Finally morning... the local bus ride for the whole 17hrs!!!
The bus drove all night, all our cramp legs, feet is looking forward for the arrival in Kathmandu. We didn’t have any food the whole night as we weren’t sure what they serve and me I have no appetite to eat cause the bus journey was quite an “experience” for me..And for Ramli his long legs just couldn’t fit the space properly. I feel so bad for him but all thru the journey he kept telling me all is fine.
During the journey Ramli got to know a guide Rahul from Sikkim whom is also heading to Kathmandu for work. So he offered to be our guide since we are keen to go for trekking in Nepal. We didn’t spoke in detail until the bus finally stopped at about 0830hrs at a different bus terminal which was further away from Thamel. Luckily Rahul was there to inform us otherwise we would be lost in that place trying to get accommodation. He offered to bring us to the hotel he was staying in Thamel which costs Nrp500 and as he claims is clean and nice. We thought it was a good deal so we agreed. And shared a taxi with him into Thamel with his assistant guide whom is just a boy about 12 yrs or younger. He followed Rahul during this trip to learn the ropes to be a guide.
Toilet of the hotel
our messy room..
We arrived at Thamel about 15mins later and checked into the Hotel Hana. The room was clean and nice, with a clean toilet and also a balcony!! We took out the clothes we wanted to send to the laundry, finally!! And cleaned our bags which got real dirty when we put it in the lower cabin of the bus. Mine was all dusty but Ramli’s got a bit of mud on it… Yucks…
Rahul later came and showed us the map on where he would recommend us to go during this monsoon season. He recommended to go on the Annarpurna Round trek which takes about 12 days in total. And we will pass the Thorung La pass at 5400m abv sea level, when Ramli heard he got all excited. So now about the price, he told we just need to pay him guide fee at USD20/day and the food and lodging is excluded. He said the food is about Nrp200/pax and the lodging about Nrp150-250/double room. We made some calculation with the bus ride we need to take to the starting point and than the return car and bus ride from Jomsom to Pokhara. Ramli made the calculations and total costs for the 12 days is about USD510, hmm that is a good price as compared to Yumesamdong and Yumthang valley for 3D2N we paid USD300.. Eventhough I have my doubts as no matter what we only met him during the bus ride, but since Ramli trusted him as he is quite knowledgeable and can speak a few different language. We agreed to have him as our guide will start out trekking tomorrow and gave our photos and passport copies to apply for the trekking permit.
While he was doing that, we went for a shower finally!! Than went out to explore Thamel and their outdoor shops as Izar and Irma kept telling us they have plenty and ask to be careful as we might “overshop”.. First stop was to the money changer to get more Nepalese Rupess for the trekking trip and some minor shopping.. Next was the provision shop to get some stuff for dinner, wai wai Maggie and ayam brand canned chilli tuna.. Not forgetting the chocolates to boost our energy during the trek.. Walked around the place and true enough they have so many outdoor trekking shops and loads of stuffs which just catches our eye… since we are not returning home soon we had to get the appropriate things only. Went in search of hats, for Ramli a quick drying t-shirt and for me the Punjabi look a like pants which Irma bought for me 1 pair when they visited earlier this year.. Izar and Irma as you can imagine how “controlled” we were knowing what Thamel have!! Ish we are just controlling ourselves so much, fingers, hands, leg, head all itchy to get something!! But before that we need to get some food to fill our growling stomachs… Went into some restaurant selling all sorts of food, Ramli ordered a Dhal Bhat and myself Veg and Egg Fried rice with a side dish vegetable spring roll and 2 diet cokes. The quantity of rice they serve is humungous!! But both of us manage to finish it but had trouble with the spring roll as we expected to tbe small finger food but it turned up to be huge and 4 pcs… Had to tapao the last one as I really cant stuff it in.. Total costs about NPR395 that’s not bad for such a big meal.
streets of Thamel
super big spring roll
Ramli's Dhal Bhat
My Egg Fried Rice
Hehehe feels fresh
Just next door there is a internet café, so headed in to check our mails, FB and to update the blog.. Ramli managed to chat with our “missing” friends our dearest Mr Izar on msn … After I had to call Mr Hari to arrange to meet up to pass photos and some school funds for his kids from Izar and Irma.. Hari was the porter with them when they visited Nepal earlier… So spoke with him and made arrangement to meet at our hotel at 5pm..
After went shopping!!! We got a “Columbia” and “north face” hat for NRP450 after a lot of haggling which some shops couldn’t agree to.. And Ramli a Lowe Alpine quick dry shirt at NRP1300 which is said to be genuine.. Hopefully it is and works as the tag says.. Than round we went trying to remember every corner we turn so we wont get lost as we didn’t take down the hotel address and for Ramli worst! He cant remember the hotel name, talking about excited… Wahahahha So my turn to find my pants, at first it was 1 than I needed another 1… Kekekke couldn’t help it la.. Its so cheap!!! 1 is NRP200 and other is NRP400… “finish” our shopping and went explore the rest of Thamel… We were impress with the outdoor shops but weren’t impress with some of the restaurants and café they have here… Is too over the top, some cafes look like scenes from Paris and some are so proper and neat which we think should be catering to the needs of those luxury tourists… Near our hotel they even have a striptease dance club, hmmmmm
Anyway time came for us to get back to the hotel as Hari has sent us an sms to inform he had arrived. Finally got to see him in person chat with him a bit and pass the things I had to give.. Asked him advise on the trekking we agreed to and he told us is expensive as normal price is about USD15/day and cautioned us to make sure this Rahul guy has the trekking guide license as he worried we might get cheated and he might “loose” us during the trek which is very dangerous… I thought maybe USD15/day is what the travel companies pay to the guides direct and what Rahul quoted is marked up a bit for his profit which I think was alright. But I’m worried about the trekking guide license. As Hari’s home is 17km away from Thamel and he needs to rush home for dinner we ended our conversation and he offered to bring us for dinner the next day or before we leave Kathmandu and bring us around for some sightseeing. Will keep in contact with him..
Went to our rooms then Rahul came and gave us our trekking permit and ask for some advance for the guide fee. Ramli gave him USD100 and asked him if he could show us his trekking guide license. My heart was thumping so hard as Im afraid that I would hear he doesn’t have one. But he took it out from his pocket and showed to us than we were relieved, phew!! So he went thru the things we need for this trek and offered to bring us to get our walking sticks just next door. So we spend another NRP1500 for a pair and headed back to the room when he told us that his assistant guide will not be coming with us as he have some knee problem and need to go back to Sikkim the same night.. My goodness another 17hours ride to the border!! We felt extreme pity for him but we guessed this is what they are used to…
So now no assistant there isn’t anyone to help us carry our 15kgs and 20kgs bag..How siah??? I told Ramli seriously I know I cant do it even though Rahul offered to carry my bag if I couldn’t make it, but I think is too much for him and what if Ramli also have trouble… hmmm. As the trek is ending at Pokhara which is also near to the border to pass over to India which we could enter into Varanasi to continue our India journey, it is a bit troublesome for us to leave the bags at the hotel and come back again to Kathmandu to pick it up… We think and think and think and decided that leaving our bags at Kathmandu is the best option as we don’t want to burden ourselves or Rahul with the weight and not able to enjoy the scenery cause we are just too exhausted to look.. Anyway we haven’t explore Thamel thoroughly and haven’t even visited the sights..
Than we started sorting out what we need to bring what we don’t need to bring and packed those unwanted in the cargo bag. And sametime hoping that our laundry will be done by tomorrow morning otherwise we will be in “trouble”.. Rahul told us to also buy some packets of sweets or toffee for the trek to give to the children in the villages, so we went out again to get the sweets and water and headed back to the room to cook dinner.
Cooked whatever was left of the rice from Darjeeling and cooked the Maggie… Ate the rice with the canned tuna and the last of our he bee hiam!!! No more!!!! Enjoyed our dinner while watching tv than after got to sleep for the next big day!
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