Ghandruk to Naya Pul -Pokara

The pace is quick so I am soon left behind. We see a last glimpse of the snow capped mountains. It is mostly downhill and not too steep.

Eventually we get to the road, it is dull after being on the trail but it does pass through a village where the children ask for sweets. I see a man plowing a field with 2 oxen (water buffalos?).



We end up at the lunchspot where we started. I pick up 3 envelopes to give a tip to the guide/porters as I am not sure how I would have made out finding my way on my own.

Lost

The group is out of sight when I leave the permit office. I take a lower trail following a group of hikers across a bridge and up a steep hill to all the little shops where the taxis and buses are waiting...I walk up and down but don't see our group.

Ok I think, maybe I should have taken the road from the checkpoint office instead of the trail so I go back down the hill...I head back down the street of shops where we saw the packhorses when we started but I don't see our group so I turn around and go back to the checkpoint office. I start up the road but realize that it isn't the right way either.

By this point I feel very stressed as it is past the time that the van was to pick us up...my throat is dry and I feel overheated as I have been racing back and forth trying to locate the group. I head back down to the bridge intending to go back up to the shops and wait when I see Renuka and Danu waiting for me. They didn't wait for me as they thought that I knew the way.

It is 1:50PM when I reach the van. I appologize and lean my head back with my eyes closed and drink my water. They ask me what happened. I tell them that I crossed the bridge 3 times.


Pokara

It pours just as we get unloaded at the Three Sisters. I give my envelopes to the guides, porters.

I borrow Matt's guidebook to see about arranging a hotel. I noticed the Snowline on the way in, so I phone there and get a room for the night. It is higher than expected but I agree as I just want to have something arranged.

Verena leaves her luggage at Three Sisters until she finds a hotel. She accompanies me in the taxi and as my hotel has a TV she opts to stay here as well. The room is fine except for the huge spider that I get a staff to kill.

At night I walk down to the lake. Pokara is pretty but very hot. The next day I want to sketch at the lake but it is too hot even in the shade.

I switch to a cheaper hotel off the main drag, send emails, phone the Dragon to confirm a room and arrange a bus to Kathmandu the next day and meet the gang for supper. The chicken in white wine is excellent.








Although I am tensed about catching my bus the next morning, all goes smoothly. The road winds around a deep ravine with a rushing torrent of water and big rocks. The road climbs very high then drops down again and climbs steeply again before we reach Kathmandu. At times the bus passes where I think it is not wise to do so. Instead of being petrified for the whole journey I decide to accept that my fate is either to survive the ride or not and that worrying about it won't change my fate, so I enjoy the ride.

It is interesting passing through the rural communities, farms, terraced lands bypassing long suspension bridges and towns and shops that line the highway.

When I get off in Kathmandu I do not know where I am in relation to Boudha, when I am pointed in what I hope is the right direction I start walking and eventually give in to catching a taxi.