Nepal
 

Off to Nepal next Tuesday, for our first visit to the country.
We're in the country for 5 weeks, non-trekking, and just intend to pace ourselves and enjoy whatever we encounter.

We're flying Etihad from LHR, with a flight change in Abu Dhabi.
I've arranged accommodation in Kathmandu, just outside of the Ring Road, for a week.

This is where we're staying...

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/88907...uests=2&s=5-Mb

Family run, and looks like great vfm, and has some v.positive reports. Picking us up from the airport too.

Then we'll take a Tourist Bus to Pokhara, staying for just over a week at a place that doesn't advertise, and is only recommended by word-of-mouth. Intend having a couple of nights in Dhampus and Bandipur too, and have a go on the Manakamana Cable Car.

Back to Kathmandu, and staying in Bhaktipur for a week, so we can take in the complete celebrations of Bisket Jatra (Nepalese New Year)...

http://heartofbhaktapur.com/
http://tasteofnepal.blogspot.co.uk/2...bhaktapur.html

Then down to Chitwan for 3 or 4 nights. Nothing boked yet, and I think I'll get better vfm by just turning up in Sauraha, and looking for accommodation and booking any tours.

Finally, back to Kathmandu for our last couple of nights.

I'll do a trip report when we get back to UK late April.

Have been thinking about. Nepal for a while now so will look forward to reading your report.

I'm also heading there for the first time in November. Would like to go to Pokhara but not too sure about the safety of the buses so I'll look forward to hearing what you have to say.

The Greenline tourist bus seems to be the company of choice...

http://www.greenline.com.np/intro.php

I'm also considering Debit Travel...

http://www.debittravel.com/about_us.html

But as we've got a few days in Kathmandu first I'll have a wander down to where the buses leave from and have a look at a few of them.

Only one more sleep.
All packed and ready to go.
Hope I've thought of everything!

Ooh LL, how exciting, can't wait to hear about it.

Happy travels.

I made one mistake, that I've since put right.
Our flight into KTM arrives @ 1535.
In order to get all the mountain views [cloud permitting], then you need to sit on the right-hand side. I'd chosen left-hand side seats, and glad that I noticed in plenty of time to make changes.

Printed off and completed VOA application forms, and attached a photo. US$40 each already in our passport pouch. So hopefully that'll help smooth our passage through the airport. I've read that the speed of baggage reclaim is a bit hit-and-miss though.

The US$40 visa is for up to 30 days. As we'll be there for 35 nights an extension costs US$2 per day with a minimum purchase of US$30 (15 days). I'll do the extensions while we're in Pokhara.

At the airport I'll just change enough money to pay the bloke who's picking us up at the airport, and to get us through our first morning.

We're staying v.close to Swayambhu Stupa...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swayambhunath

...so walking there for sunrise this Thursday morning looks like a good place to start our trip.

There is an ATM at the airport, right outside - a better exchange rate than the kiosks as long as you have an account that doesn't charge you an arm and a leg to use a foreign ATM. Also, if you have forgotten anything, it will be readily available in Thamel.

Enjoy your trip.

Thanks. But I've learned never to trust stand-alone ATMs, just in case it 'eats' my card or spits out the wrong amount of money. If there's nobody there on the spot to deal with the problem then you're up the creek.

So I only use ATMs that are attached to a bank, and only during business hours. So if there is a problem I can [hopefully] sort it out on the spot with the minimum of delay or inconvenience.

Ooh, LL, I feel you've been burnt before.

While I also advocate the use of ATMS in Banks during business hours, it didn't help me in Singapore a while ago. Despite having passport for ID, there was no way the Bank was giving me my card back. My fault, dazed and probably jet lagged I got the pin wrong three times.

Several hours on the phone later to my bank at home, the issue was sorted, in a fashion. No replacement card, but I did have a spare, so no worries.

Perhaps since then I've lapsed into a false sense of security. I freely use stand alone ATMs now, always have that spare card though :)

Ha! Not been burnt, more a case of continuous personal risk assessment, and making sure that I avoid as many potential pitfalls as possible.

My wind-up torch on a band round my head can't run out of batteries either when the lights go out!

Four hours to go, and Heathrow here we come. Not much left to do on our pre-departure check-off list. Tick-tock!

Oh funny, forgot you were ex military, the risk assessment makes sense.
My job, recently ditched, was all about risk too, that was in a financial sense, not sure I learned the lessons very well :)

Happy travels LL

We're in Nepal right now for three weeks--no trekking--and it is absolutely gorgeous.

We have only used ATMs in the airport and Kathmandu so far and have had no problems other than the $100 limit per transaction.

This morning we are leaving from Balthali Village Resort where we have spent the last three nights. Beautiful, unspoiled location with some great shorter walks into interesting villages. As far as room, they're fine if you think summer camp for kids but with private baths.

We're in Nepal right now for three weeks--no trekking--and it is absolutely gorgeous.

We have only used ATMs in the airport and Kathmandu so far and have had no problems other than the $100 limit per transaction.

This morning we are leaving from Balthali Village Resort where we have spent the last three nights. Beautiful, unspoiled location with some great shorter walks into interesting villages. As far as room, they're fine if you think summer camp for kids but with private baths.

Me and OH (Rosemary) arrived back in UK yesterday after 5 weeks in Nepal. Rather than scribe a long Trip report I'll just write a bit at a time. I'll be pleased to answer any questions as honestly as I can, and based on our own experiences which will obviously differ from person to person.

THE FLIGHT. We flew from LHR via Abu Dhabi with Etihad. Flights were fine, on time, and we arrived at Tribhuvan Airport at 1530 on 19 March. Food was so-so in Economy. Only comments about the flights are that at Heathrow, check-in is strict about the amount of [free] hand luggage you can take. But it seems that many other airports more-or-less turn a blind-eye.

When we boarded our connecting Etihad flight at Abu Dhabi, some people had a bag in each hand, and one around their neck. Result being that the over-head lockers can't cope with the quantity of stuff being shoved into them. The offenders always seem to make sure they board the aircraft early on, and make sure they've got enough locker stowage. I have a word for people like that, but I'll try to keep this thread as clean as I can, although the word 'clean', especially in Kathmandu isn't a very commonly used word!

TRIBHUVAN AIRPORT. It's a small airport, so at worst there won't be more than one other International flight arriving at the same time. There's no air-bridge, so you'll either get bussed a few yards, or walk from the aircraft.

We got VOA, having printed off application forms online. So we had the forms fully completed, a passport size photo stapled to it, and US$40 fee [30 day] all ready. There are different visa queues that I saw, depending on the length of visa you wanted.

We were staying for 35 days. So we joined the 30 day queue, having 'lied' about our intended length of stay on the visa form. Had we stated our correct length of stay then we'd have had to buy a 90 day visa for US$100, whereas it's less expensive to purchase a 15 day extension either at the Immigration Office in Kathmandu (KTM), or in Pokhara.

It took us 20 minutes from feet on the ground to retrieving our baggage, including changing €20 at the exchange kiosk to the left of the Visa queues. I saw a bloke in front of me reaching he front of the queue only to find that he never had a photo, so he had to suck-it and go to the photo machine in Arrivals. The RoE at the exchange kiosk was only marginally less than we got in KTM.

There was no separate queue for Immigration after you get your Visa into your passport. So once you get your Visa you can proceed to baggage reclaim.

So, providing you've done a bit of homework regarding VOA, the clearing Tribhuvan Airport is painless.

AIRPORT PICK-UP. We'd pre-arranged our pick-up with our KTM hosts, he was there, and off we went to start our little adventure. There's a fixed-price taxi kiosk in Arrivals, and you could also walk a few yards outside the airport grounds and flag one down. BUT if you do take a taxi be aware that the vast majority of the [zillions] of taxis in KTM are tiny Maruti Suzuki 800cc vehicles, which will only comfortable take 2 x medium sized passengers and a couple of medium sized suitcases.

FIRST WEEK (19-26 March). Our first 7 nights we spent with a wonderful (3 generation) higher caste Hindu family, at their home in Swayambhu...

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/88907...uests=2&s=5-Mb

If you read the comments made by other people who've stayed at the property they are all true. The family are amazing, and go out of their way to make visitors really welcome. We ate with them every evening, and their daal bhaat, which had subtle changes for each meal was heavenly. All the contents were organically grown in their own garden.

Because Swayambhu is a couple of miles out of KTM centre, it meant that getting around was either by bus, taxi, or on foot. I'll describe the general 'getting around' aspects later on.

We used public buses to visit Patan, Boudha, and Kirtipur. The ancient stupa at Swayambhu was within easy walking distance, and we also walked into KTM a couple of times.

An early word of caution in using public buses in KTM and the Valley. They ain't for the faint hearted, and are a thrill a second experience. Passenger comfort doesn't exist, as Operator profit is the name of the game. But buses are cheap!

Electricity cuts 'load shedding' happened daily, and often for hours at a time. So once it got dark then getting around needed to be by taxi and ideally only for a short distance.

Because of the regular power-cuts we started our days early, and always got back to our accommodation by dusk. Evenings were for relaxing, and enjoying the food and hospitality of our hosts.

THE TOURIST BUSES BETWEEN KATHMANDU AND POKHARA (AND CHITWAN). There are loads of bus companies advertising their 'Tourist' buses between KTM and Pokhara.

They all (I think) from the centre of KTM on Kantipath at roughly the same time in the morning (0730ish). They all (except Greenline @ US$20) cost roughly the same @ 500-600 NPRs for a seat.

The reasons for Greenline being expensive, are a few-fold, newer buses, has it's own depot to leave from, air-conditioning, 'free' bottle of water, daal bhaat buffet lunch included.

The trip to Pokhara is about 200 Kms, but ignore the distance as long distance trips by road in Nepal are talked about in 'Hours'. And the number of 'Hours' a trip takes depends on all sorts of possible delays that the bus can encounter along the way.

We decided to splash-out and pay US$20 each on Greenline. The booking office/depot in KTM is opposite The Garden of Dreams. I booked a few days early, and got the full pick of the seats. I must have felt a bit adventurous at the time and chose the two seats directly behind the driver for the best views.

One the day of the race, the bus wasn't exactly super modern but it was comfortable and clean, the a/c worked, we got a bottle of water, and we set off on time @ 0730.

But not far out of KTM descending along life-focussing switchbacks we hit a traffic jam. It took us 5 (five) hours to get through it, and I've never seen so many battered out old buses, trucks, and humanity peeing wherever they could by the road and in fields, in my life. There had been a landslide, and what a tedious crawl it was negotiating it.

By the time we reached Pokhara we'd been on the road for 10.5 hours! Some journey, but it was dry season, and we were probably unlucky. Goodness knows what it must be like during the wet season.

In order to compare Greenline with one of the other 'Tourist' bus operators, we decided to use Blue Sky for the return trip. The return trip was less eventful, we had windows open for the duration to allow a breeze to keep the bus airy, no bottle of water but they get us all a puke bag each(!), and we had to pay a few rupees for lunch.

So is Greenline worth the extra cost? Not really.

We could of course have flown between KTM and Pokhara. But we visit these strange countries to see the people, the places, hear the sounds, see the sights, experience the excitement, spills and thrills at ground level all along the way You can't do that from an aircraft cabin.

KATHMANDU - WHAT'S IT LIKE? Like a lot of cities in Developing countries, Kathmandu will mean different things to different people. A lot will depend on how much homework you did on the placeprior to travelling, your expectations, length of stay, who you're travelling with, and your budget.

I think that Kathmandu can be described by many with just a couple of words "S**t Hole" or by many other people by a million words. The former will have wanted to get the heck out of it within minutes of landing, and the latter will have been prepared to get stuck into the place and loiter for a while.

The following is a Cross-stick of the word K-A-T-H-M-A-N-D-U. I'll be glad to expand on any of the words in the cross-stick...

K – Kilns; Khaotic; Kalamatous; Kocophonous; Krazy

A – Acrid; Airless; Armless; Airborne; Amazing

T – Tortuous; Traumatic; Testing; Toilet; Tricky; Traffic; Tramps; Torch; Transport; Tuberculosis; Theatrical

H – Hellish; Horns; Harrowing; Hopelessness; Humbling; Homeless; Handwash; HIV

M – Manic; Mange; Menacing; Monotonous; Monstrous; Morbid; Melodious; Medicine

A – Arduous

N – Noisy; Nauseous

D – Dirty; Dusty; Dogs; Debris; Dank; Dangerous; Difficult; Draining; Deafening; Drinking-water; Diarrhoea

U – Ugly; Unhygenic; Unclean; Unreliable; Unhealthy; Unbelievable

Not too many positives there -if I hadn't already booked my flight I may be reconsidering. BUT I'm finding your account helpful and interesting.

Frances. Your right, not too many positives, but the word K-A-T-H-M-A-N-D-U only contains a third of the alphabet!

Despite the negatives we still enjoyed, and learnt a lot from our trip. Some things you'll have to get used too v.quickly are barking dogs 24/7. Ear plugs do the trick. Out and about, and due to the smog, dust and other general airborne pollution, the national pastime is spitting, oiking, and snot flicking. It's difficult. but just try and ignore it or join in!

Once you're clear of KTM the filthy stuff becomes less filthy.

What's your intended itinerary, and your expectations?

Frances, unfortunately, LancasterLad doesn't write at all about the amazing temples and shrines, and all of the World heritage sites in the KTM Valley. Also, note that he stayed in a residential area that is likely to be noisier than any hotel you stay at. There are amazing and wonderful things to discover in KTM if you heel your eyes and your mind open.

For a different perspective, see my report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...mandu-2008.cfm

photos are at www.marlandc.com

Kathie, thanks but you're wrong!

We visited the lot, and I mean the lot.
But I haven't got that far yet!

Our first week may have been in a residential area, but isn't that what visiting Nepal is about? What's wrong with staying with a family? The Hyatt might be posh and quiet and expensive, but it could be anywhere in the world couldn't it?

Staying with an indigenous family, especially of 3 generations offers a superb way of starting a trip to an otherwise strange country. Please don't knock it.

Later on in our trip [to follow] we stayed in Bhaktapur for a week. That's in the KTM Valley isn't it? There are over 100 Brick factories in the Valley, spewing out all sorts of crap from their chimneys. These factories thrive on underage child labour, and are a constant health hazard to all the local communities. But I suppose as that doesn't impinge on tourism then it's alright!

I don't mind you making comments on my efforts, but I've got a long way to go yet, including all the amazing temples, shrines, and fantastic value accommodation. And while we should all appreciate your 'different perspective' you should also appreciate that we all have different perspectives of the places we visit.

Oh, good, you weren't dismissing KTM with your cross-stick words. Do go ahead and tell us about your trip.

KATHMANDU - WHAT DID WE DO DURING OUR FIRST WEEK?

Days 1 and 2. It was after 1600 when we were picked up from Tribhuvan Airport. The drive across Kathmandu to where we were staying close to the Swayambhu Stupa (Monkey Mountain) took close to an hour.

That drive from east to west was a good introduction to the manic traffic that plagues Kathmandu, often bringing the place to a standstill. Driving is haphazard, the state of the main roads is adequate at best, and minor roads and streets are just rock and dust, and full of potholes. Almost immediately we could taste the dust and pollution. Many locals, those who can afford them, wear masks over their mouth and nose.

We were warmly greeted by our host family, and quickly settled into our smallish but comfortable 2nd floor room. There was a separate guest lounge, and a rooftop terrace with great views of Swayambhu Stupa. We were offered dinner with the family, but we were tired and just wanted to rest.

That evening we had the first taste of power load shedding. When the power goes off it's a case of turn on the generator, or the power inverter, or light a candle, or sit in the dark. Our hosts have a power inverter which basically provides enough power to provide some light, but not enough power to boil a kettle or iron. Load shedding goes on for hours, up to 18 or so hours a day, every day.

We had a reasonable nights sleep, though our bed was only a couple of notches off being rock hard.

Thamel, the tourist area seemed like a good place to see and orientate ourselves on our first full day. We decided to walk it. I had a compass, and so the couple of miles walk was relatively easy in daylight, but you literally have to pay full attention to every footstep in order to avoid mishap. The air was full of dust and traffic fumes.

We arrived in the north of Thamel at about 1000. The Thamel area is a rectangle of narrow streets, no pavements, high buildings, shop after shop repeated every few yards, interspersed with restaurants, cafes, souvenir and trekking type shops,travel agents, guest houses, hotels, and money changers. Practically every shop you pass you'll hear an inviting "Namaste, come and look", or something similar.

It's quite a pleasant place to wander around until it becomes busy with aggressive motor bikes, Maruti Suzuki taxis, delivery vans, cycle rickshaws, sleeping dogs, and people walking 2 or 3 abreast clogging the place up. The fun ceases then, the streets become obstacle courses, and it's a place to be tolerated only.

We had some important things to attend to, change some money, and get some photos taken for any passes we might need during the next 5 weeks.

There are dozens of money change kiosks in Thamel. I never saw any that charge commission, and most (but not all) use the same rate, which obviously changes daily. During our 5 weeks the best rate we got was 160 NPR to the £sterling and the worst was 154 and a bit in Pokhara. The US$ hovered around 94-95 NPR, and I didn't take much notice of the €uro!

It was easy enough to get photos taken, and we paid 300 NPR each for 8 passport size photos.

We just wandered pretty much aimlessly for the morning getting our bearings, and seeking out some of the places I'd noted during my pre-trip planning.

Eating out is inexpensive, and the menu choices are often extensive covering all tastes. You have to watch out for places that automatically add 10% Service Charge and 13% VAT on top of the menu price. A cheap refreshing drink is soda water with fresh lemon. Beer (lager) and branded spirits soon push up costs. We found the best beer was Gorkha (5%), and Nepal Ice (7%) was the one that provided an headache.

Up until lunchtime the weather had been pleasantly mild, probably mid 60F. But suddenly early afternoon, the clouds appeared, and with it thunder and lightning, heavy rain and hail stones the size of garden peas! We sheltered, and when it stopped after about 40 minutes you could easily notice that it had dampened down the dust and cleared the air a bit. But all the pot holes were now awash, making underfoot even more challenging.

Mid afternoon we decided to get a taxi back to our accommodation. Our host had given us written directions for the taxi driver, which is just as well because we'd have been clueless. We got dropped off on the Ring Road close to the western entrance to Swayambhu Stupa and walked the rest of the way. The taxi cost 350 NPRs, meters aren't used. Always agree a price before getting in the taxi as the opening price offered by the taxi driver will always be much higher than you need to pay.

Surprisingly it hadn't been raining outside the Ring Road at Swayambhu. We sat on our roof terrace, enjoyed the views, particularly of the Stupa, and chatted to the only other guest, an retired Norwegian teacher who was a regular visitor to Nepal.

That evening we ate with our hosts, and enjoyed our first daal bhaat. Boiled rice with sauce (daal), pickle, mushrooms, and cabbage. It was yummy, and for the next 5 nights we did the same with a slight variation each meal. All the veg was organically grown in our hosts garden. We were promised meat for one meal, and looked forward to that, but it turned out to be tofu!

After dinner we sat in the family lounge and chatted. The family consisted of mum and dad (about 55ish), son and daughter-in-law, and their 2 daughters aged 8 and 10. The daughter-in-law was heavily pregnant and fingers xrossed they'll have a little boy.

By now the electicity was off, and light was provided (dimly) by the inverter. But at least they had light, unlike many, many thousands of Nepalese people.

Time for a shower and good nights sleep.

Tomorrow we'll be visiting Patan (Lalitpur) in the south of Kathmandu, and having our first experience of Kathmandu's thrill-a-minute buses!

I think I'm going have to be a bit briefer!

Very interesting trip report I really look to forward to reading more

Thanks. Nice to have a bit of encouragement!

Day 3 started early for us. We were up, showered and ready to go by 0600. The sun was just rising, and with our roof-top terrace view it rose just by the Swayambhu Stupa, a lovely sight.

Everything in Nepal starts early, as the locals need to make use of every single minute of daylight. From our terrace we could see the rocky, dusty pot-holed road which everyone had to take to reach the Ring Road. We loitered and watched a team of soldiers having their early morning jog, a column of monks going about the dawn rituals, could hear the tinkling of bells all around as prayers were being offered, and of course dogs barking. Dogs sleep all day anywhere they can, and bark all night. I don't think many of them ever see a vet!! We had ear-plugs to smother the noise.

Time to venture out, and make our way to Patan. It'd be easy to get a taxi, but a public bus is much more fun. The night before I'd asked our hosts which buses to take, and I think they thought we were barmy!

Off we went, down the hill, and along the pot-holed road through the local neighbourhood to the Ring Road. We were going south so had to cross the Ring Road, which is taking one big risk every time you try it.

All the public buses are battered relics, and none of them give you a clue in English as to their destination, but why should they? We just stood by the side of the road, loads of buses came past with the conductor (I use the word 'conductor' loosely) shouting out the destination, and we shouted back with where we were going. It took a few minutes and several buses, but one eventually stopped and we boarded. Fortunately there were a couple of seats. We had get off the bus half-way, and then get on a different bus to get to Patan.

We had to get a microbus (minibus), and the one waiting was full to overflowing, and we were still encouraged to get on it. We decline, and got on the empty one waiting behind it! We sat in the two seats next to the driver, hunching our shoulders in order to fit in.

The microbus had to fill up before it set off, that took a few minutes. When I say fill up, I mean so that every bit of space is taken up which doubles the designed capacity.

The journey took half-an-hour and is a thrill a minute experience. There's no road discipline, and it's every man for himself. Lots of heavy vehicles use the road, presumably heading for China, Tibet, or India, and they all chuck out filthy black polluting fumes.

There are two bus parks in Patan. We went to the south one, which is about a 10 minute colourful bustling walk north to Patan's Durbar Square. I had my copy of Rough Guide and a compass to help with navigation.

We arrived, and paid the admission of 500 NPR each, and were given a tag to wear round our neck. Within seconds we were offered the service of a guide. Within a couple of minutes we'd had several offers, all of which we declined. Employing a guide is a personal decision. We prefer to do a bit of homework,use a good guide book, and just wander around as we please.

Patan's Durbar Square isn't that big and is traffic-free, and the buildings are interesting. Not much point describing any, as all I'll be doing is cribbing from Rough Guide! The Square was quite busy with tourists, many in tour groups. Lots of old men in groups sat around, the odd beggar, hundreds of pigeons, and unfortunately the Square is a thoroughfare for endless streams of local school kids. Tbh if I've paid to get into somewhere then I don't really want to share my space with anyone using the place as a short-cut. Yep, and I got sh*t-on by a pigeon!

Outside of Durbar Square there are several interesting narrow lanes, which were built for pedestrians. But the lanes are used by an endless stream of motor bikes, and the pleasure of these places is quickly lost. While in Patan we witnessed 2 motorbikes slide and unseat their rider in a dirty heap. The pavements/roads are covered in a layer of dust and it's easy for the tyres to lose their grip. Noone was hurt, but there must be plenty of [unreported] accidents.

We walked a bit, sat a bit, got s*it on. We sussed out where to eat for lunch, and enjoyed a meal in Café du Patan, which is also Patan's oldest guesthouse.

After lunch we walked to the northern bus park, and caught another dinosaur of a bus back into central Kathmandu, and got off along Kantipath which is a busy main road in the centre running north to south, and is where the Tourist buses leave for Pokhara and Chitwan.

Just around the corner from the northern end of Kantipath is Tridevi Marg, where among other places is The Garden of Dreams, and opposite there the Greenline bus office/depot. As we needed to book our bus tickets to Pokhara for the following Wednesday I decided to do it now. As we were a few days early we got the pick of the seats, and went for the 'action' seats right behind the driver. Cost was US$20 each including a buffet daal bhaat lunch.

It's a short walk to Thamel from Tridevi Marg, so we went to a cafe called Pumpernickels for a refreshing lemon soda.

Late afternoon by now, and time to get a taxi home.

Sat on the terrace, reviewed the day, and shared notes with our Norwegian friend whod spent a couple of hours enjoying the action at Swayambhu Stupa.

Daal bhaat for dinner with the family at 1930. This time, boiled rice, daal, small fried potatoes in their skin, and green beans. Really tasty. Me and Rosemary used spoons, while our hosts ate with the their fingers [right hand!].

As we were eating dinner there was the mother of all thunder storms, and the lightning was an awesome spectacle.

Chat with the children. Watch a bit of 20/20 cricket with our hosts on their the TV, and early to bed.

The rain beat it down until we dozed off.

Tomorrow we're going to see what goes on up Monkey Mountain (Swayambhu Stupa).

Loving your trip report. Keep it coming.

Thanks, I'm going to have to try and keep the waffle a bit shorter.

Saturday (22 March) started off fine. Did the usual stuff so we could get out early, and left the guest house at 0830.

Getting to Swayambhu was easy for us, walk down to the Ring Road, look for a gap in the traffic, say a prayer and go for it! Once across the road it was a 2 minute walk to the western entrance to the site.

There's several ways to get to Swayambhu from the city. Public bus from the City Bus Park but they aren't v.frequent and in any case you still have to get to the bus park. Walk it, and providing you've got a good guide book with maps, and a compass, then the eastern steps to Swayambhu is easy to find (as the stupa is on top of a big hill you can't really miss it). If you do arrive at the eastern entrance then there's 414 [steep]steps to hike up. We came down that way and counted them. The easiest way to get there is by taxi, which should drop you near the top of the hill on the western side. Just remember that the Maruti Suzuki taxis are v.small.

The way up the hill from the western entrance is by fairly gentle steps, and there's quite a lot going on. Stalls selling trinkets, religious stuff, fresh coconut, ice lollies, fruit, garlands and that sort of stuff. Pine trees line the path, and there's cheeky macaque monkeys all over the place. Keep food out of sight of macaques as they'll expect you to surrender it to them, either voluntarily or by force!

Even at 0900 the place was v.busy. Dawn and dusk are the best times to see how atmospheric and busy these holy shrines are. Lots of incense burning way, quiet music, candles, queues of people often colourfully dressed making their offerings, and a few kites hovering above. More stalls selling crafts, guide books, magnets, pictures, slate engravings, religious stuff etc. No hassle at all, not even from the monkeys! Lots of sleeping dogs. Entrance fee is 200 NPR.

Great 360 degree views from all around, although looking toward the city and beyond everything was blurred with smog.

We read the relevant bits from our guide book as we wandered round, and found Swayambhu to be really interesting, and all the colour, incense, and happy pilgrims going about their worship and offerings made for delightful visit.

Everwhere you walk you'll hear the ubiquitous Buddhist mantra "Om mani padme hum" which means "Hail to the jewel in the lotus". It's really quite catching and you'll soon be singing it to yourself and making your own words up!

We stayed for about 90 minutes, and decided to walk into the city via the 414 eastern steps. It was easy walking down as there were no queues, but it must be a bit of an effort ascending on the parallel stairway as many of the people were a bit past their prime, and need to rest every few steps.

We had an interesting walk into the city. The roads were shocking, dust and debris everwhere. We had to walk over a bridge over one of the Bagmati River tributaries. It was full of all sorts of rubbish and stank. There were a few youngsters by the banks scavenging.

Despite the fact that the Bagmati is the Holy river, and eventually reaches the Ganges, it is totally polluted, full of goodness knows what, stinks, and really is an open sewer and a total health hazard.

It took about 30 minutes to walk to the south western end of Thamel. An it was time for lunch, and Curry Kitchen in the north of Thamel seemed like a good spot. While there we chatted to a couple of middle aged Australian women. They were in Nepal with a small group to trek to Everest Base Camp raising funds for a Leukaemia charity. Neither had done any trekking before, and one of them said her boots rubbed. I hope it was mission accomplished without too much pain, but I doubt it!

After lunch we had a short walk to spend a couple of hours in the one place in Kathmandu where you can escape the chaos going on everywhere else. So Garden of Dreams it was.

Soon arrived and paid our 200 NPR admission. Very pleasant place, rectangular in shape surrounded by high walls to keep the noise out and the peace and serenity in. About the size of a football (soccer ) pitch.

As it was weekend the place was quite busy, and perhaps not quite as peaceful as we'd hoped. Colourful manicured flower-beds, unusual trees, stepped terraces, large flat oval shaped fountain, white stone elephants, urns, foliage. Squirrels darting about and birds singing. All very Colonial.

There's a restaurant and cafe, which on scanning the menu are relatively expensive for Kathmandu. But you're partially paying for the surroundings and ambiance. The people dining and drinking at the time looked like well heeled expats and ladies dressed to impress their friends (probably Diplomatic wives!).

Anyway, no sooner had we paid our 200 NRS and found somewhere to sit in the garden, the clouds started to gather and the light breeze gradually got stronger and the temperature dropped. Thunder soon followed, and as nice as the Garden of Dreams is there's nowhere to shelter if it rains.

The clouds didn't look as though they were going to clear, and it was getting cold. So we decided to leave and find shelter. We headed straigt for the Pumpernickel cafe, and just made it in time before the heavens opened.

It was only 1500, and quite dark. After a coffee and pastry we couldn't see much point in hanging around, and got a taxi back home. Hailing a taxi in Thamel is easy, as there's normally one right up you back-side honking at you to clear it's path!

The taxi drivers must know how deep every pot-hole is when they're all full of rainwater because we never disappeared down one, but the ride was a bit of a bone-shaker!

The taxi dropped us off on the Ring Road at Swayambhu, and we had to walk the rest of the way to our accommodation. The taxi could have took us all the way, but it would have meant doing a right hand turn across all the Ring Road traffic coming in the other direction, and we weren't happy to risk that!

Returning late afternoon had now fallen into a routine, and that evening followed the same pattern. Daal bhaat again for dinner!

Tomorrow, we'll be visiting the great white stupa at Boudha, the swollen sacred heart of a thriving Tibetan Buddhist community in Kathmandu.

Thoroughly enjoying your blow by blow. Travelling to Nepal and India in October so making notes of great advice. Eager to read the whole story.

The Garden of Dreams is a lovely little oasis in Kathmandu.

Melanie. Thanks. Lots more, as we experienced it, to come.

Kathie. Not when it's chilly and raining!

Just found your report Lancaster & am thoroughly enjoying it. I was there this time last year & 2012. Thanks very much &'looking forward to the next installments.

Thanks Bokhara. I really enjoyed your excellent trip report on Trip Advisor. You might remember me posting as Dagwoodsmate (my main user name: LancasterLad had been suspended by TA due to a fall out with a clique of bullies on the Tunisia forums. Dagwoodsmate has also been suspended now (lol)!

I've come to a brick-wall on this thread, and am trying to muster up a bit more enthusiasm to carry on.

I have never been in Nepal but thinking about visiting Nepal. How about June-July? Is it perfect time to visit Nepal?

Take an umbrella and your wellies - it's rainy season. Getting around will be v.challenging...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Ne...g&ved=0CEIQsAQ

Dagwood's mate! I remember you! Your family stays sound like they'd be right up my alley, too.

I've always felt a bit guilty that I didn't finish my trip report, but had the feeling there wasn't that much interest. So - how about we both get on with it? Team effort, I will if you will & all that..
Mind you, mine might be viewed as a threat more than inducement hahah

Please continue, there are many reading (if not replying).......

Bokara, I remember your report. I would love to read the rest! As someone who writes reports here, I know how much work it is. And sometimes you don't get much response to start with, but then a year or so later you get posts from people who have decided to follow in your footsteps.

I felt that way about my Java report, but since then several people have planned trips to Java based on my report. And remember that for every person who posts, there are probably a dozen who just read.

Thanks Kathie & Sartoric.
C'mon Dagwood's Mate - your turn now. shake off that writer's block. I've added some to my TR here on Fodors & will try to finish it up in the next week.

Okay Bokhara, you've warmed me up again.

It's Sunday now (23 March) and time for more culture. Our destination is Boudha (Boudhanath, which is just outside the KTM Ring Road on the east of the city, and is classed as being in the Kathmandu Valley (just).

Rosemary and I had spoken to our hosts the previous evening to work out the logistics of getting there, and what to expect. The Public bus from just down the hill seemed easily doable, although our hosts seem to think we're a bit mad.

Before we left the house, we gave the lady of the house a few empty plastic bottles that we'd accumulated. We asked how they would be disposed of, and they get taken to some dump in KTM and are burned!

Every public bus along the Ring Road has a young conductor hanging out of the door yelling the destination, and you're expected to yell back. If your yells synchronise then the bus stops for you. Finding a seat is a challenge, so is fitting into it! But as I've mentioned in an earlier posting these vehicles run for profit and not passenger comfort. And as a tourist how do you know how much to pay to avoid getting ripped off, albeit be a few rupees?

We seemed to be stood by the roadside for ages, shouting out Boudha. Eventually a clapped out old workhorse of a bus stopped, and we got on. It was a bit of an obstacle course with sacks of grain (or whatever) in the narrow aisle.

As usual the traffic was heavy and undisciplined, (sacred) cows in the road to get past, thick dust in the air, filthy pools of water by the road from the heavy rain the night before.

The bus took an hour and the conductor gave us a wave to tell us where we were. I paid him 60 rupees, with 3 dirty 20 rupee notes, for the pair of us. He seemed content.

The entrance to Boudha is on a busy road in the centre of the town There's a few exchange booths outside, and twe took the opportunity to change £100. We only took cash with us (£50 notes), I know it's a risk, but we're v.careful and risk assess all the time.

The entrance fee is 150 rupees for westerners.

We quickly came to get a real feel for area, and it immediately grows on you. What you've got is a big circular area, with one of the worlds's largest stupas in the middle, a wide circular path running round the outside of the stupa, and shops selling religious and tourist stuff, shrines and restaurants forming a circular perimeter. Boudha is also the swollen sacred heart of a thriving Tibetan Buddhist community, and is the most important Tibetan Buddhist monument outside of Tibet. Outside of the 'wheel' there are shops, restaurants and artisans lining the narrow lanes, together with a few monasteries.

It was about 1030 when we arrived, and the site was beginning to get busy, mainly with camera clicking tourists, and only a few locals, monks, and pilgrims. The best times to visit are dawn and dusk, when believers perform kora together, strolling, or shuffling their way, in a clockwise direction, around the stupa. We stayed at a Monastery guesthouse in Boudha for the final 2 nights of our trip, and were able to witness the dawn and dusk rituals. More on that when I eventually get round to it.

You immediately feel relaxed in the 'wheel'. There's no cars, no motor bikes, no vehicles whatsoever. Most visitors seemed to have read their guide and were walking around in a clockwise direction. Incense burning, people ringing the prayer wheels that are in the wall all the way round the white walls of the stupa, dogs slumbering. Walking round the stupa, just 'switch-off', and you soon get a great relaxing inner sense. It's simply a wonderful place to be.

There are several restaurants and cafes, some with a roof-top views of the 'wheel'. We chose Flavor's Cafe for our lunch, and what a great choice. It's in a lovely sun-drenched courtyard just off the 'wheel', with a lovely serving staff including a couple of charming 'short' people. The menu is extensive, not at all expensive, and the price you see is the price you pay.

After a leisurely lunch it back into the 'wheel', a few more clockwise laps, looking in the shops, people watching, and just enjoying the occasion.

You'll come across a few low-key beggars, disabled people, and the baby milk scam is alive and well in Boudha. Don't fall for any of it.

We decide that we want to spend our last couple of nights in Boudha, and go and seek out a guesthouse attached to a monastery to book a room. We find the Tharlam guesthouse, like what we see and the price, and make a provisonal booking which we needed to confirm by phone or e-mail a week before we were due to arrive. More on that later.

At about 1500 we leave Boudha, and spend about 40 minutes trying to synchronise with every bus conductor that yelled at us! Got back to our accommodation, showered, sat on the terrace enjoying the late afternoon and imagining the sun settling behind all the smog.

The evening went in it's usual pattern, and we told our interested hosts about our day out.

Another early night.

Tomorrow it's another few rides on public buses to seek out a little place not too far away called Kirtipur ("City of Glory").