Our trekking is over. It's quite a culture shock to be out of rural Nepal and back in a bustling city. If that's a shock, what will returning to New Zealand be like?
6th: Devis Falls, Tashi Ling Tibetan village, International Mountain Museum
We also visited Tashi Ling Tibetan refugee camp. The Tibetans are trapped within Nepal as refugees - they are effectively stateless since the Chinese have pressured Nepal to not give them work visas or citizenship. But this place is well established and feels more like a little village, with solid concrete and wood construction and temples, schools and workshops. They had a room full of beautiful carpets that many of our group bought.
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| 6 Oct: to the Mountain Musem by Taxi |
The fuel blockade made getting there tricky with few taxis available and high charges if you did find one. We eventually found someone prepared to drive us there for USD20 - a vast sum of money in Nepali terms. His fuel gauge was below 1/4 full. He told us that when he ran out of petrol, he'd have to park up and wait until more was available.
The museum was a little dated but beautiful, with a great architecture that made the most of the views of the Annapurna mountains. It had several different sections - an area showing the different hill tribes, a review of all the different major expeditions from different countries (who knew the Koreans had a big presence at Everest, leading many expeditions over the years?) and displays about the geology of Nepal and the Himalayas, including a scary bit of information about glacial lakes that fail suddenly and wash out whole valleys, like the Pokhara valley.
Their display of all the rubbish taken off Everest was sobering, but the yeti display was a bit more light hearted. Many have searched, none have found it, but the mockup was pretty good.In the end we ran out of time before the museum closed, which was a shame. Our man with the taxi had waited for us - we were too lucrative customers not to dedicate his last few litres of fuel to - so back to our hotel we went with him.
All through this, Toby chilled in our room. We bought him lunch and drinks. He had television and internet. I think he was ecstatic.
The fuel shortage is getting worse. India is blockading Nepal because they don't like Nepal's constitution. The locals are saying it's causing more grief and disruption than the earthquakes. The place we went for dinner was cooking outside on wood fires. But Expansion seems to be able to source fuel from somewhere because he is sorting our van back okay.
7th: Pokhara to Kathmandu
After yet another great breakfast we hopped in the van for our drive back to Kathmandu. I got the back seat, on the window and spent the whole eight hours with wind in my hair from the open window. I looked pretty windswept.
I set my phone up and sang three quarters of the way. I think the others were glad when I fell asleep for a bit. You know how good I sound usually? Add a cough and nose full of snot. Doesn't enhance the experience.
I saw cool things out the window. People collect grass for their buffalo and take it home on their backs. Today I saw a mother and her two wee children doing it. Like wee grass monsters.
I chatted to Philippa. Turns out she's only a few months younger than me. I thought I might be the next youngest, next to Mike. But no. She thought I was younger by a few years. That's good then, right? If I look younger than I am? She's an artistic type. Exhibits work and things like that. And has her own yacht! Cool.
The group is full of really nice people.
Simon and Becky. They have lived in New Zealand for years. From the U.K. Simon thinks I could do Ball Pass. Highest guided trek in New Zealand. I used to have a poster on my wall when I was young from Ball Pass. I need to investigate that option. They have a few kids and are ready to downsize. This was Simon's 60th present. Becky says she wants a holiday on a beach for hers.
Isy. A nurse and really nice. Compassionate. Bright and chirpy. Even when she was sick, she kept plugging away. So I'd have to add tenacious to her attributes.
Cathy is also a nurse. We know her from previous trips on meet up. She's great fun. Awesome sense of humour.
Kim and Kamla are friends. They've been in business together. They both have Indian ancestry and have been a wonderful source of cultural information. They're both kind too. Kamla looked out for Toby a lot.
Frances was here in April with Bharat and is a school teacher at Wellington girls. She is fantastic at trying to herd us, despite our tendency to behave similar to chickens.
Claire was our last minute ring in. She's twenty two and full of life. She's Australian and lives in Sydney. She has a fantastic eye for photo composition. She's lovely. I'll happily claim her photos as mine!
David I know least. He broke his wrist in Kathmandu and we only saw him again in Sarangkot. He explored on his own while we were trekking.
Bharat is our leader and lovely. He's kind too. Thoughtful. You'd be in safe hands with him anywhere. A maths teacher, he'd always ask young Nepalis if they liked maths.
A great group of people to travel with.
None of us (Mike, Toby or me) got sick. How cool. Well, apart from my snotty nose and cough. I was sure we'd get sick. A few did. But nothing too awful by the sound of it.
Right. Not long till dinner. I'm hungry. Again. Constantly. And I've stopped trekking now. I might be piling on weight again. I'd better try to watch what I eat from now on.
8-10 Oct Kathmandu and home again >
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