POKHARA

Pop 200,000

We left the hotel for the Tourist bus to Pokhara in the dark as the national grid had been turned off for load shedding and walked the few hundred yards to the bus stop with a bit less weight than usual strapped to our backs due to the parcel being sent from India.

There waiting for us were the few hawkers with coffee, bakery goods, biscuits, chocolate and bottles of water in large wicker baskets. This is such a far cry from Indian hawkers and we love the laid back attitude and smiley faces that greeted us and made us want to buy from them. So, loaded up with coffee and cinnamon buns we found our seats on the old coach and sat back ready to see what the 6 hour journey would bring.

It was a great bus ride, the scenery was stunning and it was a pleasure winding our way through the hills and alongside the river watching the white water rapids, waterfalls and people tending to their small holdings and crossing the river using swing bridges and best of all pulley systems where they sit in a metal cage and pulley themselves across, its genius! Rod told me about a lot of the scenery after the event as there is something about the motion of a bus that sends me off to sleep especially when (unlike India) you are not fearing for your life at every turn.

We had a couple of food stops which were great as the food was laid out Buffet Island style and there was a wide selection of pakora, noodles, rice, curries, breads, potatoes and other tasty bits. It always makes us think of Sarah as she would call it a "Choosy Tea" and her and Ash laid on some minters before we come away. It was so peaceful eating our lunch with the mountains laid out in front of us and the birds singing.

We finally arrived in Pokhara and to an area called Lakeside. This was the main tourist drag and where we would be staying for the next few days. We headed to our hotel in a local taxi which refreshingly did not try to extort a few extra quid out off us and were met by Budri our host at "The New Winds Hotel" tucked up a side street off the main crazy drag.

"The New Winds" is a great little place that hasn't quite taken off with the tourist/backpacker scene yet. We met the owner "James Hetherington" in Varanasi and he told us all about it so we had to give it a try and we are glad we did. It is a business that makes little profit and gives back to the underprivileged in the local community. We paid a little bit more than the usual backpacker haunts at 8 pound a day (including the 13% government tax that is put on everything in Nepal) but for the cleanliness, service and standard it was worth it. The only downside was we didn't have a hot shower but we had buckets of hot water delivered to the door every day which was just as good. The water here is actually delivered to the door in tankers and has to be ordered in advance as there is no direct water supply and the electricity was as random as in Kathmandu but that is just a fact of life in Nepal and a lot worse for the locals without generators that provide light at least. It really makes us realise how much we take these things for granted.

Our first night was spent getting a feel for the place and wandering the main street. It is a mini version of Thamel in Kathmandu with a much more laid back pace on a smaller scale. It was a real treat to be able to browse the endless collection of trekking, souvenir, book and knitwear shops without being jumped on and hassled and we were more inclined to actually make a purchase instead of feeling crowded and fighting to get out especially as they were cheaper although after Thamel we were seriously "North Faced" out, everything really is "Same,Same No bloody different!"

We had struggled with food in Nepal as there are only a few traditional dishes to be found on the menu's (which are the same in every restaurant you go) the main one being Dal Bhat which is a set meal similar to an Indian Thali. You are given rice, Dal (runny lentil curry), mixed vegetables, pickle and a papadum this varies slightly at each place but the taste remains the same. To us it is nice but very bland with not many if any spices and our taste buds have been so used to hot, tasty dishes they are like "oh is that it?"

There is so much Italian food on offer in the form of pasta, pizza and breads with the odd fish and chips thrown in and a few standard Indian dishes. So we found a little place and filled up on Veg Cannelloni and Spaghetti Bolognaise, we blame the cold for the carb craving

After a great nights sleep and a much needed lie in, a comfy bed and not freezing room we decided to go and explore the lake and get some hiking practice in. We walked the few hundred yards through town and out onto "Phewa Lake" The sight that greeted us was astounding and we felt like we were in another world. From the town you don't get to see a great deal of the mountains but from the lake you get a panoramic view and one that is mirrored in the glass like expanse of calm water, Mother Nature again pulling a blinder exemplifying Pokhara's beauty in majestic fashion. Extending to the West is the famed World Peace Pagoda nestled on top of a hill surrounded by towering jungle providing a perfect viewpoint for the whole area, while up in the East is Sarangkot a viewpoint high on a hill that is religiously visited to watch the sunrise/set over the sweep of Himalayan peaks or take a tandem paraglide and float to earth over the lake.

We enjoyed a brisk walk around a small snippit of the lake, it reminded me of walking around rudyard which Rod thought was hilarious as Rudyard is like a puddle in comparison. We exchanged pleasantries of "Namaste" (hello) with the locals who came out to greet us from their small one room houses that lined the waters edge, they take a genuine interest and want to be nice and see you happy and getting the most out of your time in their country of course they also rely on the tourism to survive and support their families so it doesn't hurt to be nice and if they can help point you towards a local venture that benefits you all then happy days but it is done in such an unassuming way that you are happy to go along with it instead of becoming immediately disgruntled.

There are a few Tibetan settlements that are occupied by the Tibetan Refugees the largest of which is "Tashi Palkhel" with the prayer flags flapping in the breeze in the rocky valley its become what we would imagine Tibet would be like or would of been years ago. The ladies of the settlements can be found all around Phewa Lake and some in the town selling their jewellery and souvenirs which are beautiful and original just like the ladies themselves, they have such interesting faces full of lines and crevises that light up and instantly make you smile but their eyes tell you of a deep hidden sorrow you just know they could tell you a few stories of major life experiences.

At the far end of Lakeside is Pokhara's most famous Hindu Temple "Varahi Mandir" Its a two tiered Pagoda style temple that stands on a small island near the royal palace and is dedicated to Vishnu in his boar incarnation. We gave it a miss as non hindus and watched happily soaking up the atmosphere feeling part of the activity without paying the inflated foreigner entry fees (with Rod getting some great pictures to boot) from the shore as the many worshippers tripped back and forth taxied in rowing boats by the locals

We spent the next couple of days pre-trek in Pokhara catching up on emails and ticking the warm coats, sturdy shoes, gloves, hats and furry slipper socks (not a trek essential but a luxury that was invaluble) off the shopping list. Also stocking up on comfort food and enjoying pizza, pasta and hot and sour soup in abundance. With all the planning complete we had a free day to explore further before we headed into the unknown.

We used this to visit the sights mentioned earlier.

At stupid O'clock or 4.30am to the rest of you we got layered up and jumped in a taxi to Sarangkot. We made our way up the hillside through the villages tucked under the ridges leading up to this spectacular viewpoint. We realised quickly that we had been misinformed about the timing of sunrise and instead of it being at 5.30am in was in fact 6.30-6.45am so we sat trying to keep warm and stay awake in the back of the taxi making small talk with the driver until a lovely old local lady took pity and brought us cups of strong black coffee Bless her!

Finally there were other people making their way up to the viewing platform so we joined and headed up the long flight of stone steps to the top which had actually been constructed around a local home and as a blanket was quickly thrown around our shoulders the minute we reached the top it didn't take long to realise a business had been created in manufacturing and selling yak wool blankets, and other popular knitted items, another example of entrepreneurism at its best from a nation of people in so much political unrest trying to survive.

When the sun finally crept up and struck the dazzling Himalayan peaks stretched out in front of us, it was as if they had been sprinkled with Gold dust! It was magical and gave us a little insight into the view we could expect from our Trek. The sun burned red and orange yet the snow caps were pink and gold it was truly stunning! We spent time watching the whole place transform before our eyes, every inch the sun rose saw every detail of the panorama metamorphose and suddenly appear as if by magic.

We recorded our video message for you all and slowly made our way back to town ... We booked the driver for Sunset and a trip to the opposite side of the lake!!!

We drove out of Lakeside and Damside and out through the villages and towns where local life played out in a completely different manner. There were still the rows of tiny shops but filled with daily essentials, tea stands, live chickens waiting to be killed in the meat shop alongside a stripped carcus of a goat or sheep with very little meat on the bones and a row of hungry street dogs lined up outside licking their lips. The kids played happily with old fashioned toys like a spinning top and an old inner tube/bicycle tyre and stick, as black as the road they were gathered along. The motorbikes were replaced by OX/Buffallo and Donkeys laden with bricks and other heavy goods plodding along through the dust a tradgedy to see but a necessary asset to the locals. Rod described it as stepping back in time into an old western.

We spiralled up the hill and came to a standstill in the thick dusty track as the car hit a group of bricks and crunched the suspension. While the driver struggled we jumped out and made the last bit of the journey on foot as the sunset was fast approaching. We didn't realise quite how far or how steep the remaining track was and arrived at the top looking worse for wear to say the least.

It was worth the dash as again we were greeted by another different jaw dropping view on so many levels and depths. In the forefront was the grand white structure of the Peace Pagoda adorned with four different images of huge Gold Bhuddas with different mantras and the tip strewn with colourful prayer flags flapping invitingly in the wind.

The World Peace Pagoda is a Bhuddist Stupa designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace.We walked around the monument clockwise as the highway code of Bhuddism suggests is respectful watching the sun slowly fade away taking the gold and orange glow back to a pink/purple haze.

The full view of the lake stretched out below with the town looking like a minature version of itself spilling out into the fields which was even more spectacular from this high vantage point and the hills of Sarangkot looked pretty inferior when overshadowed by the giant snow capped Himalayan peaks. This was made all the more special as we were the only two people there and were able to appreciate the silence as much as the view.

The following morning we grabbed out day packs and headed off early to Naya Pul to do our trek leaving the big packs at New Winds for our return ...

When we finally did return 9 days later Lakeside had been completely transformed. The streets had been closed off to traffic, bunting had been criss-crossed down the streets and the whole town had come out to participate in the street food festival in celebration of the pending New Year.

The following day we were ready to become part of the celebrations as we'd had a hot shower and a great nights sleep.

It was great to peruse the different stalls that had extended out onto the streets, soak up the atmosphere and the numerous aromas floating under your nose without having to rush or buy for the trek. We filled our faces with Mo:Mo which are Tibetan dumplings shaped like mini Cornish pasties and filled with minced veg or chicken and served steamed or deep fried with a secret recipe sauce they were delicious. Veg chow mien, Dal Bhat, Samosas and other deep fried things that we don't know the name of or what they actually contained but they tasted good we just made sure they were vegetarian and we couldn't go wrong! We thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the street at every other stall all different in their decoration, cuisine and approach to service.

The other thing the carnival brought was street games. There was all the old fairground favourites, Tin Can Alley (where you have to knock over the stack of cans with 3 attempts) Hoopla (where you have to get the hoop over an item such as chocolate or pop) Football (where you have to stand 100 yards away and kick the ball straight to score a goal) Ludo (which is actually a game they play in the street at any time of the year.)

We took full advantage of the two days we had to relax, eat and regroup with the friends we had made in the mountains.