Kathmandu was always a huge milestone for us. I guess it felt like the halfway point of the halfway leg. I’d always dreamed of visiting Kathmandu also for as long as I can remember.
The first morning we woke in the most comfortable beds I have ever known. Our beautiful host, Tsering (who mum and dad met all those years ago on their own cycle tour in Nepal), was not only providing us with accomodation, but also allowed us to do some serious damage to the all you can eat buffet put on every morning at Hotel Tibet. We made our way down to the restaurant and got stuck into croissants, toast, honey, muesli, eggs, chocolate cereal, nepali poori (fried bread), curry, and fresh juices. For the hungry cycle tourer an all you can eat buffet is about the most joyous thing conceivable.
Arthur and I with the beautiful Tsering outside Hotel Tibet, a must visit in Kathmandu
Scaring the living shit out of the locals. I stopped short of doing the Haka
At the breakfast table we met Ela, Sami, Sami, and Tarryn, a group of Australian girls travelling through India and Nepal. They kindly asked if we wanted to join them for their day of wandering around the city. With nothing planned and the opportunity to meet new people beckoning we jumped at the chance. We walked to Durbar Square which was run down and still suffering from the damage of the 2015 earthquake. There we had tea and enjoyed relaxing with our new friends before lunch of samosas and roti. We joined them for dinner as well and were sad to see them go the next day but hopeful we would meet them down the road.
The next day we spent getting the brake pads on the bicycles replaced. While this was happening we walked to Patan Durbar Square via the Pimbahal Pokhari Temple and down the narrow streets that almost looked European. The back streets were so beautiful. Many buildings were propped up with bamboo scaffolding that was nailed into the road. Evidently the ‘red stickering’ process that went on in Christchurch after the 2011/12 earthquakes was not adhered to. It was scary to think how many buildings might be structurally compromised but still in operation.
Our lovely host, Tsering, was determined to ensure we saw all Kathmandu had to offer. She invited us to lunch which, despite collectively feeling a bit sick, we were all looking forward to. Before lunch she had a driver take us up to the Kopan Monastery. The monastery was high above the city and had beautifully peaceful grounds and lovely Tibetan monks who were eager to show us around. The view to the city was largely obscured by the intense smog that covers the entire city.
Calling mum over lunch with Tsering
The Boudanath Stupa is in the background, visible from the deck of Hotel Tibet International
Birds in flight, what a wonderful sight
Prayer flags adorned the stupa the day before the auspicious Blue Moon
The top of the Stupa fell off during the earthquake but has since been restored
Back at the hotel we met Tsering’s daughter, Dhoenkyi, and had the most incredible lunch. Sean, feeling worse for wear, stuck to the veg pasta with myself while Arthur devoured a steak, chips, salad, and bolognese dish. We certainly can pack away the food at the moment. Naturally, a dessert followed. After lunch we were taken to the Boudhnath stupa, the most significant place of worship for Nepali Buddhists. There we walked clockwise around the stupa which is supposed to remove obstacles from your way in life. Prayer flags decorated the stupa and butter lamps burnt inside the small worship rooms. Prayer wheels adorned the outside of the temple and we spun them as we walked.
Pashupatinath was our next location. This is a temple most sacred to the Hindus in Nepal and consists of a main temple, reserved for Hindus only, and a number of cremation Ghats on the Bagmati River. It was a odd feeling as one could see human feet sticking out of burning pyres on the river side. Thick smoke clogged the air and the place was filthy with rubbish. The process seemed fairly mechanical and with little emotion which I hadn’t expected. Women were kept a healthy distance away from proceedings. Holy men dressed in orange asked for money for photos and blessings. To me it felt like the commercialisation of death. They’d removed the emotion from the process and were charging for others to witness it. Rather melodramatically I felt like it was one last laugh at the environment. A parting gift to global warming. Smoke billowed from the pyres making the already dirty air even worse and the remains and ash was pushed into the filthy black river. An interesting process and no doubt fascinating to witness but not something I embraced spiritually or emotively at all.
High above the burning ghats
The funeral pyres burnt relentlessly
The air was very choked and made it hard to stay for too long
People watch a burning pyre. This one was particularly spine tingling as we saw it get lit. First the face gets wetted and then a fire is set
We all fell rather sick. Arthur got giardia and I vomited. Sean felt nauseous and we were all a bit crook. I was the only one still walking, despite feeling rather sub par, and so got medication for the others, again with the assistance of our wonderful host. A few days later and antibiotics down and we were good to go. We loaded the bikes, said goodbye to our new friends Tony (an Australian mountain climber and all round great bloke), Margarit (a German/American aid worker), and Stephen (a surgeon from America), and rolled off down the road. It was very sad saying goodbye to Tsering and her daughter who looked after us so well, providing us with almost all meals in Kathmandu and the most wonderful accomodation.
We climbed out of the smoggy city to the ridgeline and then plunged down the other side, descending a good 1000m vertical before our first tea stop. At the next stop, where we ate our pre packed lunch from Hotel Tibet, we met Harri. Harri is a guide in Kathmandu and asked us to stay with his family in their village, 14km down from where we were. We jumped at the opportunity and were immediately plunged into more incredible Nepali hospitality.
Again another wonderful Nepali host, Harri
His family home. We were treated to tea, biscuits, popcorn, fresh lassi, and good vibes
Harri's brother's son, an avid cyclist. I fixed his trainer wheel bike for him and had him up and running again
Harri's dad, a Hindu priest. We were blessed and witnessed some of their wonderful culture
The family had lost their home in the 2015 quake. They had rebuilt and had their own cows, water buffalo, goat, and house back up and running. We were treated to fresh lassi (straight from the water buffalo), tea with an incredible smoky fresh texture (fresh milk again), and food. Harri took Sean and I (Art was feeling sick) on a walk through the hills to his Aunty’s house where we spent the entire evening meeting his family, eating food, drinking whisky, and being blessed by the older women. We were offered gifts we had to accept and were completely blown away. They spent hours talking to us, so intrigued and happy with our presence. It was overwhelming.
The road on the way to Bandipur
Harri's family was beautiful. They let us into their home and welcomed us like old friends. It was truly special spending time with them
The next morning we rose early and got on our way, cycling through the valley to the base of the climb up to the mountain village called Bandipur. There we were going to meet up with our Australian friends. The climb was long and took us to 1200m above the valley. It was hazy but on our walk we made out the first Himalayan peaks we had ever seen. The girls arrived and we watched the sunset with their tour group before having beers and talking until almost midnight. The entire town had shut down and our hotel locked us out. We tried again and again to wake our host but he was sound asleep. Fortunately the girls helped out. They piled into one room and gave us the other so we didn’t have to sleep on the street. Bandipur was a beautiful town, similar to European alpine locations with beautiful pastel coloured buildings and cafes. It was a shame to leave it the next day.
The rather quant mountain town Bandipur. The street was beautiful and lined with cafes and local eateries also
Here you may spy the Nepali donut, a Bike Trip favourite. Especially when dipped into a hot cup of chia
The road to Bandipur
Three boys on the hill, carving the switchbacks up to Bandipur
We said goodbye to the girls and rode down the hill and then up another series of hills to Pokhara. We had been expecting to see mountains. The smog and cloud meant that we couldn’t see far at all. I was terrified we were going to get through Nepal without really seeing the Himalayas. The next morning the clouds and smog cleared and gave us a clear view to Machapuchare and the Annapurna range which towered over 8000m. Despite having a less than solid loo visit that morning thanks to a dodgy chow mein I was wildly excited and we threw on back packs and jumped into a cab that took us up to the village Kande. We started our walk to Australian Camp next to those kitted out for full on hiking in the mountains. We had only packed shorts, t shirts, one jacket, and a few samosas and Nepali donuts for the road.
Back in a tourist town. Pokhara had a lot to offer us
A great quick treat - samosas and curry for dipping
Annapurna South and the big one, Annapurna 1 in the middle of the two more visible peaks. Annapurna 1 tops out at almost 8100m and is in the top ten tallest mountains in the world, only 700m shorted than Everest
Our monument shot was without the bicycles this time. Machapuchare is in the background. It's been climbed by no one successfully. Everyone who tried in the early days died and since then the Hindus believe Shiva dwells in the mountain. It is sacred and now no one is permitted to climb it
That was all we needed as we found an incredible spot to stay on the top of the ridge at Australian Camp. We spent the day drinking tea and staring at the beautiful mountains that rose 5km above our already high vantage point. It was a very special moment on the trip. We’d ridden to the Himalayas! We watched the sun go down and the next morning watched it rise as well before walking over the frosted ground and down to the village Dhampus.
The Annapurna range
A rare shot of the photographer being a complete and utter turkey
Another photo of Sean cause he's sick as
This is from our room at Australia camp. Where those jokers are standing is the clear view to the mountains
We walked down the valley to Dhampus from Australian Camp
Art challenged one of the kids to a table tennis war. He lost much to everyones surpise
The view from the Peace Pagoda down to the city
Alternative Arthur
Oh goodness me I'm hungry looking at these. It's lunchtime, I can see the Taj Mahal from where I'm writing this, and all I want is a bloody Nepali donut
There can't be any wise souls in India if the roads are anything to go by
Our time in Pokhara was incredible and what we had always dreamed of. Seeing the mountains in all their glory is something else. Everyone must go to Nepal at some point in their lives and witness the beauty of the Himalayas.
