Trip to Sauraha

Woke early after not being ablle to watch the football!Our tv reception was not working in the hotel!Switched on BBC world and heard the result,couldn't believe it. Especially as we scored 2 in the final minutes. We have struggled to score 2 goals in 90 mins let alone the last 3!!!
Very happy and spent some time after breakfast reading the reports.
Taxi was due to arrive at 10 am but didn't turn up till . Had an issue with the original driver due to Tihar(holiday). Finally got under way and saw quite a different side to Kathmandu. Much more residential, some very poor areas, some prosperous by their standards, brick built with 2 floors and less dust!!!!

Drive was adventurous to say the least. Very little traffic due to holiday, unlike UK when everyone hits the roads on a Bank Holiday. Most people would be spending time with their families. Toady is the day for sisters to show their love for their brothers. Brothers have to give a gift in return.
The roads were very hilly and twisting. Our driver was doing approx 60 mph! Always tooting his horn, this means I am coming, move out the way, let me pass! They do not use wing mirrors here at all!

We passsed through village after village, some only a few houses by the roadside. Constant stream of people walking along the road in both directions. Seems the Nepalese are either: walking, waiting or working!
Stopped at a roadside cafe and had a natural break and a snack. Toilet here was a squat one (hole in the ground), fill a bucket and swish the water around. Have to say very clean, not to everyone's taste but normal for out here in the country.
After our stop the journey took on a fresh dimension! Due to the monsoon rains some of the road had been washed away. It got very bumpy, potholes like you have never seen. It meant we had to go slow, something our driver didn't relish.
I have to say I do not know how the tyres, steering and transmission stand up to this kind of treatment. Definitely could have had a 4x4. anyway the terrain got flatter and the temperature started to rise. Roads still bad, but due to get a lot worse!
As we approached the towns near to Sauraha everything became poorer. Mudhuts in abundance, even people living in tents!
The roads went from tarmac with potholes to potholes with potholes!! It was really slow and bumpy. At one stage to get away from it we drove across some grass. Smoothest bit of the journey in this area.
Here everyone has a pushbike, richer people have a motorbike and millionaires have a car!
Ox carts and horse drawn carts everywhere, as well as goats, chickns and of course cows. However here comes the real surprise!! We were driving down the road when a huge great elelphant came lumbering towards us!
Of course we got out of the way.

Finally arrived at Rhino Lodge and got checked into our rooms. Upstairs with a nice view.
Met Keshab, Ramsharam's brother, a really nice guy. Very pleased to see Sue and started to update her re the children,especially the ones who have needed medical treatment (3 of them).
This guy does a tremendous amount of charity work , puts us all to shame really. He hasn't got much, but gives a lot of what he earns to the charity.
He showed us around the shop where the items the women from the Women's Project are sold. Profits ploughed back into helping them.
This guy has just bought 2 camels. They are the only camels in Nepal! He got them from India, they walked here and it took them 2 weeks.
He plans to raise money charging for rides and photos.

Everything here is very simple, lots of lodges for safaris to the jungle.
We went and had a drink by the river at sunset, then to a restaurant for a meal. They are all open and the roofs are made of straw. Dimly lit of course but the food is very cheap and good quality.

Got back to hotel approx 8.30, very tired. Went to internet cafe, mailed Sandra, finally got to bed approx 10 pm. Aircon in room wasn't working, so used the mosquito net as a precaution. Very wierd sleeping under a net, havoc when you go to the loo in case a mozzie gets in.

Chill out day 29th Oct

Woke up this morning, feeling fine???? Seems like a good line for a song!!!!!

Had a good nights sleep, even thougfh I fell asleep late due to reading.

This was always going to be a relaxing chillout day before we travel to Sauraha.Went shopping,ordered our pashminas. Best quality 4 ply for 1100 rupees,approx 10 Pounds Sterling.These sell for 150 Pounds in London!!!

Wandered around Kathmandu,had coffee in Pilgrim"s.Very famous book store here. It sells everything, even has a cafe.I think this is where Borders got their idea from!!
You can imagine that this was the meeting place for all those hippies from the late 60's /70's.May have to buy something from here before I leave.
Part of the ritual Sandra and I have is that we buy a fridge magnet wherever we travel. I have to be careful about which one I buy. If it is of a tanka (religious painting of a god),or the all seeing eye(Bhuddism) she will think I have been converted!!
Guess I should stick to one of the Annapurna range!
Visited an internet cafe sight several times today, miss hearing Sandra's voice.E mail is great but nothing like hearing the sound of the person you love.
The family read the blog last night, Sandra was at her sisters. Molly, my 14 year old niece, could not get over the Sadhu who will never sit down for 14 years. That is as old as she is!!! Mind you Molly is always lying down on the sofa, so standing for 1 hour is a pain!
Also mailed several friends,just to update them. Internet is really cheap here.1 pupee a min is expensive!.So a great way to stay in touch.

The lotus flower has been completed,it is really beautiful and pics have been taken.

This evening we went to a place to eat called Kilroy's.This has been here since 1998. The food is great and the service wonderful. Everyone has eaten here from HRH, Presidents, Prime Ministers and their wives!),A-list film and music stars,plus David Seaman!!!!!
I had Irish stew, can you believe.I haven't had that in Ireland and have travelled all the way here to taste it.Must admit it was superb!! Only 3000 rupee for 3 with drinks and afters. Approx 29 pounds.

Back to the hotel,festival still in full swing.Was offered hash several times this eve, must be the best way to enjoy 9 days of festival.Of course I refused!
Am planning to watch the match tonight, if I can get it on ESPN.It will not kick off till 1.45 am local, must ensure I stay awake.

Will need to pack tonight as we set out for Sauraha approx 10 am tomorrow morning. Trip takes approx 6 hours in a taxi.We will stop along the way, some may be forced, bad road, elephant,cow,toliet break etc.Others will be by choice, eat,drink and photo opportunity.
Off to bed now ,all I can say is COYS!

3rd day

Hi, have been in Kathmandu for several day now and have grown accustomed to the place. Still lots of noise and hassle but you come to accept it.

Spent the morning with Ramsharam in his office discussing the next few days in Sauraha. He has planned a elephant safari, plus a trip in a dugout canoe. He has really been great, such a nice guy. He cannot do enough for you and I would really recommend anyone visiting this part of the world to contact him to arrange all you need to do.
He is travelling to Sauraha on Weds 29th to visit his family for the festival, they will all be there when we arrive on Thursday.
He had some clients to see so I wandered off around town. As always in any country you get hassled, several guys wanted to show me their paintings, take me on a tour of Durbar Sq to celebrate the festival, etc,etc. Anything to hassle a rupee out of you. Mind you if you have nothing then you have to do it to survive I suppose. Of course I didn't go!!
Saw a really amazing sight during my walk. A group of guys, never women, were making an offering for the festival to the gods. It was of a lotus flower. They roped off a bit of the road in a busy junction and started to construct this lotus flower from dye, seeds and spices. They were really concentrating on the work, ensruing tht every thing was just so. They had basic tools, bowls for the circles they created, and carrier bags of rice and spices to complete the design.
The amazing thing about these people is that they can construct something from nothing in all aspects of their life.
I took a couple of photos and will return when it is finished.
Sue and Reggie arrived approx 4.30pm. She was keen to see if I was enjoying myself and that Kathhmandu was all I thought it would be.

They got settled in ,we had a coffee and made arrangements for the evening.
We went to a favourite Italian of Sue"s,called "La Dolce Vita". We had a table overlooking the street. It was really noisy due to the festival,but very entertaining!
Guys hanging out of windows, 3 storeys up to put up fairy lights! No H&S here!!!
All stores had a candle outside their shop. This also included a design made from red dye and flower and fruit to encourage the goddess Laxihmi into their shop. This will ensure good fortune for the next year. It was really colourful, incense burning everywhere and everybody wishing you "Good Diwalli". fireworks being let off everywhere.
Finally went to bed approx midnight, but due to noise and not being tired,read my book till the early hours.

Guided tour

Was awoken by noisy neighbours, think about 6ish! Nodded off and got up apprx 8am. Woke up to a power cut! There is a system out here where planned cuts ensure continued supply in all areas, if not the power would be going off at all times of he day. It would be chaos.

Finally managed to have a shave, no light in the bathroom, challenging to say the least.

Got all my camera gear ready and met Ramsharam at 11 am. He introduced e to my guide, Gan. He is a teacher normally but is a registered tourist guide. Very nice guy and very knowledge able.
We set of to Durbar Square, a world heritage sight. Masses of Hindu temples as well as people. This is where the living goddess, Kumari, resides. She is selected at 4 years of age and remains a goddess until puberty. Then they select another. She is always hidden except at certain festivals. No men are allowed to see her, apart from her teacher.
As always plenty of people trying to sell things, even the Sadhu (holy man) wants you to pay to have his picture taken. These are guys who give up materialistic things in the name of religion, yet you have to pay to take their photo???????
Gan gave me a full briefing about the Hindu religion. They have a god for everything.
They are fanatical about their worship, espcially at this moment as we are in the middle of Diwalli and Tihar, their 2 most religious festivals.
Everywhere is being decorated with garlands of flowers, very colourful.
Sacred cows were everywhere, being fed by people who struggle to feed themselves.
We spent a good 2 hours there, the temples are truly stunning, very large and very old. They date back to 1300 BC. Some have been damaged by earthquakes as well as Muslim invaders, but all have been restored.
After that we drove, well crawled really, through the traffic to a Bhuddist temple at Bouddhanath.
It is called a stupa, which means dome. It was truly magnificent,it is like a little village, shops around the outside, no cars and plenty of monks!!
It was so calming, very different from Durbar Square.
The paintings and murals are stunning, very intricate and colourful.
You can walk around the outside of the stupa but not inside.
We visited a shop that sells Tibetan religious artifacts. The owner's daughter is one of Gan's pupils.
This shop have been in the family for 3 generations. He even had a store in New York where he was fortunate to meet the Dalai Lama. A big honour for a bhuddist!
He and his wife made me feel very welcome, they were very charming people.

We then got our driver to take us to a Hindu temple at Pashupatinath.
This is by a river and is a site where they burn the corpses.
It is amassive place dedicated to the god Shiva. She is all powerful in the Hindu religion.
We met a Sadhu whose pennance is to never sit down for 14 years. He sleeps standing up, resting on a cradle hanging from the roof. He has about 4 disciples who prepare all his food. He eats mainly fruit.
Also we saw a cremation, the body was wrapped in a white sheet, covered in a bright coloured cloth and decorated with red flowers. It is taken to the river and the gods are asked to accept the spirit.
Then it is place on the pyre and burned. This corpse was a police officer and had a guard of honour to pay their respects.
There were lots of monkeys here, also a god, playing havoc and pinching food! Very entertaining.
We got back to the hotel approx 5.30, just as it got dark.

There was another planned power cut at 6pm till 9pm.I went for a walk around Thamel, came back to the hotel, and had a meal. I mailed Sandra to let her know I am safe and see how her first day back at work went. Everything was ok, although we are missing each other.

A really full and interesting day, made by Gan and his knowledge.

Let's see what tomorrow brings! Sue should arrive from Dheli approx 4.30pm.

Arrived in Kathmandu

Well, I finally arrived in Kathmandu!

Trip was great, Qatar airlines are the nuts.

Left home approx 6.45 am and arrived at Gatwick approx 7.30. Really good run.
Easy check in and flight left on time. Plenty of leg room, good seats and very attentive staff.
Great choice of films, tv programmes and radio . However I never got past the music! It was like having your own personal ipod. I didn't need mine.
Flight was really good, very little turbulence and a great landing.
Doha airport is huge, I mean massive. It is like landing at Luton airport and going to a terminal at Stansted. It was a good 10 mins in the bus from the plane to the terminal.

Airport is very clean and spacious, this is a hub airport for the Middle East and they fly everywhere.
We were given a meal voucher for something to eat as the connection was over 5 hours wait.

The duty free here even had a Ferrari for sale! Loads of designer stuff, especially jewellery and watches.
Had my meal, sat down with my book and ipod and waited till 4 am before we boarded.

Lots of Nepalese on the flight to Kathmandu, all going home for Diwalli,4 days of festival.
Great views of the mountains as we approached Kathmandu, may try and get some photos on the flight back.

Finally got my visa, long queues and was met by Ramsharam, my contact here. He is a really nice guy, he had a driver take me to the hotel. Just as well as the traffic is a nightmare,everyone tooting, cutting each other up and driving on the wrong side of the road.
Do not let anyone ever tell me the traffic in London is bad, this make London look like a village as far as traffic goes!
Anyway, we got to the hotel in one piece and I checked in. The Mandap hotel is centrally situated in the Thamel district, the main tourist area. Thamel is always busy during the dy, but gets quiet approx 11 pm when most places close. There are a few bars that stay open but not very many.
The hotel is basic but clean, has a nice bakery and a terrace area.It is in a graet location, in the centre but not too noisy. Staff are really friendly and helpful.
I unpacked, showered and met Ramaharam about 4 pm. We went for a walk around the town, what a assault on your senses.
Noisy, crowded and fascinating!
Street sellers everywhere, selling everything and anything.

We had an Indian for dinner, meal for 2 with drinks in a top restaurant approx 10 pounds!
Got back to the hotel, had a couple of local beers, it is called Everest (what else), wrote in my journal and phoned Sandra. It was really good to talk to her as my mobile doesn't work out here. Missing her loads, especially as I have to plan when I can talk to her.After a chat I then went to bed.
I turned on the tv, found BBC news and heard that Ramos had been sacked and "Arry" was our new manager. Oh joy!!!!!
Found a channel that has Sky Sports, so watched the West Ham v Arsenal game. More to the point saw that we actually won a game, conceded no goals and got 3 points!
Trust me not to be there to see it.

Then I found the Portsmouth game on the tele, seems they get more football out here than we get at home. So I guess I will be able to watch the game v Arsenal on Weds in my room.
Finaly got to sleep approx 1.30 am.

First impressions of Nepal: people are very welcoming and polite. They all have a smile on their face, a lot have very few teeth! They seem incredibly happy even though they do not have a lot, in fact some have nothing at all!
Kathmandu is fascinating, very vibrant, crowded, noisy, dusty but a great place to be. If the first day has set the tone for this trip it will be truly memorable.

Packed and ready

Well, all packed and ready to go! It has been hectic since my last post. I have bought an ipod for the trip. Sandra went on holiday on Sat 18th with her friend and her husband, I took them to Gatwick. When I came back it was straight onto the pc to load up my ipod!
Some 2200 songs later I have 50 % 0f my music library on my ipod. Should be enough to keep me going on the flight and during my stopover before my connection.
Flight times were changed from the original times. I now have to wait some 8 hours instead of 4 at Doha airport.
All my camera needs have now been taken care of, tripod, grip and filter bought.
Had a drink with David on Monday, he is very envious of my trip but plans to go there early next year.
In my wife's absence my sister in law has been a star, having me round for dinner and even cutting my hair!

Work has been crazy this week, so much to do, I am sure I have forgotten loads of stuff. Oh well, if I have there is nothing I can do about it now.

Sandra has been in Murcia, Spain. The weather has been very poor, so she hasn't been able to sunbathe. That has meant trying to fill her time without thinking about being here without me.

We are missing one another terribly, the place seems so quiet without her. The mobile phone bill will be a big one next month for sure.

Anyway, the adventure starts tomorrow, 11am flight, so an early start.
Seems to be the norm just recently, late nights and early mornings, with little sleep in between.
I will keep you posted as much as possible, subject to internet availability. I am sure it will be regular.
Feel free to comment, but those of you from work please refrain from adding anything to do with work!!!
Like wise all you footie fans have been giving me a hard enough time lately, so please refrain from doing it on my blog.
Hope I can catch up with the footie on tv whilst out here, I anm sure I will find a bar somewhere to watch the games.

Nepal Adventure: Itinery

So, now you know how this trip came about and what it is hoped to achieve.

On 22nd Sept I had all my jabs. I still need to get my malaria tablets.

Itinery is as follows:

26th Oct arrive at Kathmandu. Spend 2-3 days with a local guide until Sue and her partner (Reggie) arrive.
I will be staying at the Mandap Hotel during this time. It is in the Thamel district, right in the heart of Kathmandu.

On Thursday 30th Oct we travel by taxi, I think, to a place called Sauraha. This is where all the children sponsored by Sue are educated. It is also close to the Royal Chitwan National Park. We are staying in a hotel called Rhino Lodge. It overlooks the Rapti river where elephants come to bathe as well as many other forms of wildlife. I think an elephant safari is being arranged. It would be the highlight of my trip if I could see a Bengal Tiger and get some pictures. They are very rare, but one can always live in hope.
We will be here some 4 - 5 days in total.

On the 4th Nov we travel, again by taxi, to the town of Pohkara.Our hotel is the Lake Palace. As the name suggests it is situated overlooking Fewa lake. Apparently some wondeful photographic opportunities! I guess there will be plenty of early mornings to catch the sunrise.

We stay here until 8th Nov when we return to Kathmandu in preparation for my flight home on 9th Nov.

I am not sure how easy it will be to update my blog on the road, so I am taking a travel notebook to record all that happens, as well as all my thoughts.

I am almost ready and prepared. I still need to get the following: Tripod, extra memory cards, Ipod, and of course my visa. So nearly all done!

Nepal Adventure: setting out.

This all started after completing a 2 year photographic course. I was talking to my tutor (David) at his flat and noticed a black and white photo of a sherpa trekking in the Himalayas. David raved about his experience and photographic opportunities and said if I had a chance I should go.

I have regular reflexology sessions and my reflexologist has visited Nepal for many years, during which time she has sponsored the education of girls to prevent them from marrying at too early an age (often as young as 12). This has been a passion of hers and I started to formulate a plan.

When I told David about this lady his reaction was " What a great photographic project, you will get some stunning images and we can mount an exhibition when you return."

As you can imagine this idea would satisfy 2 of my passions. However there were some potential pitfalls!

Firstly, my reflexologist hates having her photo taken!

Secondly, being happily married and never having gone on holiday without my wife during 13 years of marriage, how would she feel?
As my wife hates climbing / trekking and the thought of "roughing it" doesn't appeal, it was obvious from the outset that she would not want to go. However, would she let me go?

She fully understands my passion for photography. She has been very encouraging and supportive, both during my night school course and after it ended. I am currently training and learning the art of wedding photography with David. I recently "flew solo" and did my 1st wedding shoot for him.
So, it was no surprise when she encouraged me to plan my trip.This was well over a year ago.

Sue, my reflexologist was asked if she minded me doing this project. Apart from a few reservations re having her photo taken and being the centre of attention, she was very enthusiastic.

Plans were made and travel dates arranged. My wife, Sandra, decided to break up the time whilst I was away by going on holiday for a week with 2 of our friends. This was booked.

Her initial reservation was that we would be apart for 2 weeks, so her being on holiday whilst I was in Nepal would take away some of the potential lonliness she would feel.

Due to a late change of dates and flight availability it now transpires that we will be apart for 3 weeks. She travels to Spain on the 18th Oct, returning 25th Oct. I leave on 25th Oct and return 9th Nov.
The trip is almost upon us, and I cannot wait.

Background work has started, I recently went to one of the many talks Sue does on this work at her local Conservative Club. She spoke for approx 1 hour and money was raised to send out to sponsor her "children"
Photos were taken and everyone who attended found the talk interesting and enlightening.