No No No - Day 6

I slept well only for half of the night but woke up at around 3am probably because of the bright moon outside our bedroom window.

In the morning, we had Thukpa and Chowmein for breakfast. Jhule mountain resort offers good food. From Jhule, we headed for the Shivapuri National Park. In the entrance to the park, a military guard we asked for directions from, know only one English word, NO. To all our questions, he said NO NO NO. Since we couldn’t get anything from him, we decided to take the road with no tree covering.

We ended up walking from Jhule at 10am to 2pm with brief stopovers for “minor” and water/trail food break. We only bumped into two hiking groups, one big group composed of many tourists and one guide. The guide commented on our team, European friend, Asian friend cute.  

After more than a couple of hours and not seeing other hikers except for military personnel patrolling the area, we came up of ways of amusing ourselves by exaggerating Rhododendron.  

We walked through a dirt road with lots of pine trees and rhododendrons growing along it.

At around 2pm, we saw settlements again, so we had lunch in the first dining place in Mulkaphar from where the pipeline goes down to Sundarijal. I was the only one who ate since Nadine was not feeling well.

 

Turned out there was an entrance fee for Shivapuri from this end, so we were charged entrance fee as we are exiting the Shivapuri National Park. I decided to go to a toilet in Sundarijal and it was wild welcome to Nepal toilets. I won’t even wish that sight to my worst enemy.

 

From Sundarijal, we took a bus to Kathmandu and were seated with a fun bunch of locals. Two well-dressed ladies, complete with accessories, came from working on the field and were carrying their goods. Some of the passengers in the bus were buying their goods from them. The trip was less than hour and we were already in Kathmandu. There was a commotion when one of the guys forgot to pay the ladies. Thus, one lady had to run after him. The whole bus was into the drama.

We did not know which part of Kathmandu we will get off from the bus. Due to the limited English of the conductor we had no choice but to get off at Puaay? Or something that sounded like that.  Good thing there was already a taxi waiting where we got off so we got in it and asked to be brought to Dhumbarai for about P100. Kathmandu center was a stark contrast to the quietness of the surrounding valley rim.

As soon as we arrived in Kathmandu, it was uber-nice to finally get a hot shower after three days of trekking. Best feeling ever. However, Nadine’s sickness worsened during the night. Good thing Joerg had natural medicines. We slept early for the following day, since we will head for the Last Resort, where we will be doing the jump.   

Just Before Dark Fell - Day 5

We started the day slow. We got up at 8am and had breakfast when the Himalayas was just peeking in front of us. Not the same amazing view as the day before, so we enjoyed breakfast instead. The food in the Hotel at the End of the Universe was really good. And the curd is awesome.

 

We sat at our usual breakfast table outside overlooking the mountains. Afterwhich, we decided to hike the Jhule four hours from Nagarkot, tracing the Kathmandu valley rim. The first village was Kateki since we knew the shortcuts, it was easy for us to find our way.

 We had our first stopover in a field of pine trees where we had a banana and an apple. It somehow felt like we were hiking a mountain in the North of the Philippines. Then we headed off again as the midday sun unleashed its fury with amazing views of the valley.

 

After an hour of walking from the first rest stop, we saw a lot of students who were just hanging around under trees. Unlike back in Manila, where students hang out in internet shops or the canteen during breaks, these students were enjoying the view of the valley and the mountains.

 Then the next stop was in Pauwa where there is a school with a playground with an amazing view. This is where we found my “home”. We had our Coke and Fanta break.

 

Then after an hour, we arrived in Bagdarra where we met a lot of people and namaste-d five hundred times.

One guy thought I was Japanese and shouted Konichiwa.

 

Based on the Lonely Planet map, the next town should be Chowki bhanjang but we could've missed a turn that we ended up in Chowki via a different route and not the main road. In chowki, we considered staying in a lodge with a lot of locals but a guy took us to Hotel Llama, our original lunch stop, We had Tibetan bread with honey.

 We thought of staying there but when Nadine went to the restroom, we decided to stick to the original plan and head to Jhule since we have one hour before dark falls and Jhule is supposed to be an hour away. There was an ad for Jhule Mountain Resort, 2 km ahead. So we headed to Jhule, recharged after eating Tibetan bread and honey.

 To make use of the time, I learned German words along the way. After walking mostly uphill for an hour, we arrived at the mountain resort, where they have one vacant room left. And the receptionist thought I was Nepali guide. We thanked the Lord for this awesome trek through many villages and a huge national park in the valley rim. We might have some detours along the way but it allowed us to see some villages we won't have seen otherwise. Another epic adventure for Sati and Didi.

 

 

Venn Engel Reisen (Part 4)

We woke up to a beautiful view of the Lang Tang and Himalayas mountain range. The friendly folks in the Hotel at the End of the Universe told us it was the best view in Nagarkot so far in one week. Nadine and I were so blessed to see such a beautiful sight at such impeccable timing because we are only spending a night or so in Nagarkot.

The view of the mountains was so surreal. What was before our eyes filling the entire horizon were snow-capped mountains ranging from 5000m to 8000m. Amazing view. We ended up staring at it the whole morning while having breakfast and even after breakfast.

         The Himalayas range as seen from Nagarkot

 

While I took a gazillion pictures, a German lady, about 45 years old, shared a seat with us but turned out she just wanted to speak in German (even though she speaks fluent English). So I just decided to take more pictures. After breakfast, Nadine had her customary naps. A little after noontime, we decided to explore the town and have coffee or drinks in a resort nearby. I forgot the name of the country inn but it had a nice view of the valley but we noticed unlike back home where it is deep green. Kathmandu valley is brownish and dry.  

After walking a few meters downhill, we saw a map showing the next village is 30 minutes away. So we decided to walk to Kateki.  And there we met a nice group with four kids, on their way to Kateki. We joined them to Kateki. They were just visiting their friend during this Holi festival. The "leader" of the group used to be a teacher in Kateki but now since the school in Kateki closed down, she is teaching in Nagarkot. They were just resting when we saw them on the road. She was the one who can speak a few words of English.

 

Since we were on our way to Kateki, we went with them and took a shortcut. We went with them to visit another teacher’s house in Kateki. It was our first time to enter the house of a local Nepali. The living room and the kitchen were at the end of the corridor. The living room has a window facing the valley below and on a clear day, a view of the snow capped mountains. They served us lemon-flavored water. The kids were watching Nickelodeon in Nepali. One thing that stands out in the house was its very clean toilet even though it is a squat toilet I did not mind. The toilet even she had Detol handwash.

 

We stayed with them for about 15 mins Then we headed back to Nagarkot. As we were leaving Kateki, one of their friends who also live in the village, chased us and asked us to stay for some nepal wine made from millet and they have the most interesting home where the dried corn, stove and goats were in the living room. This is one memorable experience I have in Nepal, being invited in a local house and being served wine however, impoverished they may be. That is hospitality.

We had wine and said cheers and then we headed off to Nagarkot where the kids were not letting go of our hands. So we walked from Kateki to Nagarkot, holding hands while swaying. The little kid fell asleep on his mother’s back. While one of the lady’s slippers was broken so she had a hard time walking but she just smiled it off. Truly, these Nepalis are a happy and relaxed people. They may not have much but they just enjoy life. Along the way, they sang nepali songs, nepali hymn, we didn't mind the one hour walk to Nagarkot. Then we had to say bye to them in front of the hotel of the universe.We hugged the kids and babay to the adults, I would have wanted to hug them but I didn't know if how will that work out with them. I felt better on the second night in Nagarkot but it was Nadine who was not feeling well this time.

 

Namaste Nepal (Part 3)

My body clock is still in MNL time and woke up again at 5am. Oh well, the plan was to go to Bhaktapur first and Nagarkot. And hike for a few days around the Kathmandu valley.  Bhaktapur is a well-preserved village with many temples and residential buildings, much like Intramuros, only Hindu and Buddhist-themed.

Our third day in Nepal started with a big scare for me. When I went to check my passport in my bag, it was gone! My heart skipped a beat. Did one of the dogs take it? Polly? Taps? My mind was racing, how will I get home without my passport? Before I thought of the unthinkable, Ms. Nadine walked in with my passport in her hand. So she photocopied it while I was showering. Haaaaaay, if that doesn’t wake you up, I don’t know what will.

To start our day, we had a very Western breakfast of pancakes, cheese, salmon, and egg highlighted with Nuttella. Didi (the household help) prepared some Nepali tea for us which was made with tea and milk, like Nai Cha.

Then it was time for us to head out to Kathmandu, un-assisted. With our red and orange Deuter backpacks in tow, we headed out and started to walk towards the Peepalbot or Pipalbot. It is said that in Nepal, each town and village has its own Pipalbot, a place where people hang out.

Pipalbot in Dhumbarai

After buying some trail food and other essentials in the convenience store, we also hang out in the Peepalbot where there is huge tree and wait for our ride to the bus park for Bhaktapur. We saw a fancy SUV almost running over a group of ladies planning for Holi in the Pipalbot. They were still smiling after the near accident. We chanced upon a friendly group of college boys, who helped us find our way to the bus park. 

After waiting for a bus that never came we walked to the ring road. Our newly formed barkada took a local bus to a busy street corner near Nepal’s police academy. It was Nadine’s and my first time to ride a local bus and as expected, people were staring at us, foreigners in a local bus.  

 

with our new barkada, Sujan and the gang

 

Then we rode a packed van where sitting in the luggage section looks as normal as sitting on any regular seat. Nadine and one of the boys sat beside the driver who chatted with them. The boys always were paying for our fare then we thought we can pay them when we finally separate ways.  But alas, as we bid them farewell and handed them our payment, Sujan, the one who can speak English well, told us, “We don’t need money”.  

 The bus we took to Bhaktapur stopped anywhere where buses can stop. So a journey which can take 30 minutes took two hours. But the sights and sounds of Kathmandu reminded Sati Nadine that she is indeed in Nepal. It took two days for her to realize we arrived. J

 in Bhaktapur

Entrance to Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the most expensive entrance fee we paid for in Nepal at 1,100 per person (around P550). We walked around the square and bumped into kids asking for chocolates.  Good thing, we bought some candies as trail food.

Then we walked around the ancient city, taking our sweet time exploring this ancient square filled with amazing architecture.  We had lunch in the square where we had a nice view of the many tourists and we had a mini-game where Nadine would guess the nationality of each Western tourist that come our way. A very friendly waiter served us Himalayan pizza and salad with yak cheese but the yak cheese tasted like hard cheddar to me. Bhaktapur is photogenic with its eclectic mix of Nepali culture still preserved in this  complex. According to Wikipedia, The Durbar square is surrounded by spectacular architecture and vividly showcases the skills of the Newari artists and craftsmen over several centuries. Truly, another assault to the senses.

 Durbar Square

After lunch, we headed to the pottery square and met a lot of friendly locals who showed us how they burn the newly-made pots to cure them. After buying some pasalubong and fruits in one of Bhaktapur’s store-filled alley.

 Since we are staying in Nagarkot for the night, an hour away from Bhaktapur, we looked for the bus park before it gets dark. After walking for than 30 minutes, we finally found the bus park. And the bus was quite a sight with the floor looking like it is going to collapse on the sheer weight of the dilapidated chairs and the roof looks like it's going to cave in anytime. While waiting for the bus to get filled, we observe two elderly ice cream vendor who can’t seem to sell their goods and ended up eating them.   

 

a residential complex we saw, on our way to the bus park

Another highlight while waiting for the bus to leave is the sight of a chinky-eyed girl with a big backpack running downhill looking as if she was running after something. We were amused and surprised when the girl suddenly ran back and got on our bus. Turned out she was also looking for this bus park and she was running towards the wrong direction at first.

The one-hour ride turned out to be not too bad with friendly locals always teasing and bantering with each other. The bus got really packed with some of the boys riding on roof already.

 Nadine and I decided to sit on different rows because of our bags. I got seated beside another friendly local, which I later found out to be a pastor, his name is Dolgit. The first thing I noticed about him is that he was always smiling. It's his first time to work in the Nagarkot area. He comes from a region in the western part of Nepal. To get to his hometown, you have to travel by by bus for two days and walk for two days. He was assigned in Nagarkot and will head a home church. Too bad, I just talked to him in the tail end of the trip.

with Dolgit, the pastor, in the bus to Nagarkot

 

It was almost dusk when we reached Nagarkot and it was getting cold. Nagarkot is already 2,175 meters above sea level. That is quite high for a village. For reference, Mt Apo, Ph’s tallest is 2,954 meters. As we were looking for the hotel we reserved, Hotel at the End of the Universe, the cold intensified and it was really dark. The hotel was of considerable distance from the bus park (20-minute walk). So while walking, Nadine, the Japanese girl and I were sweating and feeling cold at the same time. It was the perfect formula for a cold. Thus, when we arrived at the hotel, I was not feeling well already.  My throat felt scratchy and I felt a cold coming. We had a light dinner of hot soup and so Nadine put some local whiskey on my drink. Since there were no available table, we sat beside a Jewish guy from Israel who also had a terrible cold after climbing Lang Tang range. If it were any other day, I would’ve joked about this dinner with a German and a Jew.  He said it was freezing cold up in the mountains.  And he was writing about his experiences in a small notebook. On this third night, I had my longest sleep in Nepal, although broken a bit by bouts of sweating.

Namaste Nepal (Part 2)

The 2.25 hour difference of Kathmandu from Manila is tricky. The barbecue party ended around midnight and I did not get to sleep until 1am but my body clock was already up and about by 4am. Phew! And our day will just start at 10am. We had breakfast overlooking the world’s biggest stupa in Boudnath. And from a far distance, we glimpsed upon snow-capped mountains of the Lang Tang range. Surreal breakfast with the Team Germany and Helen, a Brit girl who was born and raised in India. Parang Princess Sarah lang ang peg. The area around the stupa is packed with stores catering to the many tourists flocking the area. Although the place is touristy, we did not mind since the colors and flavors of Kathmandu, overpower the feeling of crowdedness and commercialization that is common in these touristy places. A touristy place that I did not mind being one. There were people throwing paint in the façade of the stupa making sure a perfect arc of paint is formed just by throwing the paint and such precision they had. We were mesmerized by just watching them actually.

 stupa in Boudnath

 

 After breakfast, we went around the stupa.  Several monks and devotees were making their usual clockwise round of the stupa. It is said it is bad luck to go around a stupa counter-clockwise.   

After getting our fill of going around the stupa, we headed to Pashupathinath. According to Wikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

Walking around the temple is quite a cultural experience. We witnessed burning of three dead bodies as  relatives nearby, were wailing while the bodies were cremated before our very eyes. Surreal experience. An image that I only have seen in National Geographic was happening before my very eyes.



Pashupati scene

After Pashupati, we headed to the Thamel, Nepal’s version of Thailand’s Khao San Road or Saigon’s     Pham Ngu Lao, Bui Vien, and De Tham streets. I still have to figure out though which is Manila’s backpacker haven. Is it Malate? Or has it been replaced by Makati? Or just like the entire country which cannot be boxed, it cannot be determined.

 According to Wikipedia,Thamel has been the centre of the tourist industry in Kathmandu for over four decades starting from the hippie movement when many artists came to Nepal and spent weeks in Thamel. Even though Thamel has been referred to as the "ghetto" by some, most low-budget travelers consider it a tourist heaven.

In Thamel, we paid for our reservation in the Last Resort, the site of the culminating activity of this trip, the jump. That deserves another entry though. Then, we ate early dinner in a quaint restaurant aptly named New Orleans something and Nadine and I decided to share Nepal’s staple Dhal Bat,   Dal bhat is a traditional Nepali staple food consisting of steamed rice and cooked lentil soup dal. And I love it! This is the first Nepali food I have eaten here after getting my fair share of European delights in Kathmandu so far.

in Thamel, like a dream come true

Tired from the half day of going around Kathmandu, we headed back to home base in Dhumbarai and rested. The initial plan for dinner was scrapped after everyone decided to sleep early. For the following day, will be the start of exploring Nepal without the comfort of having a chauffer-driven ride and the company of Kathmandu “natives.”

Namaste Nepal

Kathmandu, a place in my bucket list for quite some time. Thus, when a few friends mentioned their intention to go there during the holy week of 2013. The plan was formed in my head. And once a travel seed has been planted in my head, I guess there is no turning back. The plan was Nepal-India. However, seven days might not be enough for KTM. Thus, India is on another trip and Nepal, aka India-lite is the focus of this trip.

the book that started it all

 

Thus, after a four-hour journey to KL, a free day in KL (coz I booked my flight wrong since KTM flights from KL are only every other day) and another four hours from KL to Kathmandu. The guy in the check-in counter was more than happy to check two giggling girls with their huge oversized backpacks and the non-smiling guy even gave us “hot seats”.  The seats have more leg room and he saved us MYR 115 each. But it turned out that being in the hot seat in this plane means passengers, will pass in front of you countless times (despite the sign disallowing it), passengers who were surprisingly allowed to mingle in the plane while airborne. Oh well, you really can’t have everything. (Note: This flight has also been a concern for me, since the merchant (airline) has not charged my bank  yet even if I booked two months ago. Not that I am complaining of this “free” ticket, but what if on the day of the flight, they would say my flight is not valid? So yes, this trip started off on an anxious note for me.)

We arrived in Tribhuvan International airport, that memorable Saturday afternoon of Mar 23.  The first thing that struck me upon landing is that Kathmandu is dusty and Nepal’s capital city is surrounded by really huge mountains (and these are not yet part of the Himalayas). This is truly the most mountainous place I have been in. As we got out of the plane, Nadine and I, stared at the mountains with jaws agape, only to realize the shuttle bus was just waiting for us to board. Silly French and Chinese girls (yes I was mistaken to be Chinese thrice).

Tribhuvan airport terminal building

When we got to the red-bricked terminal building, we saw that the line for visa-on-arrival is long. Nadine and I decided to wait it out since the flight is on time and we have time to linger. But when we saw a bigger throng of people arriving, we decided to line up. After more than two hours (yes two hours!) in line, we got our visa for $25/pax. Nadine’s friend, Tina, who is a German diplomat based in Kathmandu, went inside immigration to keep us company while waiting.

The moment we were out of the airport, I was on a daze. The first few minutes were pure assaults to my senses that I could not even take pictures. I was mesmerized by the sights and sounds of Kathmandu. So much for us, expecting it to be like Manila….. it was not even close. Kathmandu is as different as Manila. As Tokyo is as different to Manila. The first few minutes were memorable to me, that it has been so far the most memorable first few minutes of a new place. The huge mountains, the incessant honking, the crazy perpetual movement of people and vehicles, the red-brick buildings, the dust-covered unpaved roads or lack thereof, did I mention the honking? They were all too much for this Pinay, born and raised in Calle Marina, Ajuy but subjected to 17 years of Manila chaos, to take in a few minutes. But I also think it was love at first sight and first hearing. Forget Saigon or Manila. This is the street scene of all street scenes. Chaos amidst chaos. (If this is India-lite, I wonder how India is).

tame street scene (quiet day)

Toby, Tina’s hubby, drove us from Tribhuvan to their place in Dhumbarai with the expertise of someone  who seem so used to Kathmandu traffic, that I am surprised the way he was able to drive around those human and vehicle hurdles along our way.

On this trip I got to experience two cultures up close, Nepali and German culture. On our first night in Kathmandu, we had barbecue! And the beer? San Miguel Beer, not the ones brewed in Nepal but SMB shipped from Manila because my German friends think the Manila brew is better than the Nepali one.

To be continued…..

      

 

Birthday Trip

It was a birthday trip like no other. It was concocted two weeks before, with my friend Nadine and I celebrating our birthdays, five days apart. We were planning to go to Biliran, a small island off the coast of Leyte. So, in one of my most impromptu trips, we packed our bags and headed to Eastern Visayas. Nadine, fresh from a business trip to Bangkok and I, fresh from my not so normal birthday celebration, where I worked the whole day and enjoyed a quiet Indian-themed dinner with Shing.

The trip started in a usual Saturday 7am call time, which I managed to beat by a few minutes in the corner of Rufino and Valero. Even in the cab, I had the nagging feeling that I forgot something.

While waiting for our turn to check in, we saw a guy fighting with the airline personnel, after he missed his flight. Then we “met” Mr. Francisco Mendoza, the passenger to a Naga flight, whose name has been called numerous times.   

Our flight was uneventful ‘til Nadine banged her leg on the plane window while she takes one of her famous naps.

The original plan was to go Biliran but then we saw a brochure in the airport, to Caluwayan in Samar. Then we started thinking why not change the plan? Something, I haven’t done before, throw out the itinerary and decided to wing it. So we decided to have a coin toss to decide our destination, which allowed us to go to Marabut, an hour away from Tacloban. Going to Marabut allowed us to pass by San Juanico bridge, something which I couldn’t have seen if we went to Biliran. 

Seeing San Juanico bridge was one of the highlights for me. I wanted to stop and take a picture but we literarily zoomed by it. I told myself after seeing it that I am ready to go back to Manila.

En route to Marabut, thanks to mobile internet, we had a vague idea where we are going. We wanted to try out Marabut Extreme Resort instead of the touristy option. We figured there’d be a lot of people in the latter. But finding Marabut Extreme was tricky. We overshot the location twice because people don’t know where it is exactly.   

When we finally found Marabut Extreme, after Nadine convinced the van driver to go back after he missed our correct drop-off point, we found a ran-down resort in the middle of a quiet town. Entering the resort is quite an experience since you would be passing a long stretch of unpaved road strewn with carabao grass and huge rock formations along the road. Our “pedicab” navigated through this terrain amidst pouring rain.    

While we were discussing with the equally-surprised caretakers, rain poured and we were stuck in a ran-down resort with two caretakers who were as surprised as we are that we were staying there. After seeing the resort’s amenities or lack thereof, we decided not to stay in Extreme. The location of the place is nice, giving you a nice view of a cove and a nice beach, but I think the owner forgot the upkeep of the whole place.  By this time however, rain was pouring so we had no choice but wait it out, eat Nutella  with bread and stare at the rain. I reminded myself of this quote from G. K. Chesterton. An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.

While waiting for the rain to stop, I decided to chat with the lady caretaker and found out from her that the resort is 15 years old and on its heyday, had a lot of tourists flocking it. The resort was managed by a French couple who went back to France a couple of years ago. “Ate” (I was not able to get her name) has been working there for 15 years and has managed to send her kids through school. They have very few visitors lately and I guess they are used to being “rejected”. Hearing that story, how I looked at the place, changed. The story made me sentimental and made me re-assess my mood for the day despite the rain.   

Our ride finally arrived and we requested to be brought to touristy resort instead.  Wet and tired, we quickly settled in our new room. There I received an uber-cool birthday gift, a hammock made of parachute material. After changing to dry clothes, we enjoyed a hot dinner in the resort’s open cottage.

A lot has happened and not happen on our first day in Samar. But I know we will look at this day as an inconvenience that we managed to turn into an adventure.