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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Mar 17, 2014 08:00 PM The Mustang dream came true...
Home, sweet home...
Public bus 110 took me from Gdansk airport to the city... Then I was walking some 2 kms to my conctrete block.
Another great trip is completed! My dream about seeing legendary Mustang came true... I found it fascinating place... And due to the harsh conditions this will be one my top travellers achievements. It is hard to imagine now sitting in the warm flat that somwhere there I spent days walking and climbing snowy paths to the level of 4000 - in the strong sun and wind, sleeping in the primitive bhattis with no heating, no running water and poor hygiene.
But what a views! How different culture!
I brought few hours of video recording, more then 1000 pictures... Now it is the time to prepare them for publication.
And time ti think about the next expedition. The world is so exciting!
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Mar 16, 2014 08:00 PM Bye - bye Nepal!
Sorry - it is time to say goodbye to the Himalaya and Nepal.
Due to the Holi Day I was forced to take a junk taxi to get from the Guesthouse to the airport. It cost 500 rs - like 5 USD!
Kathmandu airport is famous fot its strong (I do not want to say: stupid) security control. You and your pack will be controlled 3 times on the way to the plane. Since they do not have advanced equipment you will be the subject of palpation in three places - fortunately the ladies have their separate line! :)
I had connection in Delhi airport, forced to spend there a night in the transit zone (without visa - op to 24 hours!).
At the gate 17 of terminal 3 they have funny boxes to sleep (charging 10 USD per hour - worth to use is you are really tired - no water, bring your earplugs due to permanent announcements... Lufthansa plane to Munich departed on time... Beer is free...
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Mar 15, 2014 08:00 PM Patan and Holi Festival in Nepal
Patan -the third royal city in Kathmandu Valley lies closer then Bhaktapur. It is walking distance - like an hour walk from Thamel south. Otherwise you can take a public bus paying only 15 rs each way.The old Patan is located on the hill. Nice Durbar Square with pagodas and palace is on both side of the old street. There is a lot to photograph. Old citizens are sitting in the shadow of the palace -just sit along, be discret and soon you will have a nice collection of characters... I took also ladies selling offering flowers...
Already yesterday on the streets they were selling paints in powder,, baloons to be filled with water and so on. Today it is Holi -on this day they are spraying each other with color water, they paint also their faces and lough... I do hope I'll survive clean...
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Mar 14, 2014 08:00 PM Royal Bhaktapur
There were 3 royal cities in the Valley of Kathmandu: Kathmandu, Bakhtapur and Patan. I decided to go today to Bakhtapur, to see the chanhges after 27 years...
There is junk public bus going when full but first you have to find in KTM what they call Bakhtapur Bus Park. Go south Kantipath until you will see in all distance a clock tower. Bus park is in the back street behind the tower. Ticket for 20 km journey costs only 25 rs - a quarter of dollar, but you have to be patient -due to the traffic congestions it can take even 1,5 h.
They will show you whwre to get off. Then you can climb up to the old part of the town and again if you fill rich you will be catched and pressed to buy the ticket for 1500 rs. Budget travellers schould go left and take the second alley to the righgt. It will take you through the maze of old passages to the heart of the old city - the Durbar Square.
Listed on the Unesco World Heritage List it is great place to spend few hours. Do not rush! Enjoy the beauty of tallest Nepal pagoda Nyatapola, 55 Windows Royal Palace, the biggest Nepal Siwa lingam is also here!
But on the Bhaktapur Durbar there is less real life then in KTM. More lively is located bit south Pottery Square, where they produce the ceramics - really worth to see...
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Mar 13, 2014 08:00 PM Avoid the beaten path - it costs money!
The most interesting area of Kathmandu is around Durbar Square. It was declared The World Heritage Monument by Unesco. Go south along Thamel Marg and you will see at the end a statue of the king or general on the little roundabout. If you will turn right here you will see first Pagoda of Durbar in front of you. Locals took this way free, but you-the foreigner - will be stopped and asked to pay 750 rs entry fee. Sure, you can pay if you feel rich enough. But if you are on the budget it is better to continue straight at the statue and then take second lane to the right. Through the maze of back alleys you will come to the same Durbar and nobody will bother you except vendors and guides.
The temples of Durbar are exceptional - also due to their perfect woodcarving. Daily life goes around so it is worth to spend there hours enjoying the theatrum...
If you will come early (am) you will have a chance to see Kumari - the living goddess of Nepal. Just enter the beautifully carved Kumari house (free) and wait. I have been in Kathmandu 3 times but now for the first time I was lucky to see Kumari in the window. Cameras are not allowed and this pretty little girl was rather bored... Anyway -I saw the goddess!
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Mar 12, 2014 08:00 PM The dark side of Kathmandu
Today's Nepal has a great shortage of electric power. They are forced to cut off the supply for many hours each day. I expected that it applies only to the province, but now I know that also the capital is affected. Most of the people here do not know the schedule, but I investigated the problem and here is valuable info for you:
On Sunday you can expect the power till 8am and then18 to 23h
Mon till 6am and then13-17 and after 22
Tue till 5am and 12-15 and after 21h
Wed till 4am and 10-14 and after19h
Thu 9-13 and after 18h
Fri till 10am and 17-19h
Sat till 9am and 15-18h also after 23h
But this is only the theory... just a guideline.
In Kathmandu I stay in Potala Tourist Home in side alley from Tridevi Marg - just 100 m from lengendary Thamel. It is very good location and they charge only 10 USD per room with bath. Book via booking.com -
After arrival it is still possible to negociate the price and to make the choice of the most convenient room. Beds here are hard like in China, but it could be good for your backbone after elephant riding :)
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Mar 11, 2014 08:00 PM Elephant bath for just 1 dollar!
Sauraha town on the edge of Chitwan National Park has one more attraction for the foreign tourists: elephant can make your bath for just 100 rs -1$. If you like such an experience you have to come to the Rapti river beach around 10 am. Elephants with their guides are waiting. They are coming to make their daily bath. But tourists are welcome to jump on their neck , animal walk into the water and then you will be sprayed many times from its tube. All for rs 100!
Today I go to Kathmandu by bus. Tipical price is 650 rs for 6-hours journey. Do not expext luxury but itbis worth to take a seat on the left side for the great views of the rivers and green mountains...
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Mar 10, 2014 08:00 PM Riding the elephant in Chitwan
As far as I remember last time I was ridinng the elephant in 1975 going to the fortress of Amber in India. But here they offer jungle walk on the bach of elephant - quite a new experiance for only 1250 rs = 13 $ per 2 hours. So why not? They offer two options in the park or outside the park. Second is longer -2 hours and you are not pressed to pay extra for the park permit (1500 rs). I signed for the second and they pick me by van at 8 am. After 20 min ride on the outskirts of Sauraha we boarded elephants (4 persons and a guide per animal) and started the jungle walk. Not many animals on the route: just deers, monkeys, peacocks - I did not expect that they fly!
Streams, little hills and holes - The all-terrain elephant experience was quite bumpy so must tell you that I was happy to dissembark this vehicle after 2 hours... It is worth to try anyway -once in the lifetime!
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Mar 09, 2014 08:00 PM Tracking rhinos in Nepal
Chitwan national Park is famous for the rhinos -about 500 of them live in the park. In Sauraha you will find many agencies offering safari tours to the park. Tipical prices at the cheapest ones are: 1250 rs for one hour canoe trip plus 3h jungle wallk back to Sauraha, 1350 for half day jeep safari departing in the afternoon. They pay 95 rs per dollar at the moment. You have to add 1500 rs for your park permit - per day. So it is worth to combine two tours in one day to awoid another permit payment.
It was quite cold at 7am when I jumped into dugout canoe. There were picturesque fogg on the river. During one hour sailing I saw one crocodile and a lot of water birds. Then we disembarked on the park side(river Rapti forms the park boundary) with two obligatory guides and started our jungle walk. First I saw a nice dead deer hunted during the night by tiger (120 tigers live in the park). Sorry it was partly eaten...Then we had a chance to see big rhino.
After lunch I crossed the river again in the canoe and with 10 other travellers boarded comfy, open jeep to drive some 20 kms to the park HQ and back. On the way we were lucky to see another rhino, bears, monkeys and crocs. At the park quarters there is a crocodile nursery - paying extra 100 rs you can see them of different ages - adults are up to 6 m long. Great, sunny day!
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Mar 08, 2014 08:00 PM Where elephants walk the street...
Kathmandu and Pokhara are two main tourist destinations in Nepal. But thre is also the third - less popular: Chitwan National Park. Due to the demand they established special "tourist" bus services between them. Paying 3 dollars more you can expect slightly more comfort. Since I have long legs I thought it will be worth...
Bus departed from Pokhara on time. After some 3 hours we changed the bus at the roadside motel in Mugling. Then we turned south and I had a chance to enjoy the great views of the Kali Gandaki valley.
After 6 hours drive we landed in the little town of Sauraha - just at the gate of the park. I was surprised seeing elephants walking along the main street. I hope to ride them tomorrow or the day after...
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