Fascinating Kathmandu
Wednesday 18th January 2006.
This fascinating city of Kathmandu:
This morning I walked in Thamel again, this time with my camera. I could have used the cheap local taxis but I preferred to keep walking to keep up the fitness levels. It is also a very good way to see some of the extraordinary sights in this exotic city. I took several photos on the way to Thamel and many more in the Thamel area itself. I tried to capture life in the raw as it is here in Kathmandu. I also tried to get photos of some of the stupa, the temples and other historic buildings.
Good Lunch
I stopped at Kilroy’s for lunch. I ordered a Sprite and a cheese and tomato toasted sandwich, thinking I only needed a light lunch. What a sandwich! Half the plate was covered in chips! It was more than an adequate lunch and at a total cost of Rs180 ($3.60) it was a bargain. It was also very delicious.
Durbar Square Kathmandu
I wandered in a southerly direction through the Thamel area trying to locate Durbar Square (Kathmandu). At one stage I thought that I had become hopelessly lost. The streets and lanes meander in and out and around and are a confusing muddle, something akin to a plate of spaghetti. I had a reasonable map of the area from the travel agent in the hotel. Trouble was, very few streets are labelled with any kind of signage. The few major streets are often named only in Nepali, which is not at all helpful to foreigners who don’t read the language. Oh well, I thought, just keep the sun in front or over my right shoulder and I should eventually find the main road leading back to the hotel. If all else fails, catch a rickshaw or taxi and for less than $2 I’d get back to the hotel. Every second taxi stops to ask if you want a ride anyway.
Shopping in Kathmandu
I went through some very busy lanes where one could buy almost anything, from very expensive jewellery to a pair of cheap socks. The jewellery shops would not have looked out of place in Rundle Mall, Adelaide, and were complete with their own doorman come security guard. The sock sellers seemed to be everywhere that day. It must have been a special sock-sale day or something. A small cardboard box brimming with socks at very cheap prices carried by very insistent young boys seemed to appear in my face every few seconds.
Colourful shops and colourful characters
Old wrinkled men selling tiger balm in tiny tins seemed to be everywhere too. This is supposed to relieve aches and pains and the only connection with tigers is the picture of a tiger on the lid. Vendors with poorly made miniature wooden chess sets or tiny wooden musical instruments were also in evidence everywhere. Whole shops full of copper plates and bowls and every other possible type of copper utensil glowed in the sunlight, the little copper statues of Buddha giving a stark reminder of the dominant faith here. Every third shop was awash with colour; fabrics and pashminas in all the colours of the rainbow. Fashion conscious ladies were well catered for with beautiful gowns and skirts flowing in the breeze as they hung from whatever point the shop keeper could manage to utilise.
Splashes of colour
Fruit and vegetable stalls abound, each adding colourful splashes to overload the visual impact. The sellers varied from large well set out shops like we have in Australia, through to a person sitting on the ground with say, just tomatoes, spread out on a small ground sheet. Selling bananas and mandarins from a basket mounted on a bicycle was another common sight. The Nepali are largely vegetarian but one still comes across the typical Asian style butcher shop, often no more than a rickety wooden table just outside the door and laden with meat and no sign of refrigeration. Mobile pop-corn vendors are common too, with the selection of different coloured corn on trays mounted on a cart made with four bicycle wheels and complete with its own gas cooker. Motor bike repair shops seem to be everywhere. With so many bikes in the city it is not surprising. I also saw several specialist bicycle shops.
Jostling humanity
I went down many very busy shopping lanes seething with jostling humanity. I also discovered some rather poor and seedy looking back lanes with a very low standard of living. Here the pungent aroma of incense and the occasional part open sewer attacks the nasal passages. I wasn’t worried in these areas; I just kept walking steadily knowing there were always taxis nearby. I eventually found my way to the main road leading back to the hotel. By then I was feeling quite tired so I steadily walked back to the hotel. Over four hours on foot was quite enough exploration for one day. On one corner I saw a small gathering of people listening to a speaker. I couldn’t understand him of course, but I assume he was a political speaker. The police were nearby watching but did not interfere.
The hazards of walking in Kathmandu
I didn’t have any trouble with beggars today, only seeing about four of them who were easily shrugged off. The greatest hazard today seemed to be the birds. I received two great deposits from above, one on my cap and shoulder and the other on my thumb. A bit of washing was in order on my return to my hotel room.
Rural Life in Nepal
Sunday 15th January 2006.
Rural Life southern Nepal
This morning we were up earlier. We were woken at 7am but I was up and showered by then. I had a good night’s sleep. I examined my feet this morning and they are recovering from the trek but rather slowly. Two of my small toes are still badly bruised and quite sore to touch.
Birding Walk
It was still very foggy this morning so I was not all that hopeful of adding many bird species to my list or even seeing any birds on our walk. Kamal took us on a short bird watching walk past where we had first had an elephant ride. Despite the fog I was able to see a few species.
Baby Elephant
Just past the National Park Information Centre we visited the elephants used for the rides in that part of the park. There was a baby elephant there and he wasn’t tied up. He was very friendly and very inquisitive and explored us all over with his trunk. I came home with elephant slobber all over the sleeve of my rainproof jacket.
Ox Cart Ride
After that we went on a two hour ox-cart ride through the countryside. Even though it was very foggy it gave us a close up view of subsistence farming and living. The people here have very basic homes with no windows because they are afraid of ghosts. The houses are wattle and daub style using local bamboo and mud. The families were huddled around open fires to cook and to keep warm.
Rural Life in Nepal
Every humble hovel has a dirt courtyard out the front or between the house and sheds. This is swept clean daily using an elephant grass broom. Despite their humble means they are obviously very house proud. I guess it would quickly become messy without this attention. Numerous ducks, geese, chickens, goats, cows, and oxen wander through or just hang around all day. And there are dogs and puppies and cats and kittens everywhere. It is also common to see elephants trundling down the street. The local street sweeper specialises in elephant droppings; these no doubt are utilised in his garden.
Museum Visit
Half way along the cart ride we stopped to visit a local museum dedicated to an understanding of the local people and their origins, culture and social structure. This was quite interesting.
School and Children’s Games
Along the way we saw many uniformed children heading off to a private school. Private schools are very expensive and only for the children of wealthy land owners. Only about 30% of children across Nepal go to school with a country wide literacy rate of about 27% according to our guide. I was amazed at how the children amused themselves with simple games. Some had spinning tops, some played simple games with a piece of string while others played more vigorous games kicking around a ball shaped bundle of grass. Shuttle cock also seemed quite popular.
Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Saturday 14th January 2006.
Royal Chitwan National Park:
I slept quite well last night although I needed to get up to go to the toilet several times. I didn’t think I had drunk that much late in the day. I woke at 7:30am, showered and dressed ready for breakfast at 8:15am. The rooms here are really good and are of a high standard. The beds are comfortable (especially when compared to those we endured on the trek) and the bathroom is decorated with marble tiles. According to the Lonely Planet Guide these rooms cost about US$20 (about A$28) per night so they are good value and very affordable. I have just asked the manager if it would be possible to extend my stay by an extra night.
Fog
There is a very real possibility that we could be fog bound tomorrow, necessitating a four and a half hour drive back to Kathmandu. There were no flights to Bharatpur today as there was heavy fog all day. It is now 6:15pm and the fog has come in very thick again. I am thinking now that it would be very risky to go to Tansen to visit the McArthurs as I might be stuck in Bhairawa and not be able to get back to Kathmandu on time for my flight home. I need to decide by 10am tomorrow. I would rather spend extra time here going bird-watching for a few extra days perhaps. Getting back to Kathmandu from here would be far easier than in Tansen or Bhairawa.
Another Elephant Ride
Today after breakfast we drove for 15 minutes to another section of the national park. We again had an hour and a half elephant ride through the park. During our elephant ride we again had great views of a rhino. We also saw Spotted Deer (chital) feeding its young and a brief glimpse of a Hog Deer. Later research shows that it might have been a Barking Deer. We also saw what I think were rhesus monkeys in the distance.
Birds of Chitwan NP
Because of the dull and foggy conditions we didn’t see or hear many birds while on the elephant ride but we did see another Indian Peafowl. We also had good views of a Red Jungle Fowl which is native to this area. The common chook is descended from this species. We also saw some Lesser Whistling Ducks and heard a few other birds. We didn’t dismount from the elephant where we had got on at the National Park Head quarters but continued on a back road towards the hotel. Along the way we passed some very basic living conditions in the local village. Many around here live in quite small mud and bamboo huts. I was able to get some good photos of life here as we went along. Eventually we went down the main street of Sauraha to the hotel, trying to duck under the electricity wires drooping over the road.
Birding
After a short break we had lunch and then we had an hour free, so I did some bird watching in the hotel grounds and along the nearby river bank. In the hotel grounds I identified Jungle Babblers, Black Bulbul and Yellow Billed Blue Magpie. These are all “lifers” for me. (The first time I’ve seen this species in my life, hence a “lifer”)
Canoe Ride
At 2:30pm we were driven in the hotel mini van up river for a dug out canoe ride downstream. The boat operator stood on the back gondolier style and guided the boat downstream with a long pole. The current was strong enough not to need any paddling. The journey took about half an hour and was definitely the birding highlight of the trip so far. Our guide Kamal is a keen birder and he pointed out all the different birds we saw. The list of “lifers†I saw is impressive:
Black Crowned Night Heron
White Throated Kingfisher
Sand Martin
Pond Heron
Fantailed Robin
Lesser Adjutant Stork
River Lapwing
Red Wattled Lapwing
White Tailed Stone Chat
Common Kingfisher
Stork Billed Kingfisher
Blue Bearded Bee-eater
White Bellied Drongo
Black Drongo
Lesser Coucal
Olive Backed Pipit
Tree Pipit
Indian Roller
Ruddy Shelduck
Mugger Crocodiles
We also saw several Mugger Crocodiles on the sand bars as we drifted along. I did a rough count in my notebook and over the last 24 hours I have seen here at Chitwan about 29 species for the first time. Wow! And a rough count for the whole trip has added about 40 new species for the trip. While this is good and quite exciting, it is still far short of my initial expectations. I have come to the conclusion that one needs to seek out dedicated birding sites and spend quite a few days with a bird specialist guide to get anywhere near a significant total in the hundreds. I just didn’t have the time on this journey. Maybe on the next trip to Nepal….
Elephant Breeding Centre
After the canoe trip we visited the Elephant Breeding Centre. We saw many trained elephants coming in from a day in the rainforest followed closely by about 8 or 9 baby elephants. I took many photos. It was sad to see the adult elephants being tied up for the night. They do this to prevent them from raiding the nearby crops, such as corn and rice. They would probably do quite a deal of damage if left to themselves. They have recently installed electric fences around the perimeter of the centre in an attempt to stop the wild bull elephants coming in and mating with the females. They can cause other problems as well.
Cultural Dancers
Before dinner we were treated to an hour of local cultural dancing in the grounds of the hotel. Most participants were male and they were accompanied by drummers. The dancers used sticks to beat the rhythm of the dance. One dance featured a traditional fire dance.
Traditional Nepali Food
Dinner was traditional Nepali food; rice and dhal bhaat, spicy chicken, spicy vegetables followed by fried banana. Yummy! After dinner Kane and Jade retired early while I spent some time talking to a Nepali man who was sitting with a German lady. A few minutes later I was joined by the hotel manager as I had requested of the waiter. I am thinking of staying an extra two nights and not going to Tansen at all. There is a general strike and demonstrations in Kathmandu on Monday. It will only cost me an extra US$20 per night and meals average about $6. That is far cheaper than in Kathmandu. I can also hire a guide to go birding for about $10 for three hours. That seems to be great value.
Elephant Ride
No Comments »13th January, 2006; Category: Animals, Birds, General, Himalayas, Kathmandu, Nepal, Photos
Friday 13th January 2006
Rural Nepal
The country in this southern part of Nepal is very flat which seems strange to say with all the huge mountains in the rest of the country. There are rice fields stretching from the road into the immediate distance. The standard of living seems very poor with many shanty style houses, yet there is an electrical supply to every little hovel no matter how humble, a many sport television antennae.
Royal Park Hotel, Chitwan
The standard of housing seemed to deteriorate as we moved further from the main road and closer to Chitwan. It was a pleasant surprise then to drive into the hotel grounds to find very pleasant grounds with rooms spread throughout the gardens. We took our bags to our rooms and then had a bowl of soup and some toast as a very late lunch at 3pm.
Elephant Ride
We then went off for an hour and a half elephant ride through the national park nearby. This took us across the Rapti River and through tall grasslands on the other side. The grass here is up to 3 metres high, higher than us on the elephant. We were delighted to have good views of a rhino for about five minutes. I took some great photographs.
Birding in Chitwan National Park
The bird watching was frustrating. An elephant’s back is not a good or stable platform but I did manage to identify Green Bee-eater, Red Wattled Lapwing, Baya Weaver and the Black Bulbul. Later in the ride we saw about five Spotted Deer (Chital) and a magnificent Indian Peafowl which is native to this area. On returning to the hotel we were treated to a cuppa and a plate of hot potato chips because we had missed out on lunch.
Nature Guide
At 6:15pm most of the Royal Park Hotel guests gathered in one section of the garden to watch a 30 minute slide show. This was presented by the resident hotel nature guide called Kamal. He was particularly knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the national park and specialised in birds, which pleased me. As it turned out he was our guide for the rest of our stay. He stated during his talk that there were still about 300 tigers in Nepal but only about 1% of visitors ever see one.
At dinner we spoke to another Peregrine guide who has been coming here regularly for 22 years and he had only ever seen two tigers in all that time, both on the same day. We had a long talk to him. He is here on holiday with his wife and daughter. Having worked for Peregrine Travel he knew both Dorgie and Ananta.
Around Namche Bazar, Nepal
Friday 6th January 2006
Trek Day 4: Namche Bazar
After breakfast we went for a three hour walk along the edge of the valley to another stupa. Except for the climb out of the area around Namche this walk did not include much climbing. Along the way we passed through extensive rhododendron forests but they were not in flower, being the middle of winter.
Himalayan Monal – Nepal’s National Bird
We also had stunning views of the national bird of Nepal, the Himalayan Monal (also called Danphe’s Pheasant). These turkey sized birds feed on the ground using their beaks to search for their food in the leaves under trees. they also nest on the ground. I saw several gliding away below me, their iridescent feathers glowing in the sunlight, their coppery coloured wings stunningly beautiful. (For detailed information click here.) We also saw a group of Himalayan Thar, a large goat native to the area.
Sherpa Museum
After lunch we went for yet another walk up the pass, this time to the Sherpa Museum. The photographic display of Everest attempts was very interesting. After our return to the lodge I sorted out my clothes after receiving my laundry bag back. Except for what I am wearing, everything is now clean. At Rs200 ($4) it was worth it. I then went and had a shower which was most welcome, especially being able to wash my hair. Again, at a cost of Rs150 ($3) it was worth it. The system for hot showers her in the lodge is complicated. One has to book ahead for the water to be heated. It is then poured into the tank above the shower and so you need to move quickly before either the water gets too cold or you run out of hot water. I managed not to run out of water.
My suffering feet
My blisters on my toes and feet have been quite reasonable today. The one on my left heel has given me beans all day and I renewed the patch on it after my shower. Several of my little toes are quite bruised under the nail. They get bruised when walking downhill because they take the brunt of the pressure as the foot slides forward.
Highway to Tibet
Upstream from where we were this morning is a hydro-electric power system. This supplies Namche and a few other nearby villages. The track we walked on is the “highway†to Tibet. Over the centuries this has been a major trade route between Nepal and Tibet as well as China. From here it is a seven day walk to the next big town in Tibet.