The birth of Buddism: Lumbini

This post will be short, but the memories we will take from this place will certainly be sweet.

Lumbini is situated 10 hours south west of Kathmandu and took us around 5 hours to get there from Chitwan. The small, sleepy town of Lumbini doesn’t hold much for tourists to see, but it is the place to stay when exploring the temple area and the birth place of Buddha. The remains of the building where he was born is now housed in a rather ugly white concrete building from the 70’s. The area however, remains incredibly special and in fact is number 1 on a list of the most respected sights of Buddhism in the world. For those interested, the list is as follows:

1. Lumbini – Buddha’s birthplace (Nepal)
2. Bodh Gaya – the place of his enlightenment
3. Sarnath – where he delivered his first teaching
4. Kusinara – where he died

Outside the birthplace, I’m the courtyard stands a large Bodhi tree, which is still heavily used today for meditation. Prayer flags are strung up and create a sea of multi coloured holiness.

Spiritually, this places evokes feelings of peacefulness and acceptance. Acceptance for the person who you are, the choices you have made and the path you have chosen in life so far. Those who know me, know that religion has never played a significant part in my life. What Buddhism offers, doesn’t really seem to be a religion – to me anyway. Instead, it offers a feeling, a love for life and others around you regardless of their religious views and beliefs. I know extremely little about Buddhism, but appreciate that we are travelling through a land where Buddhism is the main religion. Certainly Thailand and Cambodia have huge numbers of practicing Buddhist monks, and I think it would be almost criminal not to find out more about these strangely clothed people and try to understand their views on life and the world around them.

The area surrounding Buddha’s birthplace is full of temples and monuments dedicated to Buddhism. It was certainly a long day, but we traveled through them all and explored the various court years and gardens that surround them. Most of the temples were donated by different countries and was almost as if they competed with each other to see who could go bigger, who could incorporate more gold or who could show off their engineering capabilities the most. For us, the peace stupa at the top of the park was the hi-light. So simple in white, with minimal decoration and 4 Buddha statues inside the dome create the peaceful atmosphere that I feel Buddhism is all about. This was also where we had lunch, right next to a beautiful pond which was full of flowering lotus flowers.

Apart from a pit-stop back in Kathmandu, this was our final stop in Nepal. A country so different, yet similar in so many ways to India. Both containing such charm, character and diversity, but here with a slightly more relaxed approach to life. Nepal for me was everything and more that I expected. Beautiful scenery, generous and loving people and quite simply one of the best months of my life. It is also the first place that both Malene and I have agreed that we would like to visit again. We have made so many memories here, delved into a new religion that looks fascinating and of course, found Dal Bat, the food that just keeps coming!

Chitwan part 2 – Going deeper

Our morning hunting for crocodiles was incredible. We weren’t sure how safe we felt on the water in our tiny boat with large shadows lurking beneath us, but we’re still here to tell the story and we’re thankful for that!

In the afternoon of what was already turing out to be an exciting day, we joined a small group of people and got back into a boat. After crossing the water and back into the Chitwan national park, we walked for a few minutes before an opening in the jungle revealed a fleet of tiny Suzuki 4×4’s. After reaching ours, all 6 of us climbed into the back, with another in the front and our guide who clung onto the back. tThe plan this time, would be to go deeper into the jungle where hopefully there was a better chance to spot more wildlife.

It must have been around 3 and a half minutes later that the truck came to a quiet stop. With everyone being as silent as possible, we all peered into dense forest. Sure enough, lying down in the bush there was a huge one horned rhino. He appeared to be waking from a sleep. It all happened in a bit of a dream. So close to where we started and also in the exact same area as we had been walking just hours before! As I steadied my hands, I took photos before we moved on – our guide pronouncing that we were a very lucky group…and we felt it!

For an hour or so since that first sighting, we didn’t see any more ‘big’ animals, however, plenty of monkeys, large birds and hundreds of crocodiles…at the crocodile farm! After the farm visit and in what felt like tropical forest heat, we again hit the track. After a few minutes, we spotted another truck full of people waving their hands. We edged closer. They all appeared to be giving us different signals, some to come closer, some to stop, some seemed to say go away! We got closer, until we were parked directly behind them. What they had seen, and we were now looking at, was a huge bison. Unfortunately, we could only see the top of its back and it’s wagging tail, but apparently it was coming out of the bush. After 5 minutes of looking, it didn’t seem to want to play and stuck to the covering of the trees…when all of a sudden Malene points behind us and shouts, “look, rhinos!” Everyone turned on their heels and saw the baby rhino and its mother crossing the track. By pure chance (and Malene’s observational skills!) we had seen 2 more beautiful rhinos, this time walking along the track. The sighting was brief but incredible all the same.

A few more minutes of driving and we reached a watch tower that over looked a watering hole and open grass land. We would spend a few minutes here and hopefully might catch a glimpse of some animals. It really was, our lucky day. Off out in the distance, walking through the grass (again) Malene spotted something medium sized and black in colour. As we both peered out, we thought at first that it must have been a wild dog, maybe one of the guides had a dog? We continued to watch it as it slowly came a little closer. It wasn’t a dog. In fact it was a very rare sloth bear with a baby cub on its back. These are apparently as rare to spot as the tigers and we were loving every second of it!

For the remainder of the trip, we came across 2 more rhinos in the forest, crocs on the waters edge (not in a farm!), peacocks, deer and a host of other beautiful animals. It had certainly been a productive day! Up close and personal with vicious, meat eating crocodiles in the morning and huge rhinos and savage sloth bears in the afternoon. WOW!

It wasn’t just the national park that we loved here, but the small village and of course the amazing lodge where we stayed. In fact, this was Malene’s favorite place so far, and its easy to see why. Quiet, peaceful and incredible nature surrounds you here and for those reasons, we both fell in love with Chitwan.

Next up, Lumbini: the birth place of Buddha. Time to get back in touch with our spiritual side.

Chitwan – The real-life Jungle book

I would never normally recommend hitching a ride anywhere in the world, perhaps especially in Nepal. The roads are half built (at best), the cliff drops and falling rocks are everywhere and the speeds at which everyone drives, would surely make even Schumacher’s stomach turn. However, our journey from the hills where we went canyoning (see previous post) to Chitwan, was pretty entertaining. As we clambered up the mini ladder and into the hot lorry cab, we sprawled ourselves across the bed-like area which we shared with a ‘co-pilot’ and all our bags. In all honesty, I reckon this form of transport (and this isn’t me recommending it!) is far more comfy than the local buses, even the tourist ones. The only problem were the tiny windows which didn’t let much air into the stuffy cab.

A couple of very bumpy hours later, we reached what was apparently Chitwan. We of course had no idea as both the driver and his co-pilot didn’t speak a word of English. But they were very nice, smiled a lot and helped us with our bags before they disappeared in a cloud of black smoke leaving us wondering if we had made the right choice. It certainly didn’t look like Chitwan.

However, we were in luck. Almost immediately, a couple of taxi drivers surrounded us, obviously smelling fresh meat and an easy ticket. One however, claimed he could take us to the river-side (6km) for free if we looked at his lodge – adding “no pressure to stay”. Malene and I looked at each other and even though we had heard the same story from touts all over India and always rejected them. We thought on this occasion, why not? We felt strong enough to walk straight out if his lodge – The Crocodile Safari Lodge and Camp (bit of a mouthful), if we wanted to try our luck else where.

From the town where we had been dropped off, we squeezed our bags (4 now!) into the drivers little, windowless Suzuki truck. As we sped off down the road and out of the industrial town, the countryside soon opened up to us. Field workers were still labouring hard in the afternoon sun and as we bumped our way down the road, the trees started growing taller and thicker…the jungle was arriving.

What can I say? The Crocodile Safari Lodge and Camp, although terribly named, is the most beautiful, unassuming and honest place we have stayed in. With a well kept garden, quaint narrow paths and small sun terraces, we had found a gem. Our room was spacious, with mossy net and a private terrace equipped with deck chairs that made us feel like we had landed in heaven. The food was delicious, the staff were kind and always smiling…I could literally go on and on. One small drawback was the generator. Like everywhere in Nepal, powercuts are part of the daily routine. With electricity only lasting a couple of hours here (slightly worse than Kathmandu and Pokhara) you really need to chose what appliances you want to charge. But normally in the evening, in order to send power to a few auxiliary lights, the generator is fired up. This one happened to be quite loud, but we couldn’t complain, this place ticked all the right boxes and we knew when to be thankful for such a place.

Early the next morning, we joined two fellow backpackers and the hotel manager (same man that picked us up the day before) and set off down the street towards the river. Within a couple of minutes, we had arrived at the river-side and carefully clambered into the extremely narrow boats. Carved from a single piece of hollowed out tree, the boats were barely wide enough for us to squeeze our bums in and didn’t feel incredibly stable. Still, we slowly drifted out as the boat man extended his pole into the shallow water and pushed off. The sun was just waking up and the early morning mist covered the water like an eerie introduction to a horror movie. After asking our guide if there were crocs here, he claimed he couldn’t see any right now, but was sure we’d see a few soon…we all placed our hands back inside the raft.

Being the first on the Rapti river that morning, we relaxed into our seats, forgetting the imminent danger that lurked beneath and soaked up the beautiful nature that surrounded us. We were introduced to so many different birds. My favorite being the kingfisher with its electric blue body, and we saw many. From the river we saw deer grazing near the shore and even got a taste of some baby water rapids – tiny compared to our day on the Trisuli river, but in this raft, we all felt like we were walking on a tight-rope, one sneeze and we would be swimming.

Back on dry land, our guide explained to us the dangers of trekking in animal infested jungles. We would most certainly come across wild animals and would need to know what to do in case one confronted us. There were different strategies for tigers, elephants, sloth bears and rhinos, but by now, we were switched on and taking mental notes.

After a quick dash through the jungle, we came back to the waters edge where our guide abruptly span round, hands up in the air as we all stopped. His finger slowly covered his mouth and told us to be very quiet. We were told to watch where we were walking and, I quote “don’t break any sticks” – not an easy feat in the jungle! As we all huddled together and peered round the long grass, a huge crocodile was soaking up the early morning sun on the river bank, no more than 5 meters from us. Our guide whipped out his telescope and as we peered through its lens we realised just how close we were to a fully grown, basking mugger crocodile – and that’s not the vegetarian type!

Before long, a dark shadow crept forward through the water and out crawled a second crocodile. As we watched them in awe our guide had already spotted a different croc. This time the long, narrow jawed Ghariel crocodile had perched itself up on the bank and appeared to be watching us. Luckily, this was a fish eating crocodile and apparently of no danger to us, although I certainly wasn’t going to test that theory.

Wild white water and crazy canyoning

Pokhara keeps on delivering excitement after excitement and squeezing our adrenaline glands until they’re drained. A day after returning from our 5 day Trek in the mountains and definitely still high from the experience we set off on our final adventure: white water rafting and canyoning. Nepal really offers the best when it comes to white water rafting. Not only are the rivers perfect; offering a range of grades to choose from, but the location is simply stunning, the people are fun and great guides and the camps where you sleep are so relaxing and peaceful.

It took Malene and I a couple of hours to reach the Trisuli river by local bus. As we travelled along the road, the cliff-drop off the side went all the way down to the river at the bottom. We hoped that we wouldn’t skid off the road and prematurely drop into the river.

Arriving at a little hut at the end of a small roadside village, we were instantly greeted by a group of guys, all of whom would be helping us throughout our two day adventure. Our bags were taken care of and we guided down off the road, though some houses and onto a pebbly beach. With the raft in front of us, already bobbing on the water, this was our first introduction with our vehicle for the next day. After a brief introductory chat we met the 4 guides and the 6 of us clambered aboard and paddled down stream.

The morning was good fun; we chatted, sang and played games on the raft. We also swam in the river as parts were calm enough to have a relaxing soak – really appreciated with the hot sun beating down. The real fun, however, didn’t start until after lunch. The rapids grew larger and larger and we were thrown around like rag dolls. The rapid grades grew from 3’s to 4’s (out of a possible 6) and everyone had to work hard together to keep our raft sunny side up. Water exploded all around us as we fought to hold on to the guide rope and our paddles. As we paddled hard and fast through the angry water, we soon felt tired. Using muscles we didn’t know existed, the sets of rapids just kept coming and coming. I was worried that the whole day would be like the morning, although good fun, this wave smashing, white knuckle ride was just what I needed, and great for Malene – it was her first rafting experience!

That evening, we had a short hike to a very remote campsite on the riverside. After crossing a huge bridge that suspends over the river we settled our bags down and collapsed in the hammock; arms and legs shattered from the days rafting. That evening, we were treated to live music and some great food. I even got a mustang coffee which was a lovely warmer and pretty much knocked me out ready for bed. Talking of which, our sleeping arrangement was in small tents, simple, but comfortable.

The following morning, after a great, hearty breakfast we strapped ourselves into a truck and headed off deeper into the hills. After half an hour of more bumpy roads, we reached a little house where we donned our wetsuits, helmets and this time the addition of again, unflattering harnesses. Equipped with rope we started our mini-trek up the hillside. Half way up the hill, we got very lucky as an out stretched snake was soaking up the sun and was lying across the entire track. He looked like a dried stick to me and I was inches away from stepping on him. Luckily we had Malene who was really watching where she placed her feet. Just as she was about to step over its tail, she screamed, “It’s a snake! It’s a snake!” A the snake sprung to life, we all back peddled. Luckily a dog that followed us up the hill ran forwards to confront it and sensing the danger, the snake scurried away through the bush. Afterwards, our guide assured us that the snake wasn’t poisonous, but as far as I was concerned, it was the biggest, baddest snake in Nepal…possibly the world!

At the top of the hill, we were hot and sticky as the wet suits kept all the heat locked in. We were greeted with a huge 70 meter waterfall that cascaded down over green rocks. It really was a beautiful setting for the beginning of our second day of adventuring: canyoning. For those who don’t know, canyoning (not canoeing spelt wrong) is the adrenaline fueled sport of abseiling down waterfalls, jumping off waterfalls and rocks into rock-pools and sliding down natural rock slides again into the warm water pools below.

Abseiling down the first slippery waterfall was awesome. Desperately tying not to slip on the green rocks as we slowly edged our way lower and lower, the water exploded over our faces and around our body. We looked down over our shoulders and that’s when the heart beats a little faster. We were suspended 30 meters above a rock pool, with water pouring over us. It was an incredible feeling of trust (in the equipment) and wildness. We were surrounded by nature and moving with it at the same time.

There were 6 different waterfalls and we took various different ‘methods’ to descend them. The final one was the most scary, and one of the most daunting things I have ever done. It was a 7/8 meter jump off a rock into the pool below. But that would have been too easy…this one required a running start in order to clear 2 meters of rock first and that had to be done on slippery wet rock, one false step, one slip and I doubt my little helmet would help me survive the surely fatal plummet. I won’t lie, it took me a few seconds to pluck up the courage and plan my next steps very carefully. And then it happened. In what felt like slow motion, I took 4 or 5 running steps and jumped as far forward as possible. Then, with arms flapping in the wind, I flew through the air and it really seemed to last a long time before I came crashing down to the cool water below. As the adrenaline exited my brain, I let out a cry of pure excitement and relief that I had made it! Now it was Malene’s turn! I watched patiently from the pool below. To be honest, she made it look very easy!

It was a fantastic finish to a great couple of days and a wonderful ending to our time in Pokhara. A town that really offers so much, you just have to decide how much you want to do. One things for sure, whatever you decide, you won’t be disappointed. I will certainly miss Pokhara and the lakeside. I loved the feeling of the town and the people, the laid back nature of it all and the options available to fill all your adrenaline needs.

No matter where we decided to travel to next, it would always be a little more relaxing than our time here in Pokhara. For us, it would be Chitwan, where we would search for tigers, rhinos and crocodiles…maybe the adrenaline would still be pumping after all?

High in the Himalayas: our 5 day trek

I cannot contain the excitement I have for sharing our experiences of being up in the Himalayan mountains for 5 days. From the minute we set off until the moment we returned, this was the most exhilarating 5 days we have both had in a long time…maybe ever!

Our trip began at our hotel, where we met our guide; Mr Raj Kumar. I could honestly write an entirely dedicated blog just on this one man, his kindness, his compassion, his energy and his love for nature and the mountains. We had literally won the lottery when we were partnered up with Kumar as we realised that the whole experience could either be a success or failure based on the guide alone.

From the hotel, we packed our bags into the back of taxi and proceeded to head for the bus station. Hardly the trekking idea I had in mind, but essential to get us to the start of the ‘action’ and the foothills of the Annapurna range. For anyone interested in a shorter walk such as this, our itinerary would take us from Gandrup to Gorapani and include a sunrise tour of Poon Hill (3210m). I think by the end of this post, you’ll see just how highly we both recommend it!

With the sun high and hot and brilliant blue skies, we set off down a little used pebble track. With tiny local villages in the valley, we got an up close and personal view of farming and the local traditions. The river running in the crux of the valley also provided a nice way to cool off. After little more than an hour of walking, a dark cloud began to stalk us, and with no warning whatsoever, the skies opened up and delivered a blistering cold hail storm. With large marbles of ice pounding down on us, we quickened our pace and made for a tea house. Here we enjoyed a good macaroni dish – probably didn’t deserve it yet, but enjoyed it all the same. Whilst sat under the corrugated tin roof, another couple joined us, also in search of shelter. They had returned from a much longer planned trek (ABC – Annapurna Base Camp trek) after only a few days, claiming that the thigh high snow forced them to return. Malene and I looked at each other partly in shock, partly in surprise. We prayed that our trip wouldn’t have the same fate.

As the hail storm passed, we continued upwards, this time up steep steps that went on forever. We passed farmers in tiered fields following their buffalo’s as they plowed through thick, rich soil. As the minutes went past, the views seemed to get better and better. Step after grueling step produced fantastic glimpses across natural Nepalese countryside and we often stopped just to soak in the atmosphere – not because we needed a break, honestly!

Our first day was almost purely climbing. In fact, no less than 1000 meters in altitude were gained and for that, we were pretty happy with ourselves. Our first guest house was situated at the top end of a large village, Gandrup. The place was simple, rural and amazing. The views across the mountains took our breath away and after an evening of great home-cooked food and a Mustang coffee (explanation later), Malene and I wrapped up warm and tucked ourselves into our little hut. This was our first night away from civilisation, traffic, people and noise; it didn’t take very long to fall asleep, despite our excitement for the following day.

Bright and (very) early in the morning, Mr Kumar gave us a wake up call and as we stumbled out into the bright sunshine, we could see exactly why we had been awoken so early. The full mountain range spreading from mount Fishtail to Annapurna 1 and 2 were there in front of us in a pure, heavenly morning light. We could clearly see every detail; the trees, the snow caps, the cracks in the rocks. It was as if the mountains had come to life and only now, were we close enough to really see them. We all enjoyed a hearty breakfast sat outside with a prime view of the impressive scenery.

Continuing our walk, it didn’t take long for us to come across our first signs of snow. But as we continued, nothing was holding us back. Like mountain donkeys, we felt we could take and conquer all of natures’ obstacles. We crossed rivers, through waterfalls, over bridges and deep inside thick rhododendron forests. Every step delivered amazing views and we felt privileged and truly lucky to be experiencing such beauty first hand.

Along the way, we passed many locals trekking up the hill to their homes and businesses which were situated in the hillside villages. Many of them carried incredibly huge packs which were carried using one strap that was then wrapped around their foreheads. Carrying such baskets with only their necks supporting the weight is hugely impressive. In fact, at our second guest house, two elderly women (60?) came by and stopped for a break. As they carefully placed their baskets down and came over for a drink, we asked them if we could try and lift their packs. Of course they agreed, and with Kumar’s help, Malene and I tried to lift the baskets up onto our heads. Imagine trying to lift 80-90kgs, only using your neck muscles! To say it was heavy would be an understatement and although we managed to stand up, I doubt we could have walked more than 2 steps. Our respect and compassion for the porters of the mountains increased again.

The following morning, we set off early in anticipation of the difficult day ahead. This was day 3 and the ‘ice-day’ according to Mr Kumar. We were taking the trek in the opposite direction to what was considered the normal route. Although this meant a tough first day of climbing, it also meant that we would tackle the tricky ice day going up hill rather than down hill. We were assured by Kumar that going up hill on the ice would be easier. As we set off from our little mountain lodge, we picked up another friend, this time a thick black haired dog, with one tooth sticking out who we named Buddha or Bud for short. He led the way and was a lovely companion.

Slowly, but surely the ice patches grew larger until the path was completely covered. With no ‘proper’ shoes for these conditions, we were unsure as to how well we would get on. There was lots of talk about the need for crampons back at the hotel, but we dismissed them thinking it wouldn’t be that extreme. Al I can say is: Kumar, you were right again. Going up hill on the ice provided us with far more grip than if we were going the opposite (normal) direction. My little shoes gave sufficient grip as I raced Buddha up the mountain. The countryside looked like a winter wonderland with fairy tale pictures of iced rivers and untouched snow covered rocks and trees. We used our bamboo ‘disco’ sticks to help support us up the slippery slopes. I was amazing to see people travelling in the opposite direction, fully kitted out with big boots and huge spiked crampons and the looks on their faces as they saw my little summer trainers and Malene’s shoes wrapped with rope to give a little more traction. We were loving every second. The challenge, the views, Buddha and Kumar, the laughs we were having made this an incredible experience, it was perfect.

Our penultimate night in Gourapani was at a large lodge and full of people (50-60 people!) but with the unwavering attention and help from Kumar, we quickly had our room sorted and food ordered. Time for another Mustang coffee. Ingredients: black coffee, sugar and Roxie. – a home made mountain drink, somewhere in the region of 40-50% proof and a great winter warmer! As we sat in front of the fire and dried our shoes, we chatted with Kumar and the other trekkers. But we needed an early night, for tomorrow morning at 4am we would start the climb up to Poon Hill…in the dark!

The morning was cold and dark. As I peered out of our bedroom window, I saw floating lights travel past, up the hill and out of sight. Other walkers with head torches had already begun…this got us out of bed a little quicker. As we got down stairs, Kumar was waiting for us with our disco sticks. Lights on, we left the lodge. Starting up the hill, we took our time. Although the ice wasn’t worse than the previous day, the light from our little torches casted strange shadows and we needed to watch our step. Reaching the top it was still dark, but now with horizontal streaks of red light tearing through the sky. Dark silhouettes of tall mountains surrounded us. We had reached the top and now waited for the sun and the views it would bring light to.

We didn’t have to wait long for the sun to start its day. As it began behind a mountain, strange red rays of light spread across the sky. Before long, the light was cast upon the entire Himalayan mountain range and we were gifted with a 360 degree panoramic view. Each minute the sun changed and provided us with a different light in which to admire the mountains. It was a stunning view and obviously well worth the early start. The problem now was getting back down the hill through the heavily compacted snow and ice…at least it wasn’t dark this time!

Our remaining days in the hills provided us with more amazing memories, different views every minute and overall a great time spent with the lovely Mr Kumar. As we returned downwards, we travelled through more villages and watched the locals as they performed their day-to-day chores. The snow quickly disappeared and was once again replaced by lush green fields that stepped their way up the hillside. Peace and serenity engulfed us and everything felt so positive and perfect. I can honestly say that I have never been interested in walking or trekking, or whatever label you wish to put on it. I love finding adrenaline; mountain biking, snowboarding, canyoning, anything to get my heart racing and adrenaline pumping. But this trek provided all of that and more. Walking on ice-covered tracks past cliff drops and pushing your body upwards over steep rocks was so much fun. Coupled with the amazing countryside and spectacular views of the Annapurna range, it was the most perfect 5 days.

I must really thank Mr Kumar for being an incredible host, an amazing helper and who will always be a true friend. I hope you continue to trek and show the beauty of the mountains to other people. You are an amazing guide, full of love and passion for the world in the mountains. If anyone wants more information, then you can send me a message, or contact Raj directly with the information below. Our hotel (Hotel Peace Plaza, Lakeside, Pokhara) use him, but they also use other guides, so you wouldn’t necessarily be guaranteed to get Raj for your trip. Your best bet is to go directly through him (plus you won’t be paying the hotel!) and I really can’t recommend him highly enough. He is extremely experienced and will go above and beyond to make sure you have a trip of a life time. He does all treks in the Annapurna region as well as Mustang treks and Millennium treks. If you need information, this guy is a great source….just make sure you tell him I sent you (Chris and Malene, Uk and Denmark)!

Thank you Himalayas and thank you Kumar for a life changing and wonderful time. You can be sure that one day, we’ll be back for more.

Flying with eagles

25th February

It’s hard to miss the flying paragliders when you look up in the Pokhara skies. Soaring high above the lake and mountains, we often wondered what life must look like from up there. As it turned out, we didn’t have to wonder for very long. In fact, after only a couple of days after arriving into Pokhara, we signed ourselves up for a half hour excursion of flying through the skies. Paragliding here we come!

Although we had a couple of rainy days at the start of our time in town, the weather had reverted back to its former sunny self and we were clear for take off. We bundled ourselves into the back of an open truck and with a few other ‘white faced’ tourists, we sprang up the hill at break neck speed. At the top, it seemed that the temperature had risen by a couple of degrees, but this was probably in apprehension of what was to come. We met our ‘fliers’ who would strap themselves to our backs and take us up, up and away. Everything moved very quickly. We donned ridiculous looking helmets, strapped on rather unflattering harnesses around our more sensitive parts and connected with our pilots. Then we waited. We waited for good wind that would provide us with a good uplift for the start. We continued to wait. Seconds felt like minutes as we peered over the end of the ‘runway’ knowing that if we didn’t go up, it would surely be a long way down.

Then, without warning, it came. With a sudden tug at the multiple cords connecting us to the parachute and a loud order from my pilot to start running, we leapt into action. My legs started running towards what looked like the edge of a cliff, but all along, the parachute was filling with more and more air that started to pull us back. I tried harder and moved faster, but before long, we were coasting inches from the ground and towards the edge; oblivion. As the ground disappeared beneath us, tree top whistled past our feet. We instantly hit hot air that took us higher and higher. My adrenaline pumped through my body, but there was little I could do to control the situation. We started circling around and around, watching the ground fall further away. Mountain tops reached eye level as I sat back in my harness and started to really enjoy the views. It was silent. The wind cool. The views breathtaking. All of a sudden, a huge floating eagle drifted past and without hesitation, my pilot pulled a few strings and we began to pursue the magical creature. It was actually incredible just how large these eagles are when flying alongside them. I almost felt that I could reach out and touch it, but I held back! High in the sky above me, Malene was floating away with her pilot. We exchanged a few waves and returned to our peaceful world. It was an incredible experience that will last with us forever. It was as if the whole world stopped and we could bathe in the nature and beauty that surrounded us.

Although it wasn’t a cheap adventure, it was certainly worth every penny. For anyone wanting the best views of the Himalayas, lake Phewa and Pokhara all at the same time, look no further. Our trip was enriched by this experience, surely it couldn’t get any better?

Entering a world of adrenaline: Pokhara

14th – 28th February

This adventure actually began in Kathmandu and the second we stepped on the bus. Deciding to use a local bus, we managed to find an ex-formula 1 / adrenaline hunter bus driver with what seemed to be no apparent regard to the welfare of the passengers or the limits of the bus itself. As we tore out of the bus station, 2 things became clear – 1) accelerate as fast as possible and (2) brake as hard as possible at the last minute in order to pick up more weary passengers. This is the way it’s done in Nepal. In an attempt at covering the most distance in the shortest amount of time, this is method of driving adopted by all bus, taxi and tuk tuk drivers.

Without searching for it, adrenaline found us. With 100+ meter drops and no barriers lining the roads, one small mistake, one second of lost concentration, a swig of water or bite of a sandwich would have been all it took for us to plummet to the bottom of the mountain in our uncomfortable metal coffin. The roads themselves are also incredibly poor. I honestly thought the pot holes in England were bad enough to write and complain to my local council, but in comparison with Nepal…WOW…what was I worrying about? In England, a hole as round as a football and a couple of inches deep would be enough to put the tracking out on a car, crack a windscreen, even cause serious suspension damage…but out here?? Stretches of road for miles upon miles constantly test the driver as he weaves in and out of craters and looks for the best route through. Even with his skillful driving, we constantly drop into holes that stretch across the entire ‘road’ and the cracks and smashes even have the local passengers looking at each other with uncertain looks.

A bus ride in Nepal is crazy. A truly exhilarating ride, with breath taking views and a way to mix with the lovely local people. On the 7 hour journey from Kathmandu, we stopped half a dozen times for breakfast, lunch, snacks, toilet stops etc, and each time at more and more incredible locations. The closer we got to our final destination, the bigger and clearer the Himalayan mountains become. Like a photo slowly coming into focus, we watched with open mouths at the beauty and grandeur of the snow peaked mountains. Of course, I could have chosen to sit on the roof of the bus (a perfectly viable option) from where I would have received a much clearer and panoramic view of the countryside, but without making excuses, I simply didn’t have the balls.

Into Pokhara. With the sun out and the temperature back up into the mid 20’s, it felt like a perfect English summer. A cool breeze came in from the Phewa lake (largest lake in Nepal) and we checked into a hotel with prime views of it all: lake, mountains hills, city…perfect! The lakeside area we were stayed in is full of life; restaurants, bars, cafes and a spectrum of shops catering for the abundance of tourists. For trekkers, all your needs are accounted for, if you don’t mind imitation North Face merchandise, but its cheap and tends to look good. At night, the whole area changes as the street lights turn on and the music starts. Clubs (expensive drinking option) open, shisha bars entice and the younger travelers come out to play. With so many adrenaline based sports (mention later) available in the area, this is the place to come and wind down, chill and enjoy a host of food dishes from around the world.

On one of our first evenings, we met a French girl who had just finished a 5 day trek in the mountains. She talked to us about her experience and the pure delight and adventure she gained from it. Originally, Malene and I hadn’t planned on doing any trekking due to the price and time it took to really get the best from the mountains. But this girl was on such a high and talked so passionately about it that by the end of our conversation, we changed our minds. The very next morning, we went to the hotel booking office and brought a very expensive, but all exclusive (apart from drinking water) 5 day trekking package. The price of $230 each included all our mountain passes, accommodation for 5 nights our guide and as much food as we could eat. T date, it was the most expensive thing we had brought and we felt a little uncertain as to how good it would be. We had heard a lot of great stories from people trekking in this world famous Annapurna range of the Himalayas, but it was still a nerve racking time and a big decision to make. Question is, would we regret it? I’ll write a separate post with our experience of the mountains and without giving too much away, let me just say – the most beautiful place on this earth, mixed with sun, snow and ice, an incredible guide an overall memories that will be with us forever…but like I said, I don’t want to give anything away!

Mountain biking has been a passion of mine for a while now (15+ years) and I thought living in Sheffield with the Peak District knocking on my door every weekend was the best place for it. As perfect as the Peaks may be, there is something about riding around Nepal and Annapurna region, with the blue lake to one side and the sprawling mountains to another that really takes your breath away. With some good single tracks, crazy climbs to an ear popping height and full on technical descents, Malene and really tested ourselves. We travelled around the entire lake and up to a world peace stupa that lay on top of a small mountain that over looks Pokhara. At this simple, white monument that ancient Buddhist monks built, we enjoyed beans on toast whilst looking down on everything we had just climbed up. The feeling of achievement and solitude we had was truly amazing, but the beans was the real icing on the cake. After lunch we descended, and then descended some more. In fact, the next hour was a pure descent all the way back to our hotel. With a switch-back track, high beams and awesome drops, we raced down to the bottom. For those interested, Malene had a FS Jamis (1000 rupees per day) and I had a full bounce Meta 55 (2000 rupees) which was plush, well serviced and a pure delight to ride. I have to say thank you to the guys at the Pokhara Mountain Bike shop for being so fantastic. They provide the best bikes in town hands down and helped with organising routes for us…legends.

Without trying to cram too much into one week, the next day we hit the skies and flew with eagles. That’ll be for the next post though…thanks!

“What to do in Kathmandu?”

8th – 14th February 2013

Although not the cheapest option, flying direct to Kathmandu from New Delhi is certainly the quickest and easiest method. An overland crossing is lined with problems (so I’ve read) and with a flight ticket costing £75 and taking just over an hour, it was a no-brainer for us.

The first problem (hopefully this post won’t be a list of problems!) occurred in New Delhi airport, more specifically, in the duty free area. We knew we had to find a cash machine and get some dollars ready for getting a visa in Nepal, but couldn’t spot one anywhere. What was also a little strange, was that there were no currency exchange kiosks anywhere either. After enquiring as to their whereabouts, we were told that neither a cash machine nor currency exchange office existed in the airport. This created a problem. We had to find $80 from somewhere in order to pay for our visa when we land in Nepal. We had no idea how big the airport would be when we landed and didn’t want to find out what happened if we couldn’t cough up the cash. New Delhi airport – sort it out, invest in a couple of ATM’s.

Luckily, Kathmandu (in fact Nepal in general) is far more switched on. With a cash machine and a currency exchange office next to each other, they know exactly what tourists need. The fact that you can’t buy a tourist visa using Nepalese Rupees is a little baffling. I know the dollar is obviously stronger than the rupee, but still. Most of the places we visited, hotels, adventure sports offices, even some restaurants all offered services in dollars. Being a Brit and a Dane, these figures meant little to us and it normally came as a shock when we asked for the price in rupees.

Out of the airport doors, the sun was high in the sky and with a cool breeze we soaked up our first Himalayan view. The snow capped peaks that stretch panoramically across the horizon are breath taking: we already loved Nepal! Our hotel had provided a free pick-up service, which is a great way to save money and more importantly, confusion when landing in a strange city. As we crawled through the busy streets, tourists were everywhere, all peering into shops and trying not to be hustled too much as they browsed through a variety of souvenirs. The shops themselves were so enticing. Beautiful wooden carvings, richly coloured textiles, musical instruments and trekking equipment are just a few to mention. But what seemed apparent, was the lack of plastic, tacky items, that we came across frequently in India. For once, I was really looking forward to a shopping spree, much to Malene’s delight.

Our hotel was basic, but the rooms were large, there was hot water, the internet worked and the manager was helpful. With the added bonus of an airport pick-up (and drop-off) included in the price – 700 rupees (£5 per night) seemed like a good deal for a city that was crammed with hotels and tourists queuing to fill them. I must stress, to get a good price, you need to haggle and haggle hard. Be prepared to walk out and find somewhere else. Quite often, when you walk out, they will normally ask you back – that’s when you know you’ve won the battle!

We stayed in the Thamel area: the most touristy area, but good for a short stop. About half an hour walk to Dubar square and other temples, Thamel offers live entertainment in the evenings, great shopping and a host of restaurants offering food from around the world. Unfortunately, it was this international cuisine that was an early downfall for us. Our second evening in Kathmandu hit us hard. We decided to eat continental style and ordered a couple of cheese burgers at a beautiful restaurant lit by candle light and soaking in the atmosphere of quiet, chilled out music. The burgers, were delicious. The price, reasonable. The effect 4 hours later however was not so pleasurable. 24 hours later, most of which were spent either asleep or on the toilet, we felt a lot better. We had survived our first bout of food poisoning.

However, I don’t want to finish off our Kathmandu experience write-up with a negative feeling. There were so many great things about this city, mostly in the way it felt when walking around. It is far more relaxing than anywhere we had been to in India. The Nepalese people are absolutely delightful, very helpful and have very pure and kind hearts. We spent an afternoon at Dubar square which was very entertaining. Although advised by another tourist not to go, this was one of my hi-lights of our stay in Kathmandu. With huge temples and beautiful views across the city, this is a great place to relax and watch the world pass for a little while. And that’s exactly what we did. Sat high up on one of the temple steps and eating some fresh momo’s, we watched locals and tourists mix beneath us. Tourists, like ourselves, are fascinating to watch and we both recommend it.

As for a place to fly to, Kathmandu proved to be a lovely first stop. A place to find our bearings and learn what was on offer for the rest of the country. We used this place to plan out our next month, but I don’t think we would have believed at that point, just how good this month would turn out to be. This post is short, and probably incredibly boring for most, but I’m itching to write up what happened in our second stop: Pokhara, the adrenaline playground of Nepal, possibly the world!

Final chapter: Varanasi

3rd – 7th February

It turns out that 30 hours spent on a train is not as bad as it sounds. Luckily we picked the sleeper class which meant we sat with some interesting locals. Apart from writing this blog, reading and drinking cup after cup of chai, we both spent most of the journey lying in our bunks, in and out of sleep. On the train, we met a guy who was also stopping at Varanasi. In fact he helped us pick our ‘on-board meal’ and although spicy (sorry Malene), it was bearable. At Varanasi station, everything seemed quite normal. It was busy, hot and there was a spattering of tourists, most of which were either lost or being ripped off by local taxi drivers. We hoped we wouldn’t fall for their mistakes. Following our new friend through the station, we darted up and over stairs, over beggars legs and out of the exit before most of the touts even saw us. Outside the station, we headed for the government rickshaw parking area. Here, we were guaranteed we wouldn’t pay extra just because we were tourists, and whilst that felt promising, it still cost us more than we originally thought.

Heading out into the busy streets we quickly got a good idea of the city. Sat in our rickshaw, we could see just how dirty this place was. In fact, I couldn’t see anything that looked clean, and I challenge anyone visiting Varanasi to try and prove me wrong. The first thing we saw were the cows, but what was more noticeable was what they left behind. Literally cow shit everywhere! When it came to walking through the incredibly narrow streets, it was like a mine-field: some pats old, but most were fresh.

At our hotel, we checked in and then climbed 5 stories until we reached the rooftop restaurant. It was a beautiful day and the view was amazing. We could see the Ganges river to one side and sprawling city on the other. Our hotel offered free boat trips both in the evening and in the mornings and without hesitation we quickly booked one for that evening. Finding these boat trips for free was definitely a bonus. In fact, it was probably the first ‘free’ activity we had come across in India.

Our walk to the ghat where our boat was docked was our first experience of walking through the tiny, clustered streets. We were staying in the old part of the city, which was very different to the area where the station was. The streets here were barely wide enough for people to pass each other, so when a motorbike came past, we really had to be on our toes. Even more of a challenge came when passing cow or buffalo, as Malene found when one almost impaled her with its giant horn. At the water’s edge, we scrambled over moored boats and eventually sat down, eager to set off and see the city. Shortly after rowing out we came to the Manikarnika Ghat – the main burning Ghat. Here it was forbidden to take photos in order to respect the grieving families who were cremating loved ones. This was the most auspicious place in the whole world for Hindus to be cremated as it offers them Moksha: liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Dead bodies are carried through the old city on beds made from bamboo and wrapped in colourful cloth. It is a continuos train of people and as they chant to their Gods, it all becomes very surreal. The bodies are then doused with holy water from the Ganges before the burning begins. The fire used for this ceremony is kept alight 24 hours a day and the wood used is carefully stacked in the surrounding area. Each body requires a different amount of wood in order to fully burn the body (depending on the size of the person) and it is a very precise science. Depending on the wealth of the family, different varieties of wood are available, with sandlewood as the most expensive.

Our boat ride continued down river where we could really see the importance of the water. It was the centre of the people’s day to day lives. From bathing to washing cloths to brushing teeth, the importance of the river quickly became apparent. That evening, we spent time watching the burning ghat from an overlooking balcony and really felt the spiritual aura and atmosphere that it all created.

The next morning, we did it all again. Taking our boat this time with the sun rising behind us. It was as if the city hadn’t slept and even at 7am it was still extremely lively. This time there were more boats on the river. Boats ‘manned’ by young boys came up alongside us and like little floating shops, offering us drinks, crisps and little flower lanterns that we could use as an offering to the river. Back on terra firma, it was amazing to simply walk along the river. Groups of children playing cricket and badminton on the waters edge were great fun to stop and watch, especially when the had to wade into the water for their lost ball. Cows of course wandered everywhere and watching tourists skip between cow excrement was just as funny. I think on average, I managed to step in cow crap around 2 to 3 times a day – much to Malene’s amusement!

On our first evening out, we were treated to live traditional Indian music. With one guy on a giant sitar and his friend on a tabla (twin drums) we lost ourselves in hauntingly beautiful music. Of course, a large slice of chocolate cake really helped! This was at a place called the German Bakery (no links with Germany!) and we found ourselves here throughout our stay in Varanasi. Nice little restaurants aside, the street food here is also excellent. We especially liked the potato and bean patties, freshly cooked in front of you and was another great way to sit and stare at wondering tourists and locals alike.

With the streets full of colour and music, it was easy to get lost in the labyrinth of the old city. We loved Varanasi for so many reasons, but most of all because it felt like ‘India’ for us. Evenings were spent watching the ganga aarti – a river worshiping ceremony and surrounding ourselves in the liveliness of the place made us feel warm and spiritual – a lot coming from me; someone who has very few religious beliefs.

We spent one day at a local, charity-run school that offered help for both children and their parents. Again with ties to the German Bakery, we brought clothes made by the women from this organisation. At the school, we met the founder and 2 volunteers who were there for a couple of weeks teaching the young children. It was a very humble place and in someway, totally reminded us of our time at school in the Punjab. It was strange because although I miss the children tremendously, I hadn’t missed the teaching so much…until now. Watching the children go through their ABC’s and learning to count reminded us of all the memories and frustrations, and love we felt when we ‘taught’. I think we both decided at that moment, that our teaching days were not over.

Varanasi is a place to get lost, literally and spiritually. You need to look past the dirt and grime, but at the same time, embrace it. Spending longer here than our normal couple of days was a great decision as it gave us a freedom of wondering, watching the pilgrims and laughing at fellow tourists. Although we weren’t brave enough to swim in the Ganges (for fear of disturbing a dead body or swallowing the polluted water), we did dip our feet in, even if it was to wash off something we had earlier stepped in.

Varanasi, quickly jumped to my number 1 stop in India. It was everything I had expected and more. The culture and vibrance was right there in front of us and we didn’t need to search it out. As our last stop in this great, diverse country, we couldn’t have asked for more. There is so much to see here, without needing to go into temples or shrines or other popular tourist spots. After our visit in Goa, we finally fell back in love with India. Just remember, try and keep one eye on where you step.

Apart from a quick stop in Delhi, Varanasi would be our final chapter of India. I think we felt all emotions possible during our trip here and although a little tiring at times, it’s certainly an experience that will change us forever. I hope you’ve enjoyed following us, but don’t stop yet! It’s about to get really interesting. Our adrenaline glands are about to take a battering as we travel up into Nepal, where we will get truly wild, high, wet, and sunburnt…again. We will search for rhinos, swim with elephants, jump from waterfalls and fly with eagles. I just hope I have the energy at the end of the day to write about it all.

But seriously…Varanasi…WOW!