Bird watching was really a pleasant walk around the local area. We saw a number of local species and were generally just able to take in the breathtaking landscape and diverse wildlife. This was a stark contrast to the street dogs of the capital. We got back in good time and are able to spend a few minutes wandering up to the local taekwando dojang so I can get a photo. I'm not sure whether I was more surprised that I had seen a Taekwando training hall in the country or the fact that it was the only sport facility that I had seen in my visits here and it was dedicated to a sport I enjoyed training in. Either way, I'm looking forward to sticking the photo in my album.
We'd both enjoyed our experiences in Chitwan, but the time had come to move on with the next leg of our journey. We were taking recreational transport up to Pokhara. Our driver was his usual early self and we were able to set off 30 minutes ahead of schedule. The views up from the jungle were stunning, we passed numerous rivers which were still running high due to the recent rainfall. The thought did flash through my mind that if the rivers and contributories were so fearsome here, what would they be like in the mountains, but hey, we'd be fine, right?
One of my little hobbies on these road trips is to guess how many 'mishaps' involving lorries there will be on the way up. Today's estimate was 3. Unfortunately, the combination of treacherous Nepali roads and a wanting driving style meant that I met my target spot on. The first simply appeared to be a mechanical issue; something Claire and I were more than familiar with following our only taxi ride so far this visit. The second was a bus which had left the road, travelled down a short drop and landed near the side of a house many feet below. It had evidently happened some time ago and the vehicle didn't appear too badly damaged, although did look a bit sorry for itself. I was reminded of another such incident which occurred in the run up to Christmas last year where the driver of a school bus had had an accident whilst driving children home from school. He had spent the day drinking and misjudged a tight bend. His vehicle left the winding hill side road and plummeted some 50 feet onto a paddy field. Many children were seriously injured and a significant number killed. The driver fled the scene. At last count he was still in hiding, but I have every confidence that the affected community adopted a 'just culture' in their relentless pursuit of him. It is at this point that I don't find my little game to be quite so much fun as normal. The final vehicle was a lorry on its side at the apex of a bend. It's load had been shed in to the bushes; it was evident the driver hadn't judged this bend particularly well; He would certainly benefit from a teacher style comment on his driver's licence reading 'could do better'.
The landscape now changes into the flatter traditional Nepali farmland, and Claire remarks on how this is her least favourite part of the trip; I enjoy it all the same. We shortly enter the familiar suburbs of the city and direct our driver towards the tourist hot spot that is Lakeside. Unlike many Nepali names Lakeside is an accurate although somewhat unimaginative name for this part of town as it does sit next to lake Fewa. The views here are absolutely stunning whether seen from the mountains, air or from the shore. The lake is flanked by mountains and reminds me of Lake Garda in northern Italy. This is a developing country and so the burning of fossil fuels is common place which means there is a very fine standing smog over the lake; a bain to any photographer.
We shortly arrive at our hotel, the hotel Meera. the hotel was set up by an ex-Gurkha a number of years ago and offers special rates for those visiting from the British Gurkha's. It is also is one of the only hotels to boast hot water in the morning and air conditioning, so a winner from both perspectives; most hot water here is provided by solar cells which means that hotels tend to have hot water at the end of the day rather than first thing in the morning.
Claire and I soon settle into our room and then set off for a wander around the shops to prepare for our trek up to the Annapurna Base Camp. We have dinner by the lake and take the opportunity to visit the odd bar or two as we wend our way back to the hotel.
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