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paginabezoeken sinds December 2002 | |
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Beginning of June 2008, Pokhara (Nepal)
Geplaatst op Thursday 10 July @ 02:36:44 GMT+1
Onderwerp: Around the world in 8 years
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 In late May and early June I stayed in Pokhara, with a small stopover in Kathmandu. Did in itself not so much, so very exciting stories I have not this time. Prepared for the Poon Hil trek that I do from June 9 (5 or 6 days) and tried to get a Pakistani visa. Had a nice experience at the Consulate of the Netherlands and statrf much to my navel and on the lake at Pokhara ....
This is a automatically translated story by google Translate, so some grammer might be a bit funny.
In Pokhara was the place to weather reasonably well. I see obvious changes with one and three years ago, not in the right direction, unfortunately. It is busier, there will be full of shops built and the number is growing, especially where there are already 14 stores in the dozen. The movement has become busier, smell even occasionally as air pollution. On the quiet field on the lake, it is also not so quiet anymore. Every morning at 5 o'clock, they have already in football and volleyball. Crazy people. Normal humans still sleep? I think Pokhara about 10 years is not fun anymore, maybe even earlier.
Overlooking the lake at Pokhara
Until now, however, I still enjoy and I have no stress. the great views over the lake and surrounding mountains. With weather changes every moment, and almost every day you can see the rain and thunderstorms from far away to see. And the weather can be spooky. Big Hailstones one day, I was afraid they would break my windows above. Wind and gigantic rain bursts.
Bad weather daily
Tonight I was at half past eleven awake with a loud bang. Not just a bang but one which you think… oh shit, the world is ending. The lightning hit I think a few metres away from me and I sat the first ten minutes with a hard beating heart upright in bed. moments later the same. Normally you see a flash, you hear a bang, and then you know what is going on. Now it was the first bang and then the flash, then you know how close the nature strikes.
Big Hailstones and lots of water (photo taken from my car)
The Anapurna with his 8500 metres altitude every morning showing his head above the surrounding mountains bumper, to at 10 hours disappear in the clouds. Even the strange rituals by the Nepali's around the lake. The washing people in the lake, the lazy chewing water buffalo's, the sometimes very vague tourists who hang around the lake, well it's never boring here.
The rain never lasts more than a few hours and then ....
Yet I had to go to Kathmandu, because my Pakistani visas. If I could get it here I do not need to Delhi, and that I would not mind. So I took the greenline bus to Kathmandu in one day, after first time in the early morning my car at the car park of a hotel to have parked (after consultation of course). That trip was familiar, and despite the usual jam before entering Kathmandu, I was on time in this busy city. Found a cheap hotel, which turned out something to cheap.
The pushkar hotel where I was from a night was only 200 rupees (2 euro). For this, I had a room with private bathroom. That for 200 rupees I do not expect too much is clear, but at the Pushkar she made it very bad. The walls of the room already had at least 2 decades no fresh paint and were meanwhile seen their own lives. Are they sure as a scientist would let loose on a number of new life forms were discovered. One of the six light in the room worked there but it was very dark inside and that was probably a good thing. The warm water that was promised at check-in, there was of course not, but it still surprised me the least. What surprised me was that when I gave it to warm water and close the tap running, the water simply from the calcified showerhead remained flows. It took 10 minutes to complete before I had the trick by. First a slap on the crane, then a twist, another blow and it keep doing it until the water finally stopped.
Got a local gift, but not my taste..... anyone? ....
The mosquito net for the windows was completely torn into pieces. Fortunately, there was a fan. It was a bit of a strange thing, it hung on the wall and there was a very long cord. One study showed me that I am the cable across the room had to make progress in the only outlet to come. The cable was just long enough and created a delicious break-neck cord through the entire room. Fun if you're in the night in the dark to go the toilet should or so.
When I plug the fan into the outlet pushed, the two pins on the connector came loose and shots inside. No power, therefore, and more detailed inspection I think this had been so many years. Complaining at the reception resulted in a boy who came, cut off the plug and the two wires simply shoved into the outlet prompt. He noted fun on .. "Look, it works." Asian solutions.
The bed felt in itself ok, the sheet was only 15 cm too short and full of holes so the head end pure foam rubber. That slept're also not so good but that too is solved by simply lie down the other way.
The carpet was half gone, between the holes I could still see the red ever been on.
In the middle of the night I was awakened by a strange sound. Yes, the shower was automatically on. Not drip, but full jet. Had my trick of turning and hitting not worked quite well. Once I got the shower only with violence.
The shower continued to drip. Not so very problem, but in the morning during the toilet duty I noticed that the shower head just above the place where I was sitting, the shower drips on me as if It was a Japanese torture chanber
Towel was not there, and was also not possible. I had no towel with me, so showering was not possible. Have still only half done with me and used the bed sheets on the second bed as towel. There remained, however rare yellow spots on those sheets behind as if I was not clean and detailed inspection showed the water from the tap bright yellow. Had there not happy with my teeth polished.
Kathmandu was busy, and there was no better. In Thamel they had found it necessary to the already crowded narrow streets to break-up the alleys to lay new pipes. The piles of sand were obviously not cleared and all traffic had to travel through the narrow streets still see too pressing. Because it rained occasionally were the sandpiles in mud slides and changed, not very friendly tourist friendly. The amount of beggars (all Indians incidentally) was also increased proportionately and the number of street children in the sniffing glue that was and was completely off the map. Very sad.
This lad was pleased with the corncob which I gave him. As a thank you he repeated everything I said. (it's no glue-sniffer)
After the necessary change from hotel the next day it was surely to enjoy Kathmandu. Culinary here and there, it is better than Pokhara. The Belgian place is an example chips (about culinary spoken) but the restaurant Fire & Ice, is surely one of the best Pizzas in this hemisphere hear.
My hunt for a Pakistani visas resulted in an unexpectedly pleasant experience in the special Dutch consulate. Since I was by the Dutch Kari so nice and cheerful helpedm I was surprised. I got the necessary information letter in no time it (together with the strongest warning to Pakistan not to go). I came even before business hours but this was not a problem. My experience with most embassies are're not really great, usually are the long faces, long queues and long forms. The Dutch consulate in Kathmandu is so clearly an exception.
While very good temperedi went to the Pakistani embassy. There I got zero on request. It was a visa of up to 3 months validity issue, and I needed one of 4 necessary because I wanted until early september across the border. That was difficult, which meant change of plans. Because I had to consider many things it was not easy. What things than you think. What about the expiration of my visa for Nepal and India. The close of the road to Leh when it comes snow. The only up to 180 days in India may remain in the car. The fact that I would start november in Germany. The fact that getting a visa Iran also have one or two weeks time. All these variables should I take in the planning. Since now rolled out the following picture. In late June on the border with India, two days later at the foot of the Rothang only (in Manali), after 3 days rest in 3 or 4 days to Leh drive (it will be called bumping), there remain 4 weeks, then september beginning on the border with Pakistan, half september in Iran until the end of september, and October to slow to Germany to drive.
Back to Pokhara I decided to take a cheaper bus ride. The greenline is the most expensive bus company between the two cities (15 dollars) but there is an extensive lunch included. Now I found this time that lunch is not so great and making a local bus for one third of the price. That bus was old and worn. Nevertheless, an old bus, I think sometimes better than a new one. Old bus served an experienced driver, who apparently had been without accidents drove. The ride in that old bus was fine, I must say. And I think between locals is always more fun than among tourists. Back came in Pokhara turned my car through the (thin) cement floor of the parking lot to be dropped.
The manager watched me already asking for money. Was it nice for me to say that tomorrow the whole thing would have to see and if necessary would fix itself. throwing some cement floor can throw me too.
Because I now have a few weeks time I should go do something again but I still think to a substantial hike in right now. Only I wanted not the fault of previous occasions and now even good looking. I want to enjoy a haul, it must not be a torture. Dil, co-owner of Adventure Glacier treks in Kathmandu, which also had my previous treks regularly came with an idea. I was frankly not so very fond of his knowledge, had the previous times even though ambiguities and so. he came with the idea of a five day trek in Langtang going to do, that was not too difficult and very beautiful. He asked 25 euros per day, all costs included. I told him that I still would think about it.
By asking what in Pokhara showed that here in the neighbourhood fun hiking possibilities are many and I went deeper into the studie of hill Poon-haul, the Anapurna haul, the Jonsom environment, there is a lot to walk.
Because I physically do not really have a super condition but I thought it was also time to agree on what to do. Because I still awoke early each day of that stupid footballers to five hours of bed but I started to practise and fell directly into my shoes and began a piece of hard walk. Well, I think that always super boring, but here walk around the lake is still nice. After 2 days I had of course muscle pain, but after 4 days all was nice and I grabbed a hill by a few hundred meters high. It was soon better with my fitness and I decided to take a test walk to do. Had already purchased new climbing shoes and that I still had to go up if I wanted some serious work to do. Here on top of a mountain they have Sarangkot. From there the paragliders launched and you have, if it is clear, a fantastic view. I first thought … I walk up there. Happy that crazy idea lasted only briefly. Decided from up there to walk down. When Leo therefore decided the next day to go para-glide I went back to the top with the jeep from the company and I walked in two hours time to bottom.
From here to walk down
Just for comparison, one of para-glider instructors regularly walked up, with his 25 kilos para-glider. His record was 55 minutes! Now it is often harder than top down, but 55 minutes was absurdly fast. The next day I had two sore feet, glad that I've done that test. I must still wait until I have a somewhat better condition.
After a few additional hikes and some more running in a local guide against. Except that a much cheaper price quote I got the idea that he was more experience and more aware than people from Kathmandu. Decided to 5 days with him the Poon-Hil trek to do, starting on 9 June. Hope that the weather works because there is always more rain down.
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