & won’t be updating blog until I leave China also can’t access facebook here.

“No Hurry, No Worry, Have some more chicken curry!”

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Those words from Laxmi, my guide at The Jungle Lodge pretty much sum up the Bharatpur district of Nepal which encompasses Chitwan National Park or as an American with a house near there said on the bus ride down from KTM (Kathmandu) “Nepal is a laid back India”!

The Hotel Jungle Lodge (1 of 65 in the area) in Sauraha next to the park was excellent value for the money & Laxmi an incredible guide as he was raised in the jungle & has a home in it a couple hours away.

Have to get in a bit of a rant here as it always amazes me when some one to whom English is a second language uses better grammar than a lot of Canadians/Americans do. Now one of my pet peeves are the proper use of the words “can” & “may” so when out in the Nepalese jungle a local person asks “May I sit with you?”. This makes me think that the Nepal education system has to be pretty good as he said they start English lessons in grade 5 & his English was very good just needed a bit of practice. Now a lot (most) of Canadians would just say “can I sit with you” completely oblivious of being wrong. Oh well just reinforces my argument that our education system has gone to the dogs!

However the American was confusing the jungle districts, which are pretty laid back in Central America also, with the rest of the country. A girl from Tibet that is a nursing student in Delhi whom I met on the bus down claimed that the Tibetan & Nepalese people were too work driven & government controlled to relax & have fun than the Indian’s, this was the feeling I got also from my short stay in Delhi.

As to Kathmandu it’s a major disappointment, Bouda, the first area I stayed in was nothing to write home about & even the one restaurant bragging about being listed in Lonely Planet had so so curry & expensive beer, only reason I can see for the listing was free Wi-Fi which puts LP’s food listings in a questionable light!

Thamel, where I am now as my bus leaves from just across the street in the morning, reminds me of Havana on steroids but without the redeeming aspects of interesting Spanish architecture & the Prado, it’s a filthy place  occupied by in your face touts for hotels, taxis & tour companies whom you have tell to F*** off as they won’t take NO for an answer & the hordes of tourists that make them that way. There must be some decent food in town but I have yet to find it & haven’t had a decent cup of tea since leaving India!

I highly recommend a visit to the park & Praveen at Getaway www.Trekking-in-Nepal.com has been excellent.

More to come on northern Nepal

Thank you Capitol One

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

For the fourth time so far this trip my Capitol One Master Card that I carry as a backup saved the day when my fancy new BMO chip credit & debit cards “that work at any ATM in the world ... [Continue reading this entry]

Festival

Monday, October 19th, 2009

The biggest day is apparently today with some streets blocked off & others nearly impassible but the whole city having a grand party & they really love their fire crackers. However some are still working as I managed to submit ... [Continue reading this entry]

India

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

OK once again my preconceived North American views on India proved completely erroneous!!

Firstly one can not judge India by North American standards & get an accurate reading on the country. Sure you can go staying at the 5* ... [Continue reading this entry]

On to Japan

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

As I expected Japan does not have the same atmosphere I experienced in Korea, as soon as you stepped off the ferry you could feel a different vibe. In the couple days I spent there it seems the major difference ... [Continue reading this entry]

Reflections

Sunday, October 11th, 2009
My gamble paid off, got on the 11 am bus to Busan no problem then the subway leaves from the Express Bus Station & 21 stops later get off & only a 10 min walk to the International Ferry Terminal ... [Continue reading this entry]

Polite

Thursday, October 8th, 2009
If you want one word to describe the Korean people “polite” would without a doubt be the one! As in Panama fate has played a part in my travel plans. I had considered visiting Korea, but not very seriously, but the ... [Continue reading this entry]

Trans-Mongolian/Siberian

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

www.seat61.com gives an accurate description of these 2 routes + the Trans Manchurian route but it fails to tell you that no 2 people are likely to have the same experience. This is due to the fact that your ... [Continue reading this entry]

The lies my government told me

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Or facts the media didn’t bother to mention (lies by omission.

Canada the “great land of the free”, anyone following my blog knows I have lost all faith in the present day Canada but after what I saw in ... [Continue reading this entry]