Geographical:
We made the terrible mistake to drive into Nepal by bus from Varanasi to Sunauli, India. From Sunauli at the border, we took another local bus to Pokhara. This was a 100km covered in eight hours!
We spent a week in Pokhara, preparing for two weeks trekking and just indulging in creature comforts. From Pokhara’s very small airport, we caught a flight to Jomsom, where we started the trek. We trekked to Muktinath, and then back to Jomsom and on to Ghorepani. From here we headed east to Chomrong and then north to Annapurna Base Camp. We back tracked to Chomrong and then further south to Pedi and back to Pokhara.
From Pokhara, we took a bus to Kathmandu and a flight out of the country to India.
The weather was surprisingly good, especially for the middle of winter. Yes, it was cold, cold beyond belief at ABC, but it was sunny with clear blue skies and hardly any wind.
Nepal favourites:
* The trek! Especially sunrise at ABC
* The chicken stroganoff at Helena’s in Kathmandu
* The ever-friendly people (in the mountains - the bigger city had a lot of scammers)
* The best photo opportunities - you do not even have to know the first thing of photography to get some winning pics.
* The atmosphere holds up to it’s name -
N-ever
E-nding
P-eace
A-nd
L-ove
The ‘not so cools’:
* The touts and beggars in Kathmandu
* The local bus from the border to Pokhara (get a bus stop!!!)
* Pollution in Kathmandu
* The principal of ‘not hurting your feelings is better than telling the truth’
Basic words:
* Hallo: Namaste! (always said in a high pitch and with a smile)
* Thank you very much: Deri, deri danyabad!!
* Water: Pani
* Hot water: Tato Pani (very important!)
* No thank you: Bardeina danyabad (very, very important!!)
Overall:
We loved every moment of it!
Click on the link below to view the gallery for Nepal: