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