Hi all
I am presently in Chitwan National Park in Nepal. It is a really beautiful and amazing place, not least of all because yesterday I managed to bicycle 16 kms through the countryside to visit the elephant breeding ground. Considering I hadn't been on a bicycle for an embarrassingly long time I was pretty impressed. I was a bit wobbly at first and amused all the locals and the tour group with my yelps I became quite proficient. Must say though that the bumpy road has left my butt really rather sore. But then everyone else on the group feels the same way. Most of the group are in their mid 20's with about 3 in their mid 30's so I reckon I am doing pretty well.
the elephants breeding place was interesting and the baby elephants very sweet. I got some good photos and a short video of 2 baby elephants playing together.
The countryside and villages are picturesque and much cleaner than Kathmandu. It was a 6 hour bus ride to get here. The countryside for the first 2 hours was a bit like Sapa in Vietnam with terraced farms and deep valleys. We also got some view of Annapurna as we drove along.
As the highway is only 2 lanes there was some nervousness by us passengers every now and then as the bus overtook other vehicles on the winding mountain roads, dodging large trucks etc but the mini bus seemed to have pretty reliable brakes.
Last night we went to a food and music festival just next door to our resort. It was a bit like the sort of thing you get at home except that the food was all nepalese, and delicious, and the music and dancing was nepalese, including a nepalese pop star that really got the large local audience bopping.
The resort we are staying in is set in gardens with little cottages for guest rooms. It even has hot water most of the time unlike in Kathmandu which only seemed to have cold water. A brisk start to the day when the temp is about 6 degrees. So far all the food has been delicious and the coffee strong, adn the chai good.
Today we head into the jungle, first by canoe where we look out for crocodiles, then by foot for 6 hours where we look out for tigers, leopards and rhino. The rhino are the most likely we will see and they are considered dangerous. about 1 person per month is killed by them from what I can tell from the stories. We will also see porcupine, monkeys, langurs, sloth bears , lots of birds etc. Hopefully anyway, it would be disappointing not to see anything. We stay overnight in the jungle and return tomorrow. Then we have an elephant safari in the style of the raj - they even have pictures from early 1900's of tiger hunts from elephants on the walls in the restaurant. I gather there is a much better chance of seeing rhino from the elephants.
we are having a new years eve bbq and party here which should be fun.
To Ellie
How was the flight? Did you get there without delays? Is the hotel nice? Have you been to your favourite sourdough place? are they having sales in the right shops? I will get back on the internet after my elephant riding tomorrow afternoon (31 Jan). I hope it all goes well for you . Make sure Ian drives safely when you go to Yosemite. Remember he will be a bit nervous and uncertain when he starts driving due to being on the wrong side of the road. Make sure he ends up on the right side when you go around corners.
I love you dearly and think of you often.
I hope you see lots of critters at Yosemite
love mum
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
a day in Kathmandu
Hi all
Here is the next instalment from Kathmandu. I met with the group and our guide last night. There are currently 9 of us but another girl is joining us tomorrow. 4 are from the UK and the rest are Australians, only 2 men. The guide is from Rajastan and is very helpful and interesting to talk to. I am learning a few useful Hindi and Urdu words to use.
We went to a restaurant last night which obviously gets a lot of tourists and trekkers, it was covered in notes from trekkers and everest climbers. Best of all the food was good - especially if you chose nepali or indian style food.
Today we went for a tour of the major Kathmandu Budhist temples - both were really amazing and big. the first nicknamed the monkey temple because of all the monkeys that live around it is on a hill overlooking the city. We had a nepalese guide with us to explain everything, only he had such a very quiet voice so we all kept individually going up to him to ask the same questions. Obviously he has no idea how quietly he speaks and just thinks that we are all very poor listeners. The monkeys were all over the place but weren't threatening. There were also lots of dogs, pigeons and kites. Around the temple buildings are monastries and little shops and stalls. I seem to attract street sellers like i do mosquitoes, they buzz around me with a persistence which is astounding. Eventually I bought a couple of bracelets, a rather interesting incense holder and a necklace which hopefully will have been enough karma for turning down the music bowls and tiger games etc etc from all the other sellers.
The other temple we visited was very large and circular with other temples and monastries surrounding it and again shops and stalls. the others in the tour group don't seem to attract the sellers like I do. Obviously I am a standout sucker. the Budhist temples are much better maintained than the Hindu ones in Kathmandu. \They have lovely colourful paintings on them and amazing prayer rolls. I have rolled a few prayers.
The streets are very narrow here and cars, motor bikes, cycles and people sort of dance around each other to get anywhere with the occasional traffic jam with lots of horns blaring. Sometimes it feels a bit like a movie set for Indiana Jones or some such.
I did some shopping this afternoon with Rita my roomie. Later when I went to change some money I got lost which was a bit freaky. I eventually got a cyclo to take me back to the hotel. So all was well.
the weather is quite pleasantly warm during the day but gets really cold at night. Luckily I have all the right clothes and now i even have a new pashmina jumper and some Yak shawls.
We head off to Chatwin National Park tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing the countryside. I shall post more from there.
\Ellie best of luck with your flight tomorrow, I hope there are no delays. Have fun in San Francisco and Yosemite. I hope there are plenty of good sales for you , especially at abercrombie and fitch. I love you and miss you. take care
love to all
Cathy
Here is the next instalment from Kathmandu. I met with the group and our guide last night. There are currently 9 of us but another girl is joining us tomorrow. 4 are from the UK and the rest are Australians, only 2 men. The guide is from Rajastan and is very helpful and interesting to talk to. I am learning a few useful Hindi and Urdu words to use.
We went to a restaurant last night which obviously gets a lot of tourists and trekkers, it was covered in notes from trekkers and everest climbers. Best of all the food was good - especially if you chose nepali or indian style food.
Today we went for a tour of the major Kathmandu Budhist temples - both were really amazing and big. the first nicknamed the monkey temple because of all the monkeys that live around it is on a hill overlooking the city. We had a nepalese guide with us to explain everything, only he had such a very quiet voice so we all kept individually going up to him to ask the same questions. Obviously he has no idea how quietly he speaks and just thinks that we are all very poor listeners. The monkeys were all over the place but weren't threatening. There were also lots of dogs, pigeons and kites. Around the temple buildings are monastries and little shops and stalls. I seem to attract street sellers like i do mosquitoes, they buzz around me with a persistence which is astounding. Eventually I bought a couple of bracelets, a rather interesting incense holder and a necklace which hopefully will have been enough karma for turning down the music bowls and tiger games etc etc from all the other sellers.
The other temple we visited was very large and circular with other temples and monastries surrounding it and again shops and stalls. the others in the tour group don't seem to attract the sellers like I do. Obviously I am a standout sucker. the Budhist temples are much better maintained than the Hindu ones in Kathmandu. \They have lovely colourful paintings on them and amazing prayer rolls. I have rolled a few prayers.
The streets are very narrow here and cars, motor bikes, cycles and people sort of dance around each other to get anywhere with the occasional traffic jam with lots of horns blaring. Sometimes it feels a bit like a movie set for Indiana Jones or some such.
I did some shopping this afternoon with Rita my roomie. Later when I went to change some money I got lost which was a bit freaky. I eventually got a cyclo to take me back to the hotel. So all was well.
the weather is quite pleasantly warm during the day but gets really cold at night. Luckily I have all the right clothes and now i even have a new pashmina jumper and some Yak shawls.
We head off to Chatwin National Park tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing the countryside. I shall post more from there.
\Ellie best of luck with your flight tomorrow, I hope there are no delays. Have fun in San Francisco and Yosemite. I hope there are plenty of good sales for you , especially at abercrombie and fitch. I love you and miss you. take care
love to all
Cathy
Saturday, December 27, 2008
kathmandu arrival
Hi all
I have arrived safely in Kathmandu. My mobile phone does not seem to have a carrier here so cannot communicate via phone. Hopefully I will be able to in India.
\the flight here was good and when we got near we were able to see the himalayas and everest from the plane windows as we flew along. Absolutely amazing. \we also had someone collapse during our flight but there were three doctors on board so it was all ok. Nepal is a very easy country to enter as they just wave you through immigration and customs in a very pleasant manner.
Vietnam was good training for here - though Vietnam is in much better shape. Kathmandu has lots of crumbling buildings and the roads are narrow and not in great shape. Also as the streets are narrow and there are not really any footpaths you just have to walk casually along so the cars and bikes drive around you. Ellie they love to toot their horns all the time just like in Hanoi.
You will be proud of the way I managed to say 'no' when many people wanted to give me tours around the temples in Durbar square, and sell me stuff and have me go in their cyclos.
The incredible thing is all the things you see that are just like the photos in books and brochures, the holy men walking around with robes and beards etc. \the range of people and clothes etc is fascinating and you can't help but feel like you really have landed in some documentary. the carvings on buildings are amazing but the buildings themselves haven't been very well looked after. I have some good photos of all kinds of things. There are all kinds of wierd and wonderful things to buy, like pashminas and statues, and paintings and scimitars of differing sizes and carvings etc etc.
The hotel is quite nice and in a very convenient spot. I have met one of the other tour group people so far, my roomie, and will be meeting the rest in the next half hour.
I shall try to post some more tomorrow.
I am writing this in the hotel bar and they haven't turned the lights on so it is not possible to read the keyboard.
I tried some nepalese tea earlier - it is milky and tastes quite sweet but not bad, only problem is that it gets a skin on top if you leave it to sit.
must go, take care.
love to all especially my Ellie.
Cathy
I have arrived safely in Kathmandu. My mobile phone does not seem to have a carrier here so cannot communicate via phone. Hopefully I will be able to in India.
\the flight here was good and when we got near we were able to see the himalayas and everest from the plane windows as we flew along. Absolutely amazing. \we also had someone collapse during our flight but there were three doctors on board so it was all ok. Nepal is a very easy country to enter as they just wave you through immigration and customs in a very pleasant manner.
Vietnam was good training for here - though Vietnam is in much better shape. Kathmandu has lots of crumbling buildings and the roads are narrow and not in great shape. Also as the streets are narrow and there are not really any footpaths you just have to walk casually along so the cars and bikes drive around you. Ellie they love to toot their horns all the time just like in Hanoi.
You will be proud of the way I managed to say 'no' when many people wanted to give me tours around the temples in Durbar square, and sell me stuff and have me go in their cyclos.
The incredible thing is all the things you see that are just like the photos in books and brochures, the holy men walking around with robes and beards etc. \the range of people and clothes etc is fascinating and you can't help but feel like you really have landed in some documentary. the carvings on buildings are amazing but the buildings themselves haven't been very well looked after. I have some good photos of all kinds of things. There are all kinds of wierd and wonderful things to buy, like pashminas and statues, and paintings and scimitars of differing sizes and carvings etc etc.
The hotel is quite nice and in a very convenient spot. I have met one of the other tour group people so far, my roomie, and will be meeting the rest in the next half hour.
I shall try to post some more tomorrow.
I am writing this in the hotel bar and they haven't turned the lights on so it is not possible to read the keyboard.
I tried some nepalese tea earlier - it is milky and tastes quite sweet but not bad, only problem is that it gets a skin on top if you leave it to sit.
must go, take care.
love to all especially my Ellie.
Cathy
Friday, December 26, 2008
more on Changi airport
Hi all
Well I head off to catch my plane to Kathmandu in a few minutes so here a few last observations. I have bought a wonderful headrest that also acts as a neck massager. This will be useful throughout my travels considering I will be sleeping in such a variety of places and modes of transport.
The other thing I wanted to bring to your attention was to do with the little luggage trolleys and the toilets. They have these very cute little trolleys for wheeling your carry on baggage around while you are in transit - I am sure this encourages more spending as you aren't weighed down by your bags. Anyway the other marvellous thing is that the little trolleys even fit in with you in the toilet cubicles so you don't have to unload your stuff to bring it in with you or leave it out there with the possibility of someone running off with it or thinking it is something untoward and sending in the sniffer dogs.
If you are lucky I will provide a toilet revue along with the other stories in my travels.
that's all for now.
love Cathy
Well I head off to catch my plane to Kathmandu in a few minutes so here a few last observations. I have bought a wonderful headrest that also acts as a neck massager. This will be useful throughout my travels considering I will be sleeping in such a variety of places and modes of transport.
The other thing I wanted to bring to your attention was to do with the little luggage trolleys and the toilets. They have these very cute little trolleys for wheeling your carry on baggage around while you are in transit - I am sure this encourages more spending as you aren't weighed down by your bags. Anyway the other marvellous thing is that the little trolleys even fit in with you in the toilet cubicles so you don't have to unload your stuff to bring it in with you or leave it out there with the possibility of someone running off with it or thinking it is something untoward and sending in the sniffer dogs.
If you are lucky I will provide a toilet revue along with the other stories in my travels.
that's all for now.
love Cathy
Changi Airport Singapore
Hi everyone,
well I have started my journey and am now at Changi airport. It is about 5.30am Singapore time and about 8.30am Sydney time I think. 5.30am is obviously tooo early for anyone as even at this busy airport very little is open yet, but it is gradually all opening up.
The flight here reminded me how uncomfortable it is to try and sleep in an upright chair - sure you can lay the seat back but the person in front does to so you are just enclosed at a different angle to the upright one.
I have about 3 hours till my next flight so will spend it window shopping. There are endless shops here to wander through. They probably all sell the same stuff but it is set out a little differently in each to give the impression of there being an extensive array of goods.
Interesting point to note re toilets; they have 3 sorts in the womens ( I haven't actually checked out the mens and don't intend to) - a child size one, a regular one and a squat style with their being more of the regular sort. I suggest this is because they are the most used. While I waited despite a variety of nationalities coming into these toilets not one person chose to use the squat one. I reckon the squat ones are for the really avid fitness freaks who use it like an exercise opportunity. The squat and hold.
The shops are now opening their doors so I am going to start my window shopping tour. I reckon you can buy just about anything here. But because I will have to carry it all for the next 2 weeks I am going to wait to buy anything till my return journey.
However Mickey and Minny Mouse will be doing a performance sometime which may be amusing.
Ah the chocolate shop is open. must go
love Cathy
well I have started my journey and am now at Changi airport. It is about 5.30am Singapore time and about 8.30am Sydney time I think. 5.30am is obviously tooo early for anyone as even at this busy airport very little is open yet, but it is gradually all opening up.
The flight here reminded me how uncomfortable it is to try and sleep in an upright chair - sure you can lay the seat back but the person in front does to so you are just enclosed at a different angle to the upright one.
I have about 3 hours till my next flight so will spend it window shopping. There are endless shops here to wander through. They probably all sell the same stuff but it is set out a little differently in each to give the impression of there being an extensive array of goods.
Interesting point to note re toilets; they have 3 sorts in the womens ( I haven't actually checked out the mens and don't intend to) - a child size one, a regular one and a squat style with their being more of the regular sort. I suggest this is because they are the most used. While I waited despite a variety of nationalities coming into these toilets not one person chose to use the squat one. I reckon the squat ones are for the really avid fitness freaks who use it like an exercise opportunity. The squat and hold.
The shops are now opening their doors so I am going to start my window shopping tour. I reckon you can buy just about anything here. But because I will have to carry it all for the next 2 weeks I am going to wait to buy anything till my return journey.
However Mickey and Minny Mouse will be doing a performance sometime which may be amusing.
Ah the chocolate shop is open. must go
love Cathy
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