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Asia, bikes, family, MTB, travel

From the archive – Thailand & Nepal – IV

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[The diary that I compiled during our visit to Adele in Nepal in January & February 2008 came up in conversation the other day. As far as I know only Mum & I have ever read it – so here is part of it for posterity, the photos are complimentary – yeah, they are for free.]

9/2/8 Pokhara

Large breakfast at Mike’s, tried to sort out our huge amounts of gear for the trip home – it is one big mess on our floor at the moment, and that is without my bike. Cleaned mud & my blood off my bike. Dad & I & random Belgian girl from Blue Planet went to International Mountaineering museum – a quiet day all round.

10/2/8 Pokhara

Up for ride up to World Peace Stupa/Pagoda on the hill opposite Lakeside. Nice clear morning with good views of the mountains. An hour riding to almost the summit (the stupa is below the summit) – half an hour up main road to Tanseng, then half an hour up rocky track through one or two villages. On the way down great views of the Annapurnas & Pokhara & the lake – a few photo stops. A nice mixture of gravel track, rocky technical singletrack, stone steps & flowy singletrack through forest. Six kilometres down in all – good fun.

Not much else for the rest of the day – a farewell lunch for Adele with her INF mates, Skyped Mum in Sydney & dinner at Monsoon.

11/2/8 Pokhara

Breakfast at Mike’s again as everyone is busy at Blue Planet getting ready for Madu’s wedding. Repacking bike for third time in three weeks. Adele dressed up in kurta for the wedding. As I hadn’t shaved since before trekking, I popped down to the barbers for a shave & haircut. The first five minutes of my haircut, I could have been in a Python sketch – the guy was snip-snip-snipping away merrily but I could feel nothing & see no hair coming off my head in the mirror. The only thing missing (I think) was the homicidal maniac resisting the urge to cut my head off.

Dad & I tried to catch a taxi to the temple on the other side of town. The driver had to get directions from someone else before we left & then managed to drop us at a Buddhist monastery (incidentally, I finished reading “Seven Years in Tibet” this morning). Never mind, ten minutes walk & a few turns later we were at the bottom of a large flight of stairs that led up a large forested hill – at the top of which sat the temple. There wasn’t one large temple at the top; rather, there were a few small temple buildings & a fair amount of open paved ground.

It took Dad & I a while to find which wedding to go to as it was like a common wedding ground. Perhaps there were seven to ten separate weddings today – as it is the last good day of the Nepali/Hindu month to get married. Eventually we saw some badeshis (foreigners – one of the few Nepalese words I know) we recognised & headed over to see what was the go. The bride was beautifully dressed in red with a lot of sequins sparkling in the sun waiting with her friends & family for the groom to turn up (c.f. Western wedding).

After we had spent some time looking at all that was going on & sussed out some of the other weddings in progress, the food started. Somewhat sceptical of the Nepali food prepared en masse & served outside, I only had half a plate for a change & Dad only really had rice.

As we finished eating the first part of the ceremony started with some ritual of the bride sitting on the ground in front of a small fire surrounded by plates of food & her father & uncles doing I don’t know what. Eventually the groom appeared & the priest (I assume he was) started the ceremony proper. It was all very solemn & the priest sounded like he was arguing (that would be the five minute argument, please) with others around him. It was all very strange as there was only a small throng around the bride & groom (mostly us curious westerners), while every one chowed down on the feast some distance away or talked on their cellphones. I still have no understanding of what happened. The bride & groom ate (after everyone else already had) & then there was more ceremony, still no smiles & much putting of red dye on the ‘happy’ couple’s foreheads. Dad & I left about here & went back to the important task of cleaning & packing up my bike.

When Adele arrived back exhausted, we went for a paddle on a hired boat on a very still Phewa Tal. Then our best dinner yet in Nepal at Bistro Caroline with a Dutch friend of Adele’s.

12/2/8 Pokhara – Kathmandu

All packed up, goodbyes to all at Blue Planet & Shyam took us on our final taxi ride to Pokhara airport. True to form, the flight was due to be at least an hour late to bad weather in Kathmandu, or perhaps they had sent the planes elsewhere – I never really worked out which one. After an exhaustive manual search of our luggage (no X-Ray machine) – in which it was determined that my bike, was in fact a bike – we waited out the weather on the rooftop balcony in the sun. As we were drinking yet another pot of Nepali milk tea, who should turn up but some of Adele’s INF friends? Al was flying to Kathmandu, then somewhere else & her husband Phil & daughter Evie were seeing her off.

Their company somewhat helped to pass the time as we saw microlights land & take off & the Jonsom flight leave, return & leave again. Eventually, three flights from Kathmandu arrived at once & we were in the air one and a half hours later. Yet another pleasant twenty-five minute Yeti flight with great views of the Himalayas to the north.

Once we arrived in Kathmandu, Adele was keen to head out to Bhaktapur. Due to various reasons, we didn’t leave until after 1500 – a forty-five minute drive – but was worth it to arrive in the old city with some places having no vehicles – & therefore no horns, bliss!

Had a good wander around & I took Adele & Dad through some small back street before we met our driver at 1800.

The Kathmandu traffic back was diabolical – for no other reason that there are insufficient roads, no road rules observed & no enforcement if there were any rules. We got back after a hundred minutes.

Great steak dinner & surprisingly quick meals at the Everest Steak House.

13/2/8 Kathmandu – Bangkok

Adele’s final Nepali shopping in Thamel, then off to Kathmandu airport for quick check-in & then long wait for flight to Bangkok. Pleasant enough flight back in to the heat of Bangkok. Adele marvelled at every item of food at the buffet after three months in Nepal – much to my amusement. Nice to be away from Kathmandu – the powercuts had got to eight hours per day.

14/2/8 Bangkok

Wandered around getting Adele orientated with Bangkok & shopping/browsing at the same time. Adele & I booked a day trip for tomorrow – a bus ride out into the country, look at the royal summer palace & temples (some ruined, some not).

15/2/8 Bangkok

Up before 0600 for breakfast & tour. A minivan picked us up & drove us around town for half an hour until we rendezvoused with our coach at some other hotel. Quickly on to motorway out of town west & leaving Bangkok behind eventually. Past large flat paddies (c.f. with the small, stepped rice paddies in Nepal).

We first visited the summer palace at Bang Pa In – lots of magnificent buildings for all the royals to stay in – one donated by the Chinese, one with a distinctly European style.

Adele particularly like the animal shaped topiaries (especially the elephants).

Next on to one of Thailand’s four capitals – Ayuthaya (1350-1767). This was all in ruins as the Burmese invaded in 1767 & destroyed a lot of it. Still some very large ruins of brick temples & stupas remain. Most of the many Buddhas are sitting down without any heads. On to other temples where we saw a greenstone Buddha, a gold Buddha & the third largest reclining Buddha.

Finally made it to the boat after 1300 (sick of getting in & out of coach by now), where we had a large buffet lunch & a pleasant three hour cruise in to the city.

16/2/8 Bangkok

Down to the tailors to get Adele’s pants – she was most pleased with them. Adele was keen to get a tuk-tuk on the way back, but there weren’t many around & every one we approached wanted to take us somewhere else except our hotel. We gave up & got at $2 (equivalent) taxi instead.

Lunch at hotel & then me Alex & Sarah van Meygaarden in lobby. Alex was my metalwork teacher in my first year at high school. They are now missionaries here in Bangkok with Rahab (as are the MacGregors – who unfortunately are back in NZ now; it turns out that they only live about 500m from our hotel). It was good to catch up with the Vans & hear some of their stories of Bangkok & Nepal. Alex told of a mega computer mall just around the corner, so I had to check it out. It was crazy – six storeys of computers, ripped software & DVDs, components & of course people everywhere! Home tomorrow!

17/2/8 Bangkok – Auckland

There must have been some of the famed Australian wine Shateau de Chunder on the menu last night – it really opens up the sluices at both ends. So we are not so sure Adele will make the 12 hour flight home. Not much happening, Adele bunged herself up with med’s & we made the flight home.

18/2/8 Auckland

Home – with little sleep!

Asia, family, hiking, national park

From the archive – Thailand & Nepal – III

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[The diary that I compiled during our visit to Adele in Nepal in January & February 2008 came up in conversation the other day. As far as I know only Mum & I have ever read it – so here is part of it for posterity, the photos are complimentary – yeah, they are for free.]

3/2/8 Trekking

Up at 0600 to catch plane to Jonsom with our guide, KB. Too much cloud, so we can’t go to Jonsom. Mum leaves us today – one night in Kathmandu & then on to see the Hinds in Sydney.

So a eighty to ninety minute taxi ride with Shyam deposited us at the start of our circuit (modified a lot as we can’t go to Jonsom). The first couple of hours were spent walking up a river valley from about 1000m altitude. After a long lunch, the climbing really started, but the path was well made using lots of stone – quite incredible how good it was.

Walked through many fields & the tiering of the fields was amazing. By 1630 we were at Ghandruk – after many steps & a few rests. We have climbed almost 1000m to 1950m. This was quite a shock for us all, especially Dad, as we were expecting to walk down from Muktinah after a jeep ride from Jonsom!

Pleasant guesthouse – great hot shower & dinner – part with KB. He spent eleven years from age eight washing dishes at a Kathmandu guesthouse before he started guiding. He has also spend two and a half years in France – his French & English are very good.

4/2/8 Monday Trekking

Forgot to mention that while paragliding on Friday, Pierre & I saw an occidental rainbow when were up in the clouds. This is a circular rainbow viewed from above, apparently they are not seen by many.

Awoke in Ghandruk (actually awoke numerous time due to barking dogs in the night) to find that the clouds had finally cleared & we could see the mountains! A nice clear crisp morning & we could see all the way to Annapurna South & Fishtail (I may be able to say its real name – but I sure can’t spell it). A leisurely breakfast, then set off at 0845 for a comparatively short & easy walk to Tadapani (a climb of only about 600m today).

We quickly left the immaculate stone path & steps of yesterday & the path devolved in to something much more like what we would find in NZ – steps made out of wood & held by stakes.

As we were walking through forest/bush (c.f. with fields of yesterday) we saw far fewer Nepalis & houses. At our first stop we saw a family from Lake Hayes (back home). There were five of them – three boys, the youngest in a backpack. Next we saw an inordinate number of porters, but no trekkers. Eventually we find a very large group of Japanese trekkers sprawled over one of the few clearings. By now we are seeing patches of snow on the ground.

Our next stop was at the top of a very steep staircase. Here the Cokes were most welcome & we met a medical student from Perth – she is doing a similar thing to what Adele has just finished.

During the last hour to Tadapani the snow got more & more prevalent & it was quite fresh & nice & powdery. At times it was difficult to negotiate the slippery downs – but there were not so many of them! As we were behind a ridge, our view of the mountains had disappeared & when we emerged from the forest the clouds had covered our view again.

Tadapani is a pretty little settlement of mainly guesthouses (about six). There is no water here at the moment – except if you cook up a pot of snow. There are more trekkers staying here than at Ghandruk last night (most people seem to be going the opposite way to us). Some have come down from Poon Hill – they had good views this morning.

5/2/8 The Day We Almost Killed Dad

Up at 0645 after broken sleep – Nepali singing to start with & then too warm. Did not mention that we spent most of yesterday afternoon in the dining room as underneath the table (that was cloaked with think blankets) were steel buckets of hot coals – very toasty. Another beautiful morning – fewer clouds than yesterday & once again great views – many photos taken.

Started walking at 0830 & were immediately into a steep snowy, & therefore slippery, descent. Once we reached a stream it was back into a steep slippery ascent. By now, both Dad & I had taken small falls & all three of us were walking with sticks. Still there is a lot of snow around & I generally find it easier to walk on the powder than the icy steps.

After a brief stop for Coke & Fanta, the track levelled a bit & then went down for a while. Unfortunately for Dad, after this it went up & up a valley (quite steeply in places & very slippery) that never ended. Eventually we reached lunch & Dad was stuffed & Adele carrying his backpack as well as hers. We had lost our view of the mountains, but seen many waterfalls frozen in situ.

Shortly after our long lunch break the trail flattened out some & a few new peaks came in to view. The trail was now along a ridge – so undulating walking around 3300m, the highest I have ever been with my feet on the ground. By now we could see Annapurna I – the tallest of the Annapurnas at 8091m – behind & to the left of Annapurna South. Also visible a bit further away were the Dhaulagiris – the tallest of which, Dhaulagiri I is 8172m. Numerous stops to take photos & wait for Dad along the ~500m descent to Ghorepani.

There are many more guesthouses, & larger ones too, & for the princely sum of seventy rupees we have a view of Annapurna I & South & Dhaulagiri I from our room.

6/2/8 Trekking

Adele & I up at 0445 – along with most of the rest of the guesthouse (Dad & KB excepted) for the walk up to Poon Hill lookout for sunrise. All wrapped & out in to the dark & the not so cold before 0530. The climb was a good five or six hundred metres with many headlamps bobbing up the hillside – similar sight to doing the Moonride. Unfortunately, I had made the mistake of not having anything to eat. Part way up I started to feel clammy, devoid of energy & could not go on until I had dry wretched a few times, brought up some bile & then had half a muesli bar. Slowly my energy returned & we made it to the top. It was still dark, but starting slowly to get light. We were eventually joined by about fifty other sunrise pilgrims to see a great sunrise on some of the world’s tallest mountains.

Back down, we had a leisurely breakfast outside in the sun & left Ghorepani at 1000 for a gentle (mostly) walk down the valley toward Tatopani (tomorrow night’s stop). The stone pathway returned (not quite up to the same standard as the first day – but still pretty good) & it was only icy & snowy in parts for the first hour or so. Still good views of most of the mountains, but getting in to inhabited land with the odd village & more paddies.

We are staying in Shikha, which for a nice change is much more village than guesthouse destination. There are numerous stone houses & a school here. Adele & I had a small wander around the back roads (more alley ways). A great shower & we also had lunch on the rooftop in the sun looking at Dhaulagiri I. Mercifully, we are the only guests in the guesthouse – c.f. the last two nights.

7/2/8 Trekking

Up & away by 0830 – a nice walk down the valley from Shikha to Tatopani for three hours. We lost about a thousand metres in altitude. Nice to walk through the villages & past the children on the way to school – ten o’clock start. Our last glimpses of the Annapurnas as we get deeper in to the valley – still mostly the big stone steps & paths, although it is quite a dusty trail in places. Dad managed to get a few agricultural photos – piles of dung in fields that will be used for fertiliser & a cow & calf in a milking shed.

Down at the bottom of the valley we crossed the Ghar Khola river & then the much larger (unnamed on the map) river on swing bridges & walked up the valley a short way to Tatopani. This last bit was on the newly made & graded road. This is much less interesting & we are going to head back to Pokhara tomorrow, instead of Saturday. Soaked in hot springs/pool late in the afternoon.

8/2/8 Trekking – Pokhara

It’s our last day – up & left by 0820 (our earliest yet) after a good sleep. Walking down the new road down the valley the whole way. It was quite a deep gorge in places & would have been a spectacular walk on the old stone path.

The valley was still really spectacular when one remembered to look up from the road at the steep walls & behind us to Jonsom & the odd mountain still visible. The road is pretty wide in places & almost complete. We saw a group of about fifteen men breaking rocks in to gravel with small hammers. Also a twenty tonne excavator finishing off part of the road next to the river – quite a juxtaposition in technologies.

In places there were jeeps, motorbikes, taxis & quite a few people walking. In other places there was just us & a random stray dog that followed us for ages. By lunch we had all, especially Dad, had enough of walking on the boring road & got a jeep (an old Nissan Patrol) to Beni & then taxi ride of death back to Pokhara.

Asia, bikes, family, MTB, travel

From the archive – Thailand & Nepal – II

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[The diary that I compiled during our visit to Adele in Nepal in January & February 2008 came up in conversation the other day. As far as I know only Mum & I have ever read it – so here is part of it for posterity, the photos are complimentary – yeah, they are for free.]

28/1/8 Kathmandu

Slept in a bit, but still managed to meet at 0915 for start of MTB tour. My guide, for my purposes, named Andy, took me through early morning rush hour north out of the city. I was so glad to have my soft-tail bike – and that was just for the road riding – many large potholes! A wonderfully clear day, rather crisp at that time of the morning. We had soon made our way past the cacophony of horns & motorcycle engines. We spent the next thirty to forty minutes steadily climbing the hill road beside Nagarkot Forest – good views of the Kathmandu valley & a glimpse of the Himalayas.

We finished the climbing on the other side of the range looking in to the next valley, then popped on to dirt road downhill in to first valley. Nice cruise downhill with enough rocks & potholes to make it interesting. Stopped for photo of rice, wheat & potato fields & Andy discovered he had a flat tyre – also saw a beautiful blue woodpecker & numerous eagles soaring about.

Continued down to river flats (the river is pretty small at the moment – pretty much a stream in the dry season) – there were many small trucks & people loading the trucks with shovels of sand for construction. Another short climb up to a very popular temple for lunch. Cruised back in to the city & hit the traffic the again. There were a number of sets of three speedbumps that were great for jumping over all three at once. Got back before 1300 – apparently I was quick, but probably due to the fact there was only one of me. 32 km, 2.15 riding time.

What a fantastic way to see the city & villages & be able to stop easily, yet still cover reasonable distances – so glad I brought my own bike (pleased not to be on a hard tail).

Pokhara tomorrow – am looking forward to escaping all the horns of Kathmandu & seeing Adele.

29/1/8 Tuesday Kathmandu – Pokhara

We made it to Kathmandu domestic in an early ‘80s Corolla – bike bag in boot & all the rest of the luggage jammed around the passengers – a tight squeeze. It turned out that the 1000 to Pokhara actually left at 0945 – the first time I’ve been on a scheduled flight that left early. We didn’t see a lot flying – a bit cloudy, but got a decent view of Nagarkot forest & the valley I biked up yesterday. Got to Pokhara airport well before Adele as we were there very early – the Yeti Airlines flight was great, a Jetstream 31 turboprop, no dreary safety briefing, lollies, cottonwool for the ears & three biscuits. All in half an hour!

Adele was very pleased & excited to see us. Her favourite taxi driver managed to cram us & our luggage in & on top of his Maruti Suzuki 800 (the taxi of choice in Nepal now the polluting Vikrams & tempos have gone). Arrive at Adele’s home, Blue Planet Lodge & met her other family – Ram, Sabine, Tara, Asmita & Madu.

Lunch lakeside & afternoon spent wandering Lakeside, assembling bike (again!) & scoping out a guide for a MTB ride tomorrow morning.

30/1/8 Pokhara

Up early (0645), as Adele thought it a good idea to meet at 0800 for a bike ride ex. Pokhara MTB club. Our guide was 19 year old Ashadin & a couple of younger boys (~12-14 years old) tagged along – rather, were in from most of the way.

We eventually got going, rode through Lakeside (beside the lake), then Damside (beside a dam at end of the lake). The rain had pretty much stopped by now – but very low cloud & mist – a great day for riding, but an awful day for taking photos as no mountains to be seen anywhere. Crossed a lot of fields that are crossed by irrigation dykes – these make excellent little obstacles to hop over or jump off. Winding through small villages & small land holdings and as today is a holiday there are kids everywhere who are all saying namaste, hello or bye or encouraging tricks – bunny hops, wheelies or jumps – by saying “jumping, jumping”.

Following the Seti River downstream & enjoying gentle gradients up & down. A nice downhill to get to top of cliffs over big river plain – another tractor & trailer down the bottom collecting sand. We ended up 15 km away from home before reaching small bridge to cross river, a decent climb up to bigger village & eventually a town. We didn’t ride on many roads – instead keeping to back tracks & still seeing kids everywhere.

The track continued near the end for a long way beside an irrigation canal & the start of a powerhouse construction. The canal ran a long way through town & ran quite quickly. Rode by Pokhara Stadium, over bridge across very deep narrow gorge, beside airport & home at 1300 – 42 km. A long ride for Adele – once again a great way to see a lot, pity it was so cloudy. Lunch with Kim – a nurse from Canada that has been working with Adele.

Dinner with Pushpa, Menuka & Jonathon. Great to meet them finally after hearing about them so much from Bronny. Jonathon 10 months old, but a bit under the weather so we didn’t see much of him & Menuka – he is quite the cutie though. A lovely dinner & there was so much to choose from – I am so full! At least it wasn’t too hot for Dad.

31/1/8 Pokhara

Another ride today, after passport photo for trekking visa, set off 0930 through Pokhara retracing our path from yesterday afternoon. A big climb up technical rocky uphill for twenty minutes, then up sealed road for another forty minutes, then continued up dirt road for a further twenty minutes or so. Still very cloudy, so no good views. At highest point, we could just make out the lake – Begnas Tal. Cue six kilometre downhill that was very rocky & a lot of fun – unfortunately near bottom was going too slowly through very rocky part, over handlebars, landed on arm & chin. Very bruised right wrist, upper forearm & upper arm – I thought I came close to breaking it – but not enough pain. Managed to also split chin open & bleed everywhere – guide cleaned this up & we rode back in to town. ~42 km again away only three hours. Chin wound was deeper than I thought, Adele patched it up & I should get a nice little scar when it heals.

Adele took us to visit Green Pastures Hospital where she has been working for three months. Saw many patients – leprosy, spinal, burns – & not so many doctors & nurses. Good to meet everyone & have a look around. Then also tea at Dr Simon & Dr Sarah’s – Adele has spent much time in surgery with Sarah – a plastic surgeon.

Lovely dinner back at guesthouse with Ram & Tara & Asmita – they also enjoyed the Cadbury Dairy Milk that Mum had brought over for them. Had good meal of Nepalese food & ate with one’s right hand (which was rather difficult with my sore arm).

1/2/8 Friday Pokhara

Big sleep after last night’s pain – Adele up & off to her last day at the hospital before 0800. Up to Sarangkot with Shyam in taxi, past where the paragliders launch from. Saw a couple of chutes take off & also some rescued birds (Eygptian vulture & kite) released to soar with the paragliders.

Clambered up many steps to the Sarangkot temple & lookout. The least amount of clouds we have had for three days afforded great views of the Annapurnas.

After lunch we walked along the ridge line for three hours through villages & paddies – walking was a bit slow after the previous days’ rides, not sure how I will survive seven days trekking. Shyam picked us up at end of the track (on a main road up into hills only built 13 years before). The road passed by Shyam’s house.

2/2/8 Pokhara

Up & downtown to buy replacement SD card for my camera. Mum & Adele went off shopping a bit later & Dad off in other direction for the next instalment in the Yeti Airlines ticketing debacle. I arrived back first & met Kim – chatted for a while, Mum & Adele back, chatted a while longer & then us three younger ones off to go paragliding!

After signing our lives away (they did actually have medical/travel insurance) we proceeded for about forty minutes (Nepali time) for the jeep to take us to Sarangkot. The Mahindra jeep chugged to the top with us three & five pilots in the pack & a number of sails on the top.

Kim was the first to take off with her bright yellow glider. Adele got airborne with their fourth attempt. I waited a little for my French flier, Pierre, to pay a short (read long) visit to some trees & then we were away quite easily – lean forward & pull on glider as it rises & tries to pull you back & then run off the edge of the hill to certain peril. There is nothing to it. Somewhere in there you float away & then sit back in the harness for the ride. The sensation of floating up in the sky in peace & quiet is fantastic. With my camera securely tied to the harness I took plenty of photos of the immediate surrounds – the mountains were hidden in cloud, but that didn’t matter much as the flying was so good.

Pierre was keen to fly up, so we climbed high above the other gliders. Apparently the weather & wind were really conducive to good flying today. I couldn’t spot Adele’s red & purple wing for a while & began to look for it plastered in to the hill side – eventually it came in to view well below us.

By now we were literally soaring with eagles (perhaps hawks or vultures) & we chased each other around & around (I wonder if he is using the same wind that we are using?) – plenty of good photos here.

Adele came up towards us to meet us & then fell away a bit. Pierre & I (really Pierre only had the say) went much higher in to the clouds & it got a lot chillier & with reduced visibility it became quite disorientating – did manage to get a good view of the path that we walked down yesterday.

At lower altitude we went close to the road up to Sarangkot & could get good view of Pokhara & all the main roads. By now, Adele was heading well over the lake before going down to the landing zone on the shore.

Over the lake & much closer to the ground/water surface, Pierre performed a series of sharp left & right turns in succession that flung us out to the side – it was similar to being on a rollercoaster, but so much more peaceful. The stomach was noticeably elsewhere for the first time on the flight. Landing was a non-event, smooth approach & touchdown.

Out of the harness to find Adele & Kim both enjoyed their flights – in spite of Kim emptying her stomach while Adele was trying to photograph her & also while landing. Adele even got to steer her glider – she was suitably pleased. Jeep ride back to town, where Adele managed to feel more motion sick than during the flight – she thinks the anti-nausea pills were doing her in – they sure did when she had an out of body mind experience while shopping.

Strolling back home, we met Mum & Dad for lunch. Then it was off shopping for next week’s trek. I eventually ended up with fleece pants, trekking pants, fleece gloves & the standard Pokhara fake down jacket.

We enjoyed our best dinner yet at Monsoon with one of Adele’s medical families & Kim.

Asia, family, friends, travel

From the archive – Thailand & Nepal – I

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[The diary that I compiled during our visit to Adele in Nepal in January & February 2008 came up in conversation the other day. As far as I know only Mum & I have ever read it – so here is part of it for posterity, the photos are complimentary – yeah, they are for free.]

24/1/8 Thursday Auckland – Bangkok

Tim took me up to Betsy’s (he is still talking to me after I almost burnt the kitchen down last night – too many pizza boxes in the warming drawer!). Managed to watch most of Bullit at McFadzeans’ – must see the last two chapters sometime.

Betsy & Paul & I picked up Mum & Dad from the Domestic Terminal, then on to International. The others went to lunch while I checked in. Who should rock up but Charlotte & Alice Dean? Charlotte is on the same flight as us to Bangkok – thankfully she didn’t have much luggage, so my overweight bike bag was ignored.

Lunch for all seven of us, Alice tried to buy some duty free Baileys even though she wasn’t travelling – this proved unsuccessful! Departed AKL 1545 & after too many movies (Devil wears Prada, 3.10 to Yuma, Simpsons); TV programs (US Office, ‘70s Show & Rebus); a great R.E.M. Live album; the usual average fare at dinner time; some inventive sleeping positions (Charlotte in footwell of economy seat); Charlotte trying to get a first class upgrade & next to no sleep for me – we arrived in Bangkok twelve hours later.

A new airport since our last visit (eleven years ago) – very impressive, even if it did mean travelators for eternity. A pity no one from the hotel came to pick us up.

We rode in a big new Hilux on very good highways into the city centre & the usual skinny side streets to get us to the hotel. Checked & then managed to sneak Charlotte into our room – she slept in the closet.

25/1/8 Bangkok

Awoke/got up 0800 (or is that 1900?) after a fitful sleep on a slab of granite – apparently the closet was much more comfortable.

Early (or not so) swim for Charlotte (not with the carp – good catching fish apparently) & a look out of the city from our room. Not nearly as many cranes on the skyline as eleven years ago – but some pretty decent towers (probably as a result of all those cranes previously seen).

Went for short stroll around hotel surrounds with Charlotte – managed to get sprayed with holy water by the travelling monk – he had set up shop, as it were, in the back of a Navara complete with a rather large statue.

Late breakfast, then walk for an hour or so past World Trade Centre (now Centre World), down Sukhumvit Rd to Dad’s tailor. Mum & Dad managed to spend an hour sorting out clothes while Charlotte & I harassed store attendants in a bookstore (with the aid of a Bangkok map); walked down to Soi 8 (where we stayed with David & Twon last time) & spied where we stayed last time (it’s now lime green); rode the glass elevator that Adele & I got stuck in last time! Finally got taxi back to hotel & saw Charlotte off in pink taxi (all her dreams come true) to Mochit bus station.

Spent the latter part of the afternoon dozing, reading & waiting for Mum to get back from her walk (all by herself).

Dinner & then another hour or so walk around a rather large block – found many more signs of construction – a new overhead expressway & multiple high rises going up. And no – I don’t want a ride in your taxi or tricked out tuk-tuk (resplendent with mags & a chrome exhaust pipe). (It is interesting to note the numerous shells of multi-storey buildings (~4-10 storeys) that are nothing more than the remaining concrete pillars & floors – some seem to be being rebuilt, most are not.)

26/1/8 Saturday Bangkok

A much better sleep, but still didn’t get to breakfast much earlier. Walked down to Jim Thompson’s house & museum – he came to Thailand in the ‘60s (from USA) & reinvigorated the silk industry in Thailand. His house, next to a canal, was a collection of traditional Thai architecture (he was a architect) – all living on second story as ground floor prone to flooding in rainy season.

Got our photo taken in a tuk-tuk by a driver who was friendly enough until we told him that we didn’t want to go & look at silk clothing at his friend’s shop.

Mum got her wish to ride in a tuk-tuk when we found a normal one to take us back to the tailors – a great ride, but I’m not sure Mum enjoyed the U-turn across five lanes of traffic, the fumes, the noise, the bone shaking or anything about it. So after the tailor Mum & Dad opted for a taxi (one of the shocking pink variety) – a much slower trip, made slower by being pulled over by a traffic cop – nothing a quick bribe didn’t fix.

Another big walk (by myself for a change) – this time in search of the big “Mountain Bike” sign I saw from a distance last night. I wasn’t seeing things – the sign was there, but no sign of any bikes, just barstools now. Carried on walking out of the main foot traffic area. Wandered down many side streets, saw a lot of sewing in the downstairs rooms, also saw a group of the aforementioned pink taxis in various stages of repair – some mechanical, paint & panel work ongoing.

Quiet night at hotel resting, packing, eating – Kathmandu tomorrow!

27/1/8 Sunday Bangkok – Kathmandu

If this is anymore illegible than normal, it is in part due to the fact that I am in my room writing by torch light. It is near the end of the second of the twice-daily three hour compulsory load shedding (reminds me of a Melter SOP). I’m not quite sure what the problem is with the national grid – but there is obviously one of some sort & magnitude. [Found out later that don’t have enough dams to hold enough water.]

An earlier start today – up at 0600, but it only took twenty minutes to drive out to BKK – there with plenty of time. The new airport has only been going for about two years & it is massive & the roads going to it are pretty big too – although there was little traffic on a Sunday morning. However, it would seem the roads aren’t big enough – a whole other Skytrain route is going in from the central city to the airport. We followed the construction most of the way – the concrete snake in sky just keeps going & going.

Arrived in Kathmandu early afternoon & not too much has changed. Spent much too long queuing for a tourist visa, no one was too interested in our customs forms (they went in the bin), every second person who went through the metal detector beeped but no one cared enough to check it out & there was the usual assault by porters & taxi drivers looking for some rupees. Thankfully we were me by a van & driver from the Tibet Guesthouse.

Managed a stroll around Thamel with Mum, the signs in ‘English’, of some description, provide much amusement as always. Managed to book a six hour mountain bike tour tomorrow around villages outside of Kathmandu – can’t wait to get on the bike & explore.

But right now I am shagged – so time to sleep.