In Pokhara...
17.10.2009
I think driving in Nepal is perhaps the most dangerous occupation in the world. Right up there with shark baiting and chainsaw juggling. Took the 8 hour bus drive to Pokhara today on the luxury bus line. Unfortunately, they overbooked and I ended up sitting up front with the driver. Usually that's cool, but having cars, motorbikes and other buses rushing at you at 60 miles an hour was quite the experience. Drivers in Nepal are either extremely skilled magicians or absolutely crazy.
Last night, amazingly met up with Dean from Vancouver and we had dinner at a cool Israeli restaurant... in Nepal. My meal cost me 235 Rs or about $2.50. He told me that he was paying about $3 a night for his hotel. Makes my $10 a night budget hotel sound like a 5 star resort (it isn't). Anyways, he told me I needed to bargain better. He's off to summit Ama Dablan.
Met up with two more new people on the bus to Pokhara, during one of our many delays. It's Duwari festival right now and we had to stop every few minutes to offer donations at the roadside parade/blockades. Incredible seeing the small villages and homes of the people along the way.
New trekking partners: Andy, Frenchman from Hungary, and Bikram, Nepalese from Singapore. Bik's Nepalese, so he seems to be happy to do all the negotiating for us. Thank goodness. Apparently $10 for a hotel room is way too much.
In Pokhara right now. Very touristy town on the side of quite a pretty lake. Fewa Lake.
Finally off trekking tomorrow, I'm doing the Annapurna Panorama trek. I should be back in Pokhara on Thursday. So I'll write more then...
Hey Rib,
Glad to hear you from you and all the adventures you are already having!!
We all laughed and shook our heads when we heard the demise of the earphones! I thought it would at least make it to Nepal!!
21.10.2009 by Gauch