NEPAL
722 Kilometres – 24 Days
24 March – 16 April 2009
24 March – Gorakhpur, India – Bhairahawa
(Siddharthanagar), Nepal - 104km
Following a breakfast of poori and curry vegetables,
I embarked on my last leg in India. It was high time, seeing I had been
in India for more than six months. The border crossing at Sunauli was ever so
chaotic, but like everything else in India, the process functioned as organised
chaos.
On the Nepali side, I obtained a one-month
visa at $40 (a three-month visa was $100, and I didn’t have enough US dollars).
Four kilometres north was the small village of Bhairahawa, sporting accommodation
at the Mt Everest Hotel. The room was a pleasant surprise, clean and with a warm shower instead of just a bucket.
A walk to the ATM provided Nepalese rupees and
a new SIM card. Getting a SIM card was quite a rigmarole and required being fingerprinted.
25 March - Bhairahawa – Lumbini - 22km
I struggled to get the phone to work and couldn’t
send SMSs. Returning to the shop didn’t help either (language is always a
problem in a new country).
As Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, was a
short ride away, I made the diversion to see what the place entailed. One would
think Buddha’s birthplace, an important pilgrimage site, would be overrun by
tourists, but Lumbini came as a pleasant surprise. Instead, it was a peaceful
pilgrimage heritage spot.
26 March - Lumbini – Butwal - 44km
A flat, hot and dusty road ran between
Lumbini and Butwal. Butwal sits at a major junction, and I stayed the night to decide
which direction to go. A road ran directly north, but once I laid eyes upon
what is known as the “hills”, I opted for the route via Chitwan National Park. However,
this choice only delayed the inevitable, as eventually one would have to cross
the hills to reach Kathmandu.
Still, my early stop was mainly because I needed to charge my many electrical devices, as Nepal’s power was even more
erratic than in India. It appeared electricity was available approximately 16
hours a day. The times vary from day to day and town to town. The previous two
nights, power was only available between midnight and six in the morning. Thus,
I never got around to charging my devices.
27 March - Butwal – Narayangarh - 121km
The day brought the realisation that it had been two years since I had left home, and I wondered how many had cycled from Cape
Town to Nepal. The trip was far more fascinating than I ever imagined, and no
two days were ever alike.
I was ready to depart at around eight-thirty, but wasn’t sure if one was allowed on the road, considering the countrywide strike and curfew. Protesters were burning tyres and chanting slogans while a heavy
police presence prevailed. Eventually, at around 10h30, I was given the green
light and had the way all to myself. As no vehicles were allowed due to the
strike, only pedestrians and bicycles were out, making biking a pleasure. Almost
thirty kilometres from Butwal, I had my first taste of the “hills”. The route climbed
about fifteen kilometres, but where there’s an up, there’s usually a down, and I reached
Narayangarh in good time.
The Royal Rest House, located next to the
road, made overnighting convenient. Although not very royal, the rest house had
a generator, and my room had a window on the outside. When I placed my food
order, it contained two complete meals. I figured it must have been assumed
that there was another person in the room since it's unusual to find a woman
travelling solo in India and Nepal.
28 March - Narayangarh – Sauraha - 35km
A short ride led to Royal Chitwan National Park.
Even though the route followed the main highway, there were no road signs.
To such an extent, I cycled past the turnoff twice.
Sauraha, the village outside the park, had loads
of accommodation. Nearly all cottages are set in lush gardens. Due to the
political unrest, tourist numbers haven’t returned to full levels in this part of
Nepal, and one could pick and choose from an ample variety. Substantial
discounts were offered at nearly all places, and I found a convenient cottage
opposite the park entrance.
The rest of the village was rather touristy,
and prices were far higher than expected. Nepal was more expensive than India, and my money was running out fast.
Elephants were a common sight close to the
park. One could see pahits (people who work with the same elephant throughout their working lives) walking their
elephants between the park and the river to give them their daily bath.
29 March - Sauraha
On an elephant's back, I set off into the national park, and what a great way to see this area. (I subsequently discovered the brutal
business of elephant training, and I vowed never to take an elephant ride again.)
That said, the deer and other animals seemed unperturbed by the elephants
strolling about. The park permit was valid the entire day, and, following a bite
to eat, I hopped on a canoe for a paddle downriver. Afterwards, a three-hour hike
led back to the start. Even though not much wildlife was spotted, walking through the jungle was a great pleasure. However, I saw plenty of birdlife,
deer, the famous March mugger, and a few rhinos. In South Africa, a walk in a
nature reserve entails a guide carrying a rifle, but in Nepal, the guides are
only armed with a stick. I hoped we wouldn’t run into any tigers or other
dangerous animals.
By evening, and at my abode, I was lucky to
observe a tribal dance, performed for the benefit of guests staying at the same
resort.
30 March - Sauraha – Royal Beach Camp - 84km
I biked along while high mountains loomed in
the foreground. My path followed the Trishuli River gorge, where teahouses clung
to the cliffside and prayer flags blew in the wind. A big smile crossed my face—a
grin I wore the remainder of the day. It felt like I had finally arrived in
Nepal.
At Mugling, I veered towards Kathmandu, keeping
next to the Trishuli River. The road wasn’t flat but never gained any altitude,
as there were as many downhill stretches as there were uphill. I continued until
I spotted a river rafting camp sporting a beautiful setting and beach huts.
Camping there was fun, and we sat around, enjoying a few beers and chilling
while watching the river flow past.
31 March - Royal Beach Camp – Kathmandu -
90km
I was informed of a 1,500 m climb ahead and, after a delicious breakfast of pancakes, I set out for Kathmandu. The best part of
the way was climbing up the mountainside (still next to the river), but the
most significant altitude gain came in a short ten-fifteen-kilometre stretch.
A zigzag path ascended the mountain, and from afar, one could see trucks snaking up the pass. I switched to my smallest gear, put my head down
and grinded my way to the top. From the top of the pass, a long descent
proceeded into Kathmandu.
Unfortunately, the rain started bucketing down, and I reached central Kathmandu
freezing and soaked to the bone. Shivering, I booked into the first hotel as I wasn’t
going to search for the tourist suburb of Thamel in peak-hour traffic and
pouring rain. That could wait until the following day.
By morning, I discovered that my abode was indeed in Thamel, so I moved to a cheaper place. Thamel has a lively tourist trade,
with heaps of accommodation, souvenir shops, and trekking/adventure businesses
lining the narrow alleys. I later ran into Ernest—the man should have been a
private detective, as he could track anyone down in a matter of days. That
night, Ernest and I visited places I had frequented in Kathmandu during my trekking
expedition to Annapurna three years earlier.
1–6 April - Kathmandu
Three years previously, I trekked the
well-known Annapurna Trail, one of the most iconic routes through the Himalayas.
The scenery and the humbleness of the mountain people stayed with me, and I was
delighted to be back among the Nepali people.
Staying in the tourist area of Thamel, with its trekking shops, restaurants, and Tiger Balm sellers, came easily. It’s a
cosmopolitan area, swarming with tourists, trekkers, climbers and bicycle
rickshaws all crammed into its narrow walkways. I had my bike serviced, had the laundry done, and sent a few postcards home.
As the third was my birthday, I splashed out
on a pizza and a glass of wine. I even had my nose pierced, even though I don’t have
a nose one wants to draw attention to.
The dream of cycling from Kathmandu to Tibet was
peppered with problems. First, the Tibetan border was closed to individual
tourists. The only way to pass through Tibet en route to China was by an organised
tour to Lhasa, followed by a train to China. These tours were expensive and still
didn't allow one to cycle in Tibet, so a new plan was devised.
Sadly, the only remaining option was to fly
to Thailand and bike to China. So, we bought tickets for 17th April
on the notoriously unreliable Royal Nepal Airlines, as they were the cheapest.
As we had plenty of time, Ernest spent three
full days cleaning, oiling and adjusting his bike and found a replacement rear
axle. I wandered the alleyways, drank coffee and read. As Thamel caters to tourists, a large variety of food is available, ranging from pizzas and falafel to Indian, Mexican, and Tibetan food. Yak cheese and yoghurt were
readily available, but I found most of the food bland after six months in India.
Instead, I ordered tasty South Indian dishes rather than Nepali food, which
consisted mainly of dahl bhat (rice and lentils). It, however, remained a
novelty to order a cheese sandwich from one of the many sandwich shops in the
alleys.
Before departing, I discovered the rear axle
on my bike was broken. How strange? I couldn’t
help wondering where Ernest found his replacement axel. A whole day was spent
having a new axle fitted. Again, I was surprised at the excellent bicycle shop
in Kathmandu.
7 April - Kathmandu – Mugling - 115km
A day that should’ve been easy riding left me
exhausted (I must’ve been coming down with a cold). A short 400-metre climb took
us out of Kathmandu Valley, and a 1500-metre roller-coaster descent led into the Mahesh Khola Valley. The
remainder of the ride was an undulating one along the Trishuli River, featuring beautiful
vistas. The weather was hot and dusty, quite different to a considerably cooler
Kathmandu. On reaching Mugling, I was dead tired and fell asleep shortly after
arriving.
Mugling is a small but busy town about
halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara, on the main road from the South (India).
Therefore, the village was a popular truck and bus stop, with constant
honking and revving of lorries and buses, and black exhaust fumes.
8-9 April - Mugling – Bandipur - 37km
Ernest’s birthday arrived with the hooting
and revving of buses and trucks. The path continued west toward Pokhara, but
after thirty kilometres of cycling, we veered off to Bandipur. The way to
Bandipur was along a sharp eight-kilometre climb. The notorious air pollution led to chest infections becoming common. In Kathmandu (as in India), the air
pollution forced nearly everyone to wear masks. I should’ve done the same.
I subsequently discovered my rear brake didn’t
release completely. No wonder I was tired the previous day. Finally, halfway up
the hill, I released the brake, after which cycling became far more effortless.
We spent an extra day in Bandipur to allow my chest to recover and explored the area around Bandipur.
10-11 April - Bandipur – Pokhara - 70km
An exhilarating descent led to the main road
(I ensured my rear brake was secured), and then a steady climb led to Pokhara.
Unfortunately, Ernest had a puncture on the way down, which he repaired whilst observed
by a group of intrigued children.
The day was clear, offering good views of
snowy Annapurna. Being election time in Nepal, the strike meant no vehicles
were allowed on the road. It was great for cycling, with no traffic or diesel
fumes, and only grand scenic vistas.
Pokhara is as touristy as Kathmandu and
sports hundreds of trekking shops, restaurants and guesthouses. It’s a picturesque
place on Lake Phewa, with stunning views of the Annapurna range and Mt
Machhapuchhare. In town, one can find almost anything from cheese (Yak cheese)
to toiletries, clothing and climbing gear. All vastly different from rural
Nepal, yet a luxury for anyone who had been travelling or trekking in the
mountains for an extended period.
On the 13th of April, I took the
bus to Kathmandu instead of biking the same route for the third time in two weeks.
Ernest, not one to take a bus, returned to Kathmandu by bicycle. I found the bus
no less tiring, but at least the bus only took one day instead of three.
13-16 April - Kathmandu
In Kathmandu, I walked slap-bang into Nepali New
Year’s Eve celebrations. The streets were crowded, and one could barely move. Bars
and restaurants were filled to the brim, and music could be heard through the
night—what a festive atmosphere! However, the exciting part was discovering that the
Nepali Calendar was 57 years ahead of the Gregorian Calendar; thus, the year was 2066
instead of 2009.
17 April – Kathmandu, Nepal – Bangkok,
Thailand - By Air
We left our room at 5h00 and pedalled through
the quiet dark streets of Kathmandu to the airport to catch our flight to
Bangkok, Thailand. There was, however, no need for our early arrival. The
flight, scheduled to leave at 9h00, only departed at 11h15. After a two-and-a-half-hour flight, we landed in Bangkok.
Upon arrival, the sweltering heat of Thailand
was immediately evident. After an expensive taxi ride into the city, a
guesthouse in touristy Banglamphu was located. We huffed, puffed, and sweated, but
finally the bikes were reassembled and the panniers repacked.
A walk along the immensely touristy street of
Khao San Road, with its bars, restaurants and street food vendors, gave us our
first taste of exciting Bangkok, which would forever remain one of my favourite
cities.
