Reflections - Nepal, and our trip

Our 11 days in Nepal have certainly been adventurous and eventful! Looking back, we've covered a lot of ground, seen some breathtaking sights, and been challenged in ways we couldn't have imagined.

The highlights... 

The Himalayas

Without question, the number one highlight has been the Himalayas. The mountains are enormous and breathtakingly beautiful. They calmly beckon at sunrise and on clear days, and we can understand why so many people want to reach their peaks. 

Then, as the clouds roll in and cover their peaks, you're reminded that these mountains would be unforgiving and are a challenge that should never be taken lightly.

It's very special that one mountain, Machapuchare (Fish Tail), is considered sacred and will never be climbed. A true piece of wilderness remaining on our planet.

We didn't have a chance to capture the mountains at their best, but the glimpses that we had will stay with us until we return.

The people and community

The welcome of the Nepali people has been delightful. In the rural towns and villages these people live uncomplicated lives and approach everything with a wide smile and a call of 'Namaste'. They seem genuinely happy to welcome tourists into their spaces.

Their hospitality has been exceptional. The Nepalese are natural service people who want to ensure that every need is catered to. Stand outs were the 30 porters and kitchen staff who trekked luxuries (a mattress!) up the hill for us, the Famous Farmhouse at Nuwakot, and the whitewater rafting team.

Everywhere we went we saw the way that towns and villages work together to build a community. Watching the villagers band together to build roads and retaining walls was incredible. Even in some of the bigger villages along the highways we would see communal water sources bringing the village together, reminding us how much we take for granted that we can turn on the tap in our home.

The Nepalese are committed to education, and the kids are beautifully presented in their school uniforms each day as they board the old school bus from their village. Many would start their day carrying water up steep slopes, then travel for miles down some treacherous hillsides to get to school... all with a smile, laughter, and not an iPad in sight.

The New Years celebrations in Cisepani might have spoilt the peace of the hills, but i can understand why festivities like these are important and encouraged!

Rafting the Seti River

We had a great time on our rafting trip on the Seti River. You get such a different perspective from the river as opposed to the hills, and see villages that are otherwise inaccessible. Their ability to live a simple self-sustaining life is remarkable.

The rafting crew also made sure we had a great time on and off the water. The facilities were simple - we watched our tents go up in the middle of a hailstorm, and then at the end of the night they appeared with hot rum and joined us for marshmallows and a chat around the campfire. Anyone can deliver great experiences on a good day, but it takes something special to deliver when the elements are against you! 

Things that surprised us... 

Earthquake impact

We've commented on the earthquake impact a few times in Kathmandu and near Nuwakot, but really, it's nothing like the extent that international media would have us believe. 

People have got on with cleaning up and rebuilding, and when we compare Nepal 20 months on, to Christchurch that we saw 4 years on, the Nepalese are well ahead.  A lot of this has to do with the lack of modern underground and road infrastructure, and Christchurch are rebuilding for the long term, but the Nepalese seem to take individual and local accountability for the rebuild. They aren't waiting for government and insurance companies!

Faith

When I listed my expectations for Nepal, I included a comment about being surrounded by the Buddhist faith. Our experience of Buddhism, and religion in general, was much more subtle. We've visited a couple of major Buddhist sites in Kathmandu, and seen small shrines in most place, but it's not nearly as visible as I expected.

Having said that, the Stupa are remarkable! Both the Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple) and Boudhanath Stupa are stunning with their white stupa, gold spire, Buddha eyes, and colourful prayer flags connecting us to the core elements... air, fire, water, earth and wind.

Resilience of teenagers :)

We were also surprised by the incredible resilience of Emma, Alex and the other kids on the trip. Both girls battled awful sickness from the moment we arrived in Kathmandu, for a full 7 days until our rafting trip. Somehow, they climbed up and down hills, endured long bumpy bus rides, tolerated squat, tent and bush toilets, attempted to eat at every mealtime, and did an awesome job of remaining human! We're very proud of the way they handled themselves - they really embraced the GradyBunch catch cry of 'SiuP' (Suck it up Princess), and ensured they didn't miss out on a great trip.

Meanwhile, every other kid and most parents were ill at some point... 13 out of 14! It was quite a bonding experience, and the group and Padma did an awesome job of keeping spirits up, seeing the funny side, and focusing on the adventure of it all. I've learned that if you don't have a doctor in the group, a pharmacist is the next best thing!

Both girls are hanging out for the ultimate Australian remedy... Vegemite on toast!

Things that shocked us.... 

Westernisation

You can see the West slowly creeping into every town and village in Nepal. At the moment, its visible in the proliferation of packaged goods in every tiny shop... chips, biscuits and soft drink are everywhere. This has brought rubbish that wouldn't have existed previously, and the infrastructure to dispose of the packaging doesn't exist. Apparently, it's only in the last 5-6 years that rubbish has started to appear on bush tracks and hillsides. 

I also wonder, if the West could turn back the clock, would we choose to introduce the foods that are now causing so many health problems?  From what we've seen, the Nepali diet is very fresh and doesn't include fried foods, and Nepal remains one of the few countries in the world that doesn't have a McDonalds - let's hope they keep it that way!

Infrastructure

You don't expect much from infrastructure in remote areas, but when the main highway between the capital and one of the largest cities is worse than an outback road, it's pretty shocking. This has to limit the opportunity for Nepal to grow and thrive, and to attract the tourists that bring so much money to the country.

The community spirit that is built alongside road construction is great, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of government support for basic safety, so I wonder what price the villagers pay for the new roads they work so hard to construct... and how long those roads will last?

Conservation

Our final shock was at Chitwan National Park. It's hard to fathom that there are still people breeding elephants to keep as pets, and as working animals for the property and tourists.

It's even harder to fathom that Nepal needs 32 armed guard stations to ensure that no one enters the park between sunset and sunrise. This can only mean that we still have people out there who don't appreciate endangered species - whether it's locals looking for profit, or tourists looking for a thrill. Appalling.

So I sum up Nepal as uncomplicated, breathtaking, and welcoming. I can only hope that it will stay that way!  It's been a brilliant introduction to the country, and confirmed that it's on our list for a return trip for something a little more adventurous :)

--

That ends the GradyBunch 2016 trip to India and Nepal.  Two countries so close to each other, but so completely different in spirit.  

One deeply passionate about religion and culture, the other calm. 

One racing towards super power status, the other dipping it's toes in the water of the West.

One government developing infrastructure, the other developing infrastructure from the community up.

One doggedly determined to educate the next generation, the other fostering a love of learning.

One rich with history and architecture of ruling families, and the other rich with natural wonders.

There is no right or wrong. Both are beautiful, both are developing, and both are worth a visit!

Love theBunch x

Day 22 - Kathmandu

Our first day in Kathmadu was memorable for all the wrong reasons, so today we made up for it, and visited a couple of the significant sites in the city.

Boudhanath Stupa, about 11km out of town, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It's massive stupa is one of the largest in Nepal, and looks stunning on such a bright clear day. It's thought to have been originally constructed in the 16th century, but there is also some evidence of activity on the site as early as the 5th century.

Thousands of prayer flags reach to the top of spire, which was badly damaged in the 2015 earthquake. It had been rebuilt since, and is now carefully maintained by volunteers. Sacred candles are lined outside.

There are about 50 Buddhist monasteries in the area, many of which were established during a large influx of Tibetan refugees in the 1950s. Monks calmy walk clockwise around the stupa, alongside locals, tourists, and today... a Nepali bride.

Our final stop for the trip was Kathmadu's Durbar Square. Again, this is a UNESCO World Heritage site designated in 1979. It's great that so many sites around Kathmandu have been designated and therefore protected.

The site is in the heart of the city and is a complex of Hindu and Buddhist temples and shrines.  Most are built in the pagoda style, and embellished with intricately carved exteriors built between the 12th and 18th centuries. In years past, Kings of Nepal were crowned here, and until the early 20th century it was the King's residence. It is also the location for many festivals and cultural activities.

This area was heavily impacted by the 2015 earthquake so many buildings are significantly damaged and supported by large timber struts, while others are under reconstruction. While Nepal is not a wealthy country, it's good to see that they value their heritage.

So now, it's off to the airport for the final leg of our trip... homeward bound.  The last 10 days have been jam-packed and have flown by, so I'm looking forward to reflecting on our time in Nepal, and in India!

Love theBunch x

Day 21 - Chitwan to Kathmandu

As promised, we braved the cold and fog and loaded into the Land Rover again before dawn, in search of the elusive rhino. With so many rhinos in this part of the park, there had to be at least one willing to step into the limelight! Again, lots of tracks and lots of fresh poo, but the rhinos remained hidden in the dense forest.

About 1.5 hours in, we turned a corner and an enormous rhino silhouette appeared in the fog - a momentary glimpse, and he ran in to the forest. Still, we feel very fortunate to have seen something.

Andrew wasn't quick enough for a proper photo, but he did manage to capture a shot of the rhino's butt as he disappeared. At least there is some proof!

Credit to our guide and the safari team, who searched and searched for another hour. They even found footprints of a Mum and baby, so we know they were close. 

Chitwan is about 50km from Kathmandu as the crow flies, but about 7 hours by car, so we flew from Bharatpur. On this trip we've seen a whole range of security standards, but Bharatpur airport was by far the most relaxed. No scanner, no pat down, just bags open for a cursory glance. I guess people are pretty trustworthy in these parts!

The 'Yeti Airways' plane was about the same size as the bus we had for the first few days, but the ride was a lot more smooth, and a lot less risky!

It was interesting to see how spread out Bharatpur is - houses at the front of the block, with large areas out the back which looked like market gardens. Even in this town, life seemed to retain the simplicity that we'd seen in villages along the way.

Small plane and a short flight meant we flew low over the towns, hills, and rivers that we had travelled over the past 10 days. Unfortunately clouds were covering the Himalayas, but we still got a great view of the hills that are the heart of this beautiful country.

Back in Kathmandu, we had the ultimate two-hours-of-power in the shops of Thamel. There is more trekking gear in this town than you could ever imagine, so we're now well and truly equipped for camping and hiking expeditions closer to home.  

North Face (North Fake!) is very popular, and I suspect that anything you want could be whipped up out the back, complete with a very realistic logo. There is a legitimate shop in the town, and we wonder if they turn a blind eye to the fakes in the hope it will sell more of their product at full price in other parts of the world.

Tonight marked the final night of our group tour, so Padma took us to a traditional Nepali restaurant. He'd promised to take us somewhere to teach us how to eat with our fingers and didn't disappoint. The Thali was fantastic, and everyone enjoyed the liberation that comes with using your fingers to mix dahl and rice, and adding chicken and pork curries, mixed veg, and spinach. 

The experience was an interesting one for our little lefty... The left hand is definitely not used for food in this country!

We bid farewell to our group, and to Padma. We've had a great time together, supported each other through multiple bouts of awful sickness, and managed to laugh about it along the way. Padma was wonderfully encouraging with all the kids, and the smile never left his face - he is an absolute credit to Intrepid.

We'll take many great memories from this tour, and as always, our wonderful guide will be at the centre of them :)

Love theBunch x

Day 20 - Chitwan National Park

Chitwan (meaning Heart of the Jungle) National Park is in the south and South East of Nepal. It was established in 1973 by King Mahendra making it the first National Park in Nepal. Today, it is 932km2, and bordered by 2 mountains, and 3 rivers - the Narayani, the Rapti and the Riu.

It was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984, and the Nepal government invest heavily in making sure that the animals are protected. 32 armed guard posts are dotted throughout the park, and have permission to shoot anyone who is found in the park between sunset and sunrise.

Wildlife is abundant in the park... 665 types of birds, snakes, crocodiles and alligators, deer, monkeys, wild boars, wild cattle, sloth bear, rhino, leopards and tigers can be found throughout.

The morning started with truck ride to a nature walk in the park to focus on birds and plants. The morning was cool and foggy, but we saw plenty of Ruddy Shelduck, who migrate from Siberia, and a few peacock in the trees.

We also saw plenty of evidence of Rhinos. Footprints in the sand by the river, and enormous piles of Rhino poo! It bode well for our safari this afternoon.

Mid morning was an Elephant talk. Elephants are owned by the government, and by private organisations, so our hotel has 3 that they use for safaris and conservation activities. They go out to the forest to roam free a couple of times each day, but we still struggle with the idea that they are tied up and used for tourism. Thankfully Intrepid is focused on animal welfare, so we weren't expected to ride the elephants.

This elephant is about 8 foot tall and weighs about 3.5 tonne. She looks pretty good for 51!

This afternoon we hopped in the open Land Rovers and headed out for our safari. 

Lots more fresh Rhino poo, but 2 hours later, the best we had spotted was more peacock, a couple of deer, and a jungle cat - try to pick it in the photo below. Even the safari guide couldn't understand why we couldn't find a rhino, so he called in help from the army patrol... Still no sighting.

Along the way, we also saw these ladies carrying piles of leaves. We've seen this a few times in Nepal, as the leaves are used to make ceremonial bowls. Apparently it's illegal to take anything from the National Park, so I'm surprised they let us take their photo.

On to the Narayani River in a canoe, and we spotted plenty of ducks, a crocodile, and more rhino poo, but still no Rhino :(

Sunset... Our quest for the elusive rhino had to end. At least the common house ducks were out to play for the camera!

Tonight was a cultural dance presentation by the local Tharu people. The dance involved many people hitting large sticks together while dancing in a circle... Way too much coordination required for my liking! They managed to get everyone to join in, and it's a good job that there isn't a lot of photo evidence!

We leave Chitwan tomorrow, but have added another quick safari in the morning in the hope of spotting some more wildlife. Fingers crossed!

Love theBunch x

Day 19 - Rafting to Chitwan

We woke to a misty and cool morning, that then turned into a magnificent day. There's something special about being by a campfire in the early morning, and I think the last few days of camping while trekking and on the river have reminded us how much we enjoy getting into the great outdoors.

The Seti River valley is steep, and it would be difficult to move between the little villages by road or track, so the locals have a range of ways to cross the river.  

This dugout canoe was near our campsite. With rapids a couple of hundred metres in each direction, you wouldn't want to stray too far away!

Along the way there were also these suspended cars above the river. People sit in them, and use the wires to pull themselves over. Young kids obviously learn how to do this early, as we saw a child of about 5 pulling himself back and forth over the river, before then stepping up on to the top of the wires to push the car from above. No fear!

Over time, many of the suspended cars have been replaced by suspension bridges. These allow motorbikes to cross, and also provide a useful drying rack for village clothes! Some are more elaborate than others, but they would all feel pretty flimsy when the river is high and raging during the monsoon time!

Our tour group is 4 adventurous families with teenagers - Brian, Patricia, Mitchell (18) and Amanda (14) from Toronto; Dean, Jules, Angus (13) and Ella (12) from Hamilton in country Victoria; Heather and Mitchell (15) from Adelaide; and us with Emma (16) and Alex (12). Padma, our guide, is also proving to be an overgrown teenager!  We've has only known each other for a week, but after a couple of nights camping, a lot of sickness, and some pretty crazy moments, we've bonded well. 

Our rafting adventure was certainly one of the best and most memorable experiences of the trip.

We arrived at Chitwan National Park in the late afternoon and went for a walk through the local village.  The village is pretty large, but self sustaining, so it was filled with animals, crops, and local children.

Many of the houses had pigeon houses perched high, and rows of corn drying in the sun. I think it's the only time I've ever seen people trying to attract pigeons!

This guy was making concrete blocks by hand in his front yard. The concrete was mixed in a little bowl, and then he had 2 moulds on the go - while one dried enough to maintain the shape of the block, he filled the other. It's a far cry from the thousands of blocks I used to watch Besser Masonry pump out!

Even in the rural areas, it's strange to see the different standard of housing side by side, especially considering the way that wealth seems to be distributed across the community. Old shacks are shadowed by ornate two storey colourful places. 

Tuesday afternoon is market day in Bagmara Village in the Nawal Parasi District, so all the villagers come to the local field to stock up for the week.

The market was filled with food, pots and pans, and western and Nepali clothes. Everything is old style, with sacks of grain, old scales, and stall holders on mats on the floor.

The sun set in the market, giving a beautiful, calm close to another busy day. The Nepali calendar that is shown at the hotel suggests I'm exactly 100 and 1 week... if this is what 100 feels like, then bring it on!

Love theBunch x