2 March – Pokhara, Nepal

We moved into Nepal without incident although it was a very long and bumpy journey to Lumbini the birth place of Buddah. We visited the site with a guide who knew as little as we did!! and then travelled to the Chitwan National Park and a jungle resort on a 45sq km island. We crossed to the resort in a small boat powered by two men with long poles. Our luggage went in another boat but everything arrived safely. It was a bit like a PGL holiday we were organised to go on several 90 minute walks to look for tiger (fat chance as there are only thought to be 3 on the island), the single horned rhino, sloth and bear. We were given instructions on what to do if we met any of them (including hiding behind a big tree for a charging rhino and standing in a group singing and waving our hands in the case of a bear). Our first 2 walks revealed a couple of deer but nothing else. Next morning a 90 minute ride on an elephant revealed 2 separate rhino but only managed a photograph of the second! In the evening we went on another walk got close to a couple of bears but they ran away before we could see them!! but we did see two different types of big crocodile!. The walk ended with a very pleasant boat ride back to camp as the sun was setting.

Yesterday we left the camp and crossed back over the river by boat to rejoin our bus and journey to Pokhara. For those who have been to Cusco it is just like it in the sense that it is a backpackers resting place with every facility they could want.

Nepal has surprised us. We have travelled on relatively good roads although were stopped by a maoist rebel road block. Once it was established that we were tourists we were allowed through. Later on we passed two trucks that had been blown up! and have faced numerous power cuts because of strikes. That said, Nepal is beautiful. Houses tend to be of brick or stone – look well maintained and some are quite ornate. Nepal appears much much cleaner than India.

Off to Kathmandu next.