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.