Well well...
...normality is starting to catch up with me. I've been back for just over a week and have settled back in. Sorting all the photos and videos has turned into a full time job, but I'm pretty much done now. Now that I'm back I wish more than anything to head off again, and have already started loosely planning what I'm doing next. One thing is for sure, I need to get out of this town to somewhere a bit more heavily populated, the atmosphere is this place is stagnant and there's nowt for me here now that I need in any sort of abundance.
But that's enough moaning..... so the trip?
Even though I was only in Nepal for two weeks, the experiance has completely knocked me for six. I have never felt as alive as I did whilst I was there and I definately feel like a different person coming back.
After a bit of a hairy overnight flight and almost getting stuck at Delhi airport, I finally made it to Kathmandu. Here I meet the rest of my GAP Adventures group who I would be traveling with for most of the trip. They were all ace people and it was a pleasure to share their company on this asian adventure.
The first day we visited the Durbar Sq in Bhaktapur, walking amoungst the backstreets, shrines, temples and pagodas was something else! After lunch we headed back to Kathmandu to see the Bodhnath Stupa, a huge Bhuddist stupa surrounded by prayer wheels and temples.
The next day we drove through the Kathmandu valley to Pokhara, where we'd sleep the night before heading off into the Annapurna range for some trekking. Pokhara sits by some gorgeous mountain lakes and the atmosphere here was a lot more chilled and laid back compared to the capital.
From pokhara we drove to Naya'pul in the Annapurnas. This was the first time I'd been trekking, excluding some hiking I did at a young age. At first it seemed quite easy, the first day had the highest ascent and by lunch it seemed we'd be done early. Unfortunately after lunch we had 700m of uneven stone steps to contend with. Despite being a smoker I was still one of the first to reach our guest house at 1900m, where we ate and got some much needed rest. Waking the next day to a clear sky and an awesome view of the mountains, I actually forgot it was my birthday!! Upon soming to my senses we trekked along the foothills to some hot springs to relax for a while, before heading to the next guest house. Once here we built a fire, ate and then I recieved a Bhuddist blessing and a makeshift birthday cake.......best birthday ever! The following two days saw more trekking through the foothills. Though the constant going up and down was quite harsh on my poor westerner body, I was glad to have done it and want to do more of this sort of thing.
After the trekking was over we had time to wash up before heading south to Chitwan National Park, where we stayed in a safari lodge. We were only here for two nights, but in the full day available we safari'd on elephant back, washed the elephants in the river, canoed through a croc infested river, walked through the forest, visted the elephant breeding centre and were treated to a show of local tribal dancing. If I had one day in my life I could relive over and over, that would currently be first choice.
After Chitwan is was back to Kathmandu, where I bid my companions goodbye and hung around the city for a few more days. Originally I'd tried to book a tattoo, but unfortunately the only place I'd really trust could not fit me in. Whilst in the city I did a few touristy bits, hired a rickshaw to just drive me around whilst I took photos, visited Kathmandus Durbar Sq where I got ripped off by a guide named Rizel. I really wanted to visit the Monkey Temple too, but alas Whilst checking my emails for the first time in a while, I found my flight home had been cancelled. Getting a new flight home was a bit of an adventure in itself, and I ended up booking my flight in some backstreet travel agent where they spoke very little english and I was sure I'd end up losing my passport and credit card. Luckily everything came up milhouse and I made it back safely.
Like I said earlier, now I'm back and a bit miserable for being here. The good thing is I know what's out there now and that I can go experience it for myself. My nexts steps are first to move into London for a change of scenery, and then plan my next trip. Next time I want to do a bigger trek, perhaps Annpurna base camp, with a vist to Tibet to cap it off. I guess I'll just have to wait and see about that
Below are some of the 2.3k pics I took (only 10 here though as not to bore you) and a small vid too which shows soem of the highlights.
That's all, peace out.
...normality is starting to catch up with me. I've been back for just over a week and have settled back in. Sorting all the photos and videos has turned into a full time job, but I'm pretty much done now. Now that I'm back I wish more than anything to head off again, and have already started loosely planning what I'm doing next. One thing is for sure, I need to get out of this town to somewhere a bit more heavily populated, the atmosphere is this place is stagnant and there's nowt for me here now that I need in any sort of abundance.
But that's enough moaning..... so the trip?
Even though I was only in Nepal for two weeks, the experiance has completely knocked me for six. I have never felt as alive as I did whilst I was there and I definately feel like a different person coming back.
After a bit of a hairy overnight flight and almost getting stuck at Delhi airport, I finally made it to Kathmandu. Here I meet the rest of my GAP Adventures group who I would be traveling with for most of the trip. They were all ace people and it was a pleasure to share their company on this asian adventure.
The first day we visited the Durbar Sq in Bhaktapur, walking amoungst the backstreets, shrines, temples and pagodas was something else! After lunch we headed back to Kathmandu to see the Bodhnath Stupa, a huge Bhuddist stupa surrounded by prayer wheels and temples.
The next day we drove through the Kathmandu valley to Pokhara, where we'd sleep the night before heading off into the Annapurna range for some trekking. Pokhara sits by some gorgeous mountain lakes and the atmosphere here was a lot more chilled and laid back compared to the capital.
From pokhara we drove to Naya'pul in the Annapurnas. This was the first time I'd been trekking, excluding some hiking I did at a young age. At first it seemed quite easy, the first day had the highest ascent and by lunch it seemed we'd be done early. Unfortunately after lunch we had 700m of uneven stone steps to contend with. Despite being a smoker I was still one of the first to reach our guest house at 1900m, where we ate and got some much needed rest. Waking the next day to a clear sky and an awesome view of the mountains, I actually forgot it was my birthday!! Upon soming to my senses we trekked along the foothills to some hot springs to relax for a while, before heading to the next guest house. Once here we built a fire, ate and then I recieved a Bhuddist blessing and a makeshift birthday cake.......best birthday ever! The following two days saw more trekking through the foothills. Though the constant going up and down was quite harsh on my poor westerner body, I was glad to have done it and want to do more of this sort of thing.
After the trekking was over we had time to wash up before heading south to Chitwan National Park, where we stayed in a safari lodge. We were only here for two nights, but in the full day available we safari'd on elephant back, washed the elephants in the river, canoed through a croc infested river, walked through the forest, visted the elephant breeding centre and were treated to a show of local tribal dancing. If I had one day in my life I could relive over and over, that would currently be first choice.
After Chitwan is was back to Kathmandu, where I bid my companions goodbye and hung around the city for a few more days. Originally I'd tried to book a tattoo, but unfortunately the only place I'd really trust could not fit me in. Whilst in the city I did a few touristy bits, hired a rickshaw to just drive me around whilst I took photos, visited Kathmandus Durbar Sq where I got ripped off by a guide named Rizel. I really wanted to visit the Monkey Temple too, but alas Whilst checking my emails for the first time in a while, I found my flight home had been cancelled. Getting a new flight home was a bit of an adventure in itself, and I ended up booking my flight in some backstreet travel agent where they spoke very little english and I was sure I'd end up losing my passport and credit card. Luckily everything came up milhouse and I made it back safely.
Like I said earlier, now I'm back and a bit miserable for being here. The good thing is I know what's out there now and that I can go experience it for myself. My nexts steps are first to move into London for a change of scenery, and then plan my next trip. Next time I want to do a bigger trek, perhaps Annpurna base camp, with a vist to Tibet to cap it off. I guess I'll just have to wait and see about that
Below are some of the 2.3k pics I took (only 10 here though as not to bore you) and a small vid too which shows soem of the highlights.
That's all, peace out.