OzBus 14

As I mentioned before, the late arrival into Kathmandu meant that we weren’t aware of what the city was like and it’s true character.  Like any mid-sized city, the late hours place a blanket of discretion around the sleeping and mundane population.  So do the early hours (unless you’re a group of travellers in a city promoting tourism – but we get to that further on in the blog).

Interestingly, my first day in the capital was spent on the outskirts of the city.  This was because I, along with a few others on the bus, was going bungee jumping!  Before that though, there was four hour drive to the resort, aptly named ‘The Last Resort’.  The activity was organised by an independent company working out of Kathmandu, so we all left the hotel and went to the main office to get the bus.  As highlighted previously throughout this blog, early starts are something of a common occurrence, so this was a breeze.  Refreshing dawn weather, anticipation about the jump AND a whole new group of people to get to know on the journey there – what more could a traveller ask for?  Yes, breakfast.  Crisps and a soft drink was enough (apparently).

The drive itself was just as spectacular as the rest of Nepal had been to that point, so I won’t continue to swoon over it’s magnificence.  Similar to the white water rafting the day before, the site of this resort was by a river, running between a valley lined with greenery and working rice fields.  The resort is quaint, expected from a place like Nepal, with wooden huts filled with equipment & changing areas, its perimeter surrounded by bamboo fences and littered with small picturesque fountains, vivid green plants and random wildlife.  Words have always escaped me when describing the scene to those that are interested.  Most go with the expression on my face as I recall it.  It’s a compilation of elicit smiles, joyously teary eyes and constant umm-ing and ahh-ing from fevered lips.

I won’t write a review about the company or the place itself, for I am sure such things can be sourced via our universally known local know-it-all, Google.  What I will say is that the experience of bungee jumping, teamed with the scenery of rural Kathmandu, make for an intoxicating and thrilling experience.  So much so that I bungee jumped twice!  Included in the package was a canyon swing – an activity that essentially turns you into a pendulum.  Unlike a bungee – where you are tethered by your ankles – this involved you being attached via a harness around your waist.  Once attached, there’s the inevitable jump, followed by the free-fall, culminating in a full swing, hands-free and laid back (sort of).  I’d done bungee jumping before (albeit in different, less exotic circumstances), but the canyon swing was new for me.  Believe me, it’s as fun (and scary) as it sounds.

There was an element of earning associated with the fun.  After you eventually detach from the rope attached from the bridge you’d just jumped from, there was no mechanical transportation back to the start.  Instead, you had a climb (about 160m, which was the height of the jump) up the side of the valley wall.  Sounds great, unless you were wearing flip-flops like I was.  First time going up, I was so determined resilient to make it to the top that I got lost and ended up walking through a rice farm!  I was better thereafter, but the climb plus the adrenaline plus the heat took it’s toll.  The company, intelligently, offer all participants a 3 for 4 offer on their jumps – you can pay for 3 jumps, canyon or bungee, and get the fourth free.  After 2 bungees, 1 canyon swing and roughly 480m of hiking in flip-flops, I couldn’t face a fourth jump.

After our afternoon of jumping, the resort allowed us all to have a rest, reflect on what we’d all just done and sneak in a cool beer.  Everyone was great, staff and participants, and the atmosphere was relaxed and tranquil, despite the adrenaline fuelled activities!  Once we’d all calmed down, we got back on our bus and made the drive home, stopping off at a local pit-stop for some supplies.  The sun had set by the time we all got back to the hotel – once again missing the sights and sounds of the city – so I retired to bed almost instantly.  The group head out for dinner, but for once I felt a night in would be more exciting.  It must’ve been the sun.  Tomorrow, a flight around Mount Everest!

I sensed a smattering of sadness as we departed from Pokhara.  For many, including myself, it had been a very welcome break from all the hectic travel, what seemed like countless cities and was as close to a holiday as we’d experienced since the beginning of the journey.  Nonetheless, we were all in the state of mind necessary for what lay ahead and were up early for our trip to Nepal’s capital – Kathmandu.

The drive from Pohkara – an area situated close to two thousand metres above sea level – to Kathmandu – an area situated over one thousand metres above sea level – was a refreshing insight into Nepal’s beautifully ridged landscape.  With a backdrop of clear blue skies and a sensually warm sun, it was just as awe inspiring as you could ever imagine a mountain drive.  The ecstasy of the drive was going to be topped off by an activity – white water rafting.  This was exciting for me for three reasons; firstly I’d never been white water rafting.  Secondly, the scenery in which we were going to be participating in was nothing short of perfect.  Finally, I had never plucked up the courage to do it before as I can’t swim, thus adding the potential of death on top of an already adrenaline fueled activity.  I realise now I absolutely and whole-heartedly love these situations.

One normally likes to savour such excitement, giving the event a heightened sense of exhilaration.  In our case, our driver didn’t actually know the location of the company that was going to be taking us out on the water.  This lead to an impromptu two hour drive back and forth a stretch of river that we were meant to be rafting down, stopping and asking at every sight of a living soul.  Add on top of this the fact that no one knew the name of the company, and you have a recipe for frustration.  We eventually get to where we need to be, upset, annoyed but still eager.  There were a group of people already waiting for us, adding to the sense of urgency to get out on the water.  After scurrying around putting away valuables (cameras, passports, etc.) we have a quick safety meeting by the river and head out in our rafts.  We spent three hours, with a break in between for lunch, tackling the river.  I fell in once as I wasn’t prepared for the wave we hit, much to the amusement of my fellow raft personnel, but luckily for me the life-jacket provided dealt with the situation with maturity and grace (unlike me).  At calmer points of the river, our guide and instructor gave everyone a chance to jump into the juice before the next rapid, giving everyone, including myself, a taste of what it’s like to be a piece of floating debris.  All in all, we eventually forgot about the debacle of getting there and had a great time.

Back on the bus, we started to make our way to Kathmandu.  On the way, we hit a jam caused by a crash – a car had hit some thing in the small town and decided to run off so a truck went in pursuit but in doing so had crashed into a bus.  We were stuck there for a while and didn’t know what had happened till our guide had got out and asked the locals for details.  It was a far cry from the tranquil surrounding of Pokhara and the river we just came from.  This delay, plus the late arrival at the white water rafting, meant we got into Kathmandu a lot later than scheduled.  Once we did arrive, after what had been a very long and eventful day, we took solace in our haunt.  The buzz of Kathmandu and it’s bustling city life was not apparent by the time we arrived, but that is the story of another day.  Tomorrow, bungee jumping!

Can one get tired of sunrise walks?  Personal preference I guess.  One thing is for sure; the early mornings tire.  Despite the general lag that everyone was experiencing, we all rise before the sun to take our bus to a ... [Continue reading this entry]