Postcards from Nepal (p.2)

Editor’s Note: Part 1 is here. Words and Photos by Chelsea Phillippe.

Namaste

Jason and I had a great flight into Nepal with Singapore Airways, they fed us so much we actually refused a meal. If you ever get the chance to fly with Singapore Air, its the way to go. During our 8 hour layover in Singapore we enjoyed free internet, movies, lounges, huge comfy chairs, a sunflower garden, and could have cheap showers and hotel beds….and this is an airport!

Once in Kathmandu we stopped into Drift Nepal to deliver some goods we brought, and were told our next 3 weeks were already planned. And they didn’t even know we were coming!

First we did a 1 day tour of the “highlights” of the city, including the Hindu funeral area, where they cremate the dead and then sweep everything into the river. Sounds wrong to watch, but was more educational and a view into their culture. We also saw temples, squares and experienced crazy driving!

Next we did an 8 day trip down the Son Kosi river, a high volume river that grows as 7 other major rivers join, including the Dudha Kosi from Everest. The water was warm, and fun, nothing too crazy except a class IV-V rapid which we portaged; our Nepali friend/guide had lost his life there a few weeks earlier.

We had a small ceremony at the rapid and then a major party that night in his honor. Traveling down the river we expected a more wild and scenic experience, but it was much more cultural. We floated by hundreds of villages up on the steep hills. Thinking about it I realized people have lived here for such a long time, of course they are everywhere, and have terraced the steep hills, and domesticated much of the wildlife…this is how they’ve survived. It was amazing to see, visit and to talk with the locals.

After the trip we took a 12 hour bus ride to Chitwan (saw river dolphin while crossing the dam between Nepal and India) and then relaxed for 2 days in Chitwan, a National Park, where we saw amazing endangered alligators on a canoe ride, and rhinos on a pretty fun elephant ride.

An exhilarating 7 hour bus ride brought us to Phokara, a town at the base of the Annapurna Mountains. Here we ran around getting trekking permits, food, kerosene, etc. The night before we left we went out with some American and Nepali friends (all raft guides) and had quite a late night. The next morning at 4:30 am we woke to pack, catch a taxi and go get a bus, which was to take us to our trekking beginning. Unfortunately Jason, in his haze, forgot his shoes and water in the taxi, which dropped us off over an hour earlier. Sadly his shoes have special orthodics for his broken feet, so we spent the next hour tracking down the taxi and then getting ourselves to our destination (via taxi, local bus and jeep).

Next up the Annapurnas…
Hope this finds you all well.
Namaste
Chels