On The Road to Pokhara...
Anywhere between $8 and $18 is the price of a bus ride to Pokhara, about 6 hours west of Kathmandu. $18 gets air conditioning with lunch provided and $8 doesn't. Another option is by local bus for around $3 but that could mean riding on the roof, or at least the luggage would and that leads to potential tampering and of course theft.
An early start but thankfully the bus stand is just a 10 minute hike away. Down to the Kanti Path then while the rest of Thamel and indeed Kathmandu is only just beginning to stir at 06.30. A long line of buses on the road side, about 30 and I have to pick out Global Travels from that lot! Brainwave, start at bus number, hold up my ticket and walk on down slowly. This is the bus, I am told and with backpack safely in the stowage area just time to grab a cup of that masala tea widely drunk by locals and available on every street corner and at every bus stand!
It's pretty slow going in Kathmandu. Police seem to be everywhere, stopping vehicles, looking at papers and writing tickets, 10 minutes of going nowhere. At last, the journey begins winding away from Suburbia and into the hills. Quite a reasonable road I suppose, bumpy in places and reduced to a dirt track at times, with two way traffic coming to a halt as lorries inch past. Plenty of scenery along the way with valleys below and those white mountain peaks poking through the clouds occasionally.
The first stop and it's only 08.30, just a quick toilet stop here. A chance to grab a few photos of the surrounding hills and valleys. Oh, better take a leak since the next stop might be sometime away. I should think this place hasn't been cleaned in several years as the stench is somewhat overpowering. The concept of public toilet hygiene and cleanliness is not something the Nepalese have grasped, well, not around here anyway. Onwards to Pokhara then, 5 hours to go. At least the bus is comfy and the sun is beginning to warm things up a little.
Next stop, breakfast at 10.30 and in a town that looks pretty lively. The bus pulls alongside a restaurant, presumably with tourists in mind. Interesting to see the natives cross over to, well, let's just say a non tourist cafe. All the whites, everyone of them head into the tourist restaurant, except me! I follow the natives, taking their lead and consume a breakfast of 8 potato patties with dhal and pinut curry, easily the tastiest meal thus far, freshly cooked as I watch the process. 70p with tea, bargain.
Next stop, Lunch and another tourist cafe with a queue of buses outside and a pretty long queue inside. Once again I follow the natives, crossing the road into a small food stand and end up with a nice local, freshly cooked Nepalese lunch for just under a quid. I did check out that tourist cafe and unsurprisingly the prices were pretty steep, food produced en-mass and , well the place was just pandemonium. Next stop, Pokhara, should be there around 3pm.
Anywhere between $8 and $18 is the price of a bus ride to Pokhara, about 6 hours west of Kathmandu. $18 gets air conditioning with lunch provided and $8 doesn't. Another option is by local bus for around $3 but that could mean riding on the roof, or at least the luggage would and that leads to potential tampering and of course theft.
An early start but thankfully the bus stand is just a 10 minute hike away. Down to the Kanti Path then while the rest of Thamel and indeed Kathmandu is only just beginning to stir at 06.30. A long line of buses on the road side, about 30 and I have to pick out Global Travels from that lot! Brainwave, start at bus number, hold up my ticket and walk on down slowly. This is the bus, I am told and with backpack safely in the stowage area just time to grab a cup of that masala tea widely drunk by locals and available on every street corner and at every bus stand!
It's pretty slow going in Kathmandu. Police seem to be everywhere, stopping vehicles, looking at papers and writing tickets, 10 minutes of going nowhere. At last, the journey begins winding away from Suburbia and into the hills. Quite a reasonable road I suppose, bumpy in places and reduced to a dirt track at times, with two way traffic coming to a halt as lorries inch past. Plenty of scenery along the way with valleys below and those white mountain peaks poking through the clouds occasionally.
The first stop and it's only 08.30, just a quick toilet stop here. A chance to grab a few photos of the surrounding hills and valleys. Oh, better take a leak since the next stop might be sometime away. I should think this place hasn't been cleaned in several years as the stench is somewhat overpowering. The concept of public toilet hygiene and cleanliness is not something the Nepalese have grasped, well, not around here anyway. Onwards to Pokhara then, 5 hours to go. At least the bus is comfy and the sun is beginning to warm things up a little.
Next stop, breakfast at 10.30 and in a town that looks pretty lively. The bus pulls alongside a restaurant, presumably with tourists in mind. Interesting to see the natives cross over to, well, let's just say a non tourist cafe. All the whites, everyone of them head into the tourist restaurant, except me! I follow the natives, taking their lead and consume a breakfast of 8 potato patties with dhal and pinut curry, easily the tastiest meal thus far, freshly cooked as I watch the process. 70p with tea, bargain.
Next stop, Lunch and another tourist cafe with a queue of buses outside and a pretty long queue inside. Once again I follow the natives, crossing the road into a small food stand and end up with a nice local, freshly cooked Nepalese lunch for just under a quid. I did check out that tourist cafe and unsurprisingly the prices were pretty steep, food produced en-mass and , well the place was just pandemonium. Next stop, Pokhara, should be there around 3pm.
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