From Chitwan Jungle to Kathmandu & home

So...after the new year we moved onto the Chitwan jungle riding elephant safari trying to look for the elusive Tigers. With only 200 breeding pairs and over 1000 square kilometres to hide we had no chance. What we did see were a number of black horned Rhinos.
After the serenity of the jungle and dug out canoes, we moved back to our final days of the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu and starting to say our farewells. One by one with people having different flight times, there were numerous leaving parties to be had :o)

One of the final days, we had a total relaxation day. Buddhist teachings and mediation, Yoga and massage all in one day.....needless to say we were all completly relaxed by the end.

For the final two, we had what was intending to be a nice mountain bike around the Kathmandu valley. The brief did not include the warning of a 45km epic horrendous uphills that went on for ever and ferrocious downhills. 6 hours later with nerves shattered and a few tears we arrived back in town to nurse our wounds. What a final day for an amazing holiday.

I summarised the holiday in my journal...it reads:
Great holiday with great people with so many funny episodes.
The Nepalese people are so welcoming...Nemaste heard across mountains and valleys.
The scenary: amazing, awesome, inspriring and beutiful!!!
The Rum Doodle bar, which has the signatures of all Everest summiteers on the wall, including the Late Ed Hillary (RIP). A place with great food, fantastic atmosphere and inspiring pictures, signatures and anecdotes littered everywhere.

I will be back to climb bigger mountains !!!!

Welcome 2008

New Years eve turned out to be pretty amazing in Pokhara; starting with a little bit of local dancing which then followed by some more up to date dancing by Myles "the moves" Wood who was originally the quiet one of our group.

The turn of the year was in a local bar frequented by many Europeans where a small group of English were singing the usual end of year of song.

Once sober we moved onto Bandipur which is a forgotten village in the hills, unfortunately, it still remains undiscovered as ecoli was a new guest in my room for the following 12 hours....mmmm happy new year!!!

Lucky enough there was a visiting Doctor from Kathmandu who quickly handed out tablets like sweeties. It quickly made you realise how isolated we were in the mountains and how lucky we are in the developed world. After Bandipur, we moved onto river rafting for three days; camping on the beaches overnight and where a toilet tent was erected and inspected on every occasion by Myles and myself.

Rafting was pretty good even in the dry season, the rapids were not fierce but the scenario was amazing as we slowly moved down the Seti River towards the Chitwan Jungle.

Only the Elephant rides and jungle visit to go now and then back to Kathmandu for our end of trip meal.