In Kathmandu

12/3/12

   Headed out back to Sonauli, a bit more traffic this time but still less than I expected. The road itself is great fun tho, I think I will be doing it again at least once more. When I got to the border they asked to look at my passport, which had me worried, but they didn't seem to care that the bike had already been in the country for a week. Just filled in the form and paid the NRP3200 for 29days. There is a problem of the fact I have to go to Kathmandu International Airport to get another 29 days? I don't understand why, it's that or head out of the country then back in which I cannot do. Oh well it'll all work out somehow.

Some nice terraces on the way to the border

13/3/12

   Spent the day walking around Lumbini, which was nice. Meet a guy from China and ended up giving him a ride to the border as I had nothing else to do in the afternoon.

It doesn't look as competitive on the building as it did last time i was here.

14/3/12

   Rode out toward the west unsure of where I would end up. It was another strike though so the roads where empty, this time with people sitting across the road or even trees which had been dragged onto the road. As always as soon as the police or even the protesters see my face I get waved through. I did find out that this strike was about the plains people some are after title for land, so I think they should keep up this practice and keep the roads empty. 

Definitely some nice river in this country.

   I had some trouble finding the main road when I left Lumbini so only made it to Kohalpur, nice enough little town and good road all the way there. I also saw a picture at one place where I had dinner of a bridge out near the border. Looked pretty cool so decided I will try and find it.

Now that chopping board has been used for a long time, bit of wood with your meal sir?

15/3/12

   Even with traffic there wasn't to much on the road, so much nicer than India traffic wise. Was a easy ride out to Mahendrnagar, got there about 13:00 so went out to find Jaluga Pur which is a 1.5km long suspension bridge out to Dodhara, unfortunately about 500meters from the bridge the wind came up so when I got there you couldn't even see the other side because of the sand.

Big bridge. For foot and bike traffic only, a bit of a squeeze when 2 bikes meet, especially with the loads some have.

   I'm completely undecided on what to do tomorrow, I was hoping to head up to Jhulaghat to take some photos of the India side where I had taken photos of the Nepal side about a month ago. Unfortunately according to the bus time for a one way trip, this is my best way of finding out how long it may take me. 12hrs each way for the bus is definitely not do able as a day trip, bugger there is a town closer but it still sounds like would be hard to make it from there and back in a day.

16/3/12

   Woke up with out any idea of where I was going to today, once on the road I decided against heading up to Jhulaghat, just too far to go for a couple of photos. So I ended up riding all the way back to Butwal, not far from Lumbini, nice easy ride day even if it was most of the day.

Just chilling in the goat hammock.

17/3/12

  Headed out for Kathmandu, when I stopped for money at an ATM I went to get back on the bike and had a flat tyre. 4” nail straight in. Lucky there was a tyre place about 50meters away so got it fixed easy. Once I got out of Narayanghat the road become a lovely twisty sweeper road following the river. This carried on till about 30km out of Kathmandu when the road become bad, very bad. Didn't take to much to find the Thamel area, but did take a while to find a hotel. I had used wiki travel to find one that sounded good but of course when I got there I found no where to park. After a bit of hunting I finally found somewhere at the north end of Thamel. 

 From the back of a broken down truck on the side of the road.

18/3/12

   Just spent the day walking around trying, and failing, to get myself orientated properly. Kathmandu is definitely cleaner now than it was in '99 but then I still cannot find where we stayed last time.

19/3/12 to 23/3/12

   Heard about a place that does real bacon last night so went there for breakfast, mmmmmm bacon it's been sssssooooooo long since your saltiness has been in my mouth. It's definitely more expensive than I expected here and very touristy. Was great to finally meet with a friend of a friend who has been driving into India and back while I was there. Nice to talk to drivers again.

   Went for a day ride out to Trishuli but decided not to go any further as the hazelol.

 Dubar square Kathmandu, and Bull.

 The Museum

Lucky the horses are small or these policemen would have trouble.

If you look closely you can see some snow up there hanging in heaven, sorry hanging in the Haze.

 Well as always 

   Enjoy your life, I am.

In Pokhara

27/2/12 to 3/2/12

   Didn't do much, well it's been almost six month in India it doesn't surprise me as much any more, well, until you see a 4x4 driving down the road with a body tied to the roof and think bloody Aussie cops would not let me do that in Melbourne, even if I was going to burn my dad down by the Yara lol.

Ganges and Ghats

A clay man just hanging arount the Ghats.

4/3/12

   Woke early and had a bit of a pee for a poo mmm, not what I wanted with two days ride ahead.

I ended up doing what I think is my second “Bush Dump” of the trip, unfortunately I had reorganised my bags before leaving Varanasi and had not put the toilet paper in the right place. Oh and if you are wondering, I would be, it's still the first roll of toilet paper that I stole off Sandy back in Melbourne Nov '10, I think I've used it 3-4 times. It's all good though I did find out that a bottle of drinking water is really easy to aim down the crack of your bum, roflol. Oh and yes I drank from that bottle after using it heheehee.

                                          “Short break well some go and be sick”

   I didn't manage to eat anything during the day until I got to Sonauli at about 19:00. Dinner/Breakfast was 2 fried eggs with a piece of bread shoved into each one when cooking. But then Sonauli is the sort of place you do not want to go near let alone stay, very dusty, lots of push bike and radio shops, they must be cheaper than in Nepal. About the only other thing there is people trying to get that last hussel before you cross the border.

Saying that I did get to chat to some Cambodian Buddhist Monks who had come to see Lumbini.

5/3/12

   Woke early and had a very easy run at the India border, the border man even kept waving me to go when the currency change guy was trying to hassle me about charges in Nepal to change money.

The Nepal side was also very easy got a 3 month visa for INR1500 and US$70, US$100 in total but it did get rid of almost all my Indian rupee. They did not ask anything about the bike, and flying the Nepal flag is legal here.

Finally I have 2 flags again.

   Rode off north toward Pokhara and found no traffic except push bikes or ambulance on the road, for some reason I didn't think this was strange. There where lots of police around and I got stopped by the first lot until he saw my face. The first ATM was out of service so rode on. Finally found an ATM that was open about 30km out of Pokhara and about lunch time, even though I finally had money and could get breakfast I decided to just ride on as it wasn't that far to go.

   Had to do two Bush dumbs on the way, still haven't found my toilet paper, well haven't looked actually, so used drinking water. Fortunately a lady accepted INR for some water, as I used all I had left on the first pee stop, kept the bottle in case tho hehe.

The lack of traffic was heaven after India I loved the ride to Pokhara. The last 20km finally I started seeing some traffic. The first 140km I only saw about 6 ambulances, 20 motorbikes and one truck. Oh and lots of walkers, and push bikes on the flat.

 Was a bit hassy for the first few days in Pohkara, have only seen the mountains the last couple of days

6/3/12 to 9/3/12

   Well stayed near the toilet, shit happens as we all know.

  I finally found out why there was no traffic, some Maoist strike where no one was allowed to drive, “Thankyou very much for the kind thought of making it a no traffic day for the day I arrived in the country, it is the best arrival present any twist roaded mountainous country could give, to any motor biker.” Unfortunately I did eventually find out that they where a bit slack at the border and didn't get me to pay Tax for the bike. Also with all my pooing I'm not going anywhere at the moment.

   I did make it to the Holi festival, as that's why I wanted to be here at this time, and was very surprised at how reserved people are when you have a dress shirt on. I'm guessing the outfit last time of water pump with masses of spare ammo may have made us a target. I did eventually get most of my head covered tho.

The Holi party.

Pokhara lake obviously if I cannot see the mountains I'm not going out. There are layers of sunken boats at every moor.

10/3/12

   Well the bum seems to be working better so will head south tomorrow and sort out this tax thing.

Otherwise I will spend the day writing this blog. Have heard I may be able to pay for the tax here in Pokhara tho, still looking into that. Mm waiters can be handy, or can they.

11/3/12

  Walked the few kilometers to the road tax office and they have no idea what I'm talking about so will have to go to the border.

It's a bit side line but i hope this made big news in Australia because it should

Incase you can not read it properly it says 75% of kids aged between 10 and 12 think cotton socks are made from animal products, 25% think yogurt comes from trees. Oh but most know where potato chips and COFFEE come from, what the hell are 10 year olds doing drinking coffee.

 Anyway Enjoy your life, i am