Week 8

The bus to Delhi is 2.5 hours late and when it arrives it does not have reclining seats. Arguments continue long into the night with the bus drivers sidekick trying to charge us extra for pulling the seats down to make beds...the driver is so cross coz none of the 15 of us will budge that he drives  like a maniac!!

Anyway we arrived somewhere in delhi at 5 am and headed to the airport and check in for our flight to Katmandu

We arrive and queue for a visa and then hunt for a hotel. We are hot and tired so we stop for lunch at a restaurant on the 3rd floor called the organic green cafe, away from the pushy hotel touts and chill for 2 hours eating delicious salads and momo - steamed dumplings...yum yum.

We find a hotel and sleep for a few hours before exploring the town.   First impressions, a bit tidier and cleaner than india, quite touristy but the locals are nice and friendly. The shops are selling really nice products and we could buy loads..........

We have done lots of sightseeing.

Below is the giant Stupa of Swayambhunath or the monkey temple-we were up here when a thunder storm hit the valley. A great viewing point on a high peak in the valley.
It was our first rainfall in 9 weeks.

                                This is the kind of detail you find around the streets of old Katmandu

                                            A buddha on top of a tower in Durbar square

 

The locals queuing to fill up their water barrels from the local spout.

                                        Above is a fascinating building in Katmandu's Durbar square

 This was a picture in a museum taken in 1904 when their were not that many good roads, so on the non tarmac roads they would carry the car!!

                          Ravi looking cool in his Fab India top! outside a building in Patans Durbar square

 

Nepali method of carrying a slab of concrete!

                            Below are photos from Bhaktapur a really old 9th century Newari village

                                                  The wood carvings in Bhaktapur are stunning

   

                                       The golden spout showing detail of thirsty mythical creatures gathering for water

                      This lady is real and did not move or flinch when we photographed the background

                                                                Dosen't he look thinner?

Mmm some of the carvings on the top of a hindu temple in the main square!!

                                                          Please don't try this at home folks

 Duckie finds a friend

                                    This is a local drink served ice cold called Slice - its a type of mango drink

 The famous  Pujari Math peacock window near Dattaraya square. Carved wood

                       There is a traditional potters square here making clay wares on the street and
                                   the pottery is then fired in community kilns for 4 days

Delicious steamed Momos above!

                                                  A Newari lady tidying up the base of her pots

Above some locals singing traditional songs on a day where all the ladies wore red clothes!!!!!!
We have explored some old palaces and temples and have eaten some more yummy food and it is only day 2!!

We met up with Santosh and his family (a friend of ravi) and his family who treated us to a lovely chinese meal - delicious
Santosh owns an organic tea plantation and his brother in law is a colonel in the Nepalese army.

We changed our mind and booked rafting on the busy Bhote Khosi (lots of grade 4 rapids) river.

Rapids were called Gerbil in the plumber, Frog in the blender and Midnight special. It was excellent. We stayed at a eco camp with ready built tents right on the river.

 

Ravi under orders to put on sun tan cream up ready for rafting

 My husband helping to inflate the raft - hard work watching i had to sit down!

 The bus fully loaded!

Our first look at the river

 Our scottish friend Morag in the eco lodges dining room - very chilled out

 View from our tent, the river is just below the fence

    Our eco tent

                                                                                                                           Glam camping

              Above  the fast flowing Bhote Khosi river - we are on the Tibet /Nepal border surrounding by steep lush valleys

 This man saved my life - well he caught me as i was floating down river and hauled me into his raft.

Yes i fell in - i have to say it was terrifying - it was freezing cold and the current was really strong. I'm a good swimmer but it was no use even trying to swim. I just had to wait to be rescued. I live to tell the tale and it was exciting! ( more photos to follow)

We fly to Singapore this afternoon via Delhi. The asia leg of of our tour is over.

I have experienced so many new things and been spoilt with the culture.

 I can't believe it has taken me SO long to visit India and Nepal ...i'll definately be back

Week 7

My first aerial view of the Ganges by cable car in Haridwar

Doing a pooja (prayer) for my parents on the bank of the Ganges at Har - ki - Pari

which means foot of god-said to be the place where the Ganges formed into a true river.

This is an extremely holy place to say goodbye to your loved ones.

The prayer is called a Barsi, as it was on the anniversary of my fathers death, where a dough like substance and flowers are offered with my prayers to the holy water of the Ganges river.

The evening Aarti (religious service) at Har-ki-pari

Ravi using the holy Ganges as a great foot spa

What a lovely place to spend an evening. In a couple of days time i have been told i am going to be immersed in the Ganges to wash away all my impurities!!!

The very next day i had a tummy upset - i managed to hold it together and get on the bus to Rishikesh.

Ravi found a lovely hotel, green view 

and i spent 2 days recovering with the help of antibiotics.

 

We managed to go to evening Aarti at Trevenni Ghat. An area along a flat section of the Ganges in Rishikesh.This is a photo of the oil lamps before they were lit for the evening POOJA.

Eventually on Sunday i made it outside and we ate pasta - safe food!

We went on a trip up a very big hill, by jeep with smooth tyres, driven by a boy who looked no older than 14 and went to see a special temple called Neelkanth. 

A temple dedicated to Shiva ,who swallowed snakes poison, when the oceans were churned by the gods and poison was released.Shiva did this to save save the universe.

We also drove back down. Walking would have taken 3 to 4 hours each way.

 

Above at sunset- I sent a banana leaf boat full of flowers, a oil candle and incense down the Ganges to the memory of absent loved friends and family - I'm thinking of you all.

Below is a gentle stretch of the Ganges river we have been white water rafting .

We had a blast with 5 or 6 grade 3+ rapids and one grade 4 and we didn't fall out, but got very wet!

                  A view from our restaurant near Laman Jula in Rishikesh

 One of our team,Michael, turned up with suede safari boots,very smart casual!

 Our guide was an American called Scott and our fellow co passengers were Michael, Dennis, Nesa and Becca. We had great fun and ended up having lunch together in a great very busy cafe!

 Our guides Scott and Sahdev from Red chilli rafting

                                  Yes we look cool, Nesa said Ravi looked like a bumble bee!!!!!!!

                                 The rafting crew with the Ganges valley below in Rishikesh

 Ravi having his ears cleaned....the stuff that came out yuk yuk - no wonder he doesn't hear me!!

We are heading on a 'luxury' bus to Delhi overnight at 9pm and then catching a flight to Katmandu on wed am. 

Bye bye India. Thank you for giving me some fantastic experiences. I'll be back!