1.1.8: Pokhara
Day 32: Pokhara
This morning we went to the bus park to see Roj off to Kathmandu. We came back to the hotel and a bit later we went to the lake and hired a boat. We crossed the lake and visited the temple on an island in the lake.
32.1. Boating on Phewa Lake.
In the afternoon I took a walk around lakeside and then got my hair cut. I also bought the Trailblazer guidebook for the Khumbu region. I’d been using the equivalent for the Annapurna region and it was very good. The streets around lakeside are busy but much calmer than in Thamel and more pleasant to walk along. Later in the afternoon Kanchha and I went to Devi falls at the south end of the lake. It consists of a waterfall and a temple in a cave. It wasn’t very impressive. It was apparently named because of a tourist called David fell into the waterfall and drowned.
32.2. A shrine and a model of the Annapurnas at Devi Falls.
In the evening we went to an Italian restaurant down the road from the hotel. I had a pizza with red wine. Kanchha wasn’t very adventurous and had Dhal Bhat. Afterwards we went to use an ATM, I was pleased my credit card was still working, and then went for a beer at a bar down by the lake.
Day 33: Pokhara
This morning Chet was at the hotel. He had come to Pokhara to begin the Poon Hill trek. He had the morning and afternoon free so he joined us for the day. We went for breakfast together and then went to Begnas Tal, a lake a short bus ride from Pokhara. On the bus ride someone brought on board a herd of chhangra, which had to be thrown on by the horns. One had its horns dug into Kanchha’s leg which must’ve been very uncomfortable. When we arrived we hired a boat and went out on the lake for an hour or so. The lake seems a little bigger than Phewa Lake and it is more peaceful. The morning was clear and there were some good views of the mountains in the distance. After we went boating we went for lunch on the lakeshore. We had a fish curry with rice and potatoes made with fish caught from the lake and it was very good. Over lunch I showed Chet some of the photos from the Annapurna trek.
33.1. Annapurna II and Annapurna IV seen above Begnas Tal.
After lunch we came back to Pokhara and while Chet and Kanchha rested I went into town. I wanted to print out some of the photos from Landruk so that Chet could give them to Laximi when he arrives there. Unfortunately all the places I went to could only get them done by the next day. At about 16:00 we went for a walk around the lake, which was beautiful in the sunset. After an hour or so Chet had to leave and Kanchha and I went for dinner and I had grilled fish from Phewa Lake. After dinner Kanchha went back to the hotel as he was tired but I went to the bar for a beer and read my book.
33.2. Sunset over Phewa Lake.
Day 34: Pokhara
This morning Kanchha and I went for breakfast and then got a taxi up to Sarankot where there are excellent views to the mountains. We walked up to the top and on the way up Kanchha bought a shawl for his wife and I bought a poster and a calendar. We stopped for drinks at the top as it was quite a hot and sweaty climb. As it was a nice day we walked back down and stopped for lunch at a nice lodge just outside of Pokhara that had a beautiful garden overlooking the lake. For lunch I had a fish caught from their own pond.
31.2. On the walk from Landruk to Deurali.
31.3. What’s in the baskets? – Baby goats!
In the afternoon we rested and then in the early evening we went to the world peace stupa on the hill overlooking Pokhara. We took a taxi to the lakeside and then hired a boat to cross to the other side. The stupa was about an hours walk from the lakeside and when we got to the top the sun was setting. Most of the mountains were covered in cloud but Machhapuchhare looked impressive with orange coloured cloud from the sunset making it look on fire. The stupa itself was large and had four golden statues depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha around it. When we came back down it was beginning to get dark.
34.3. The world peace stupa and the view of Machhapuchhare in the sunset.
We went to a local bar and had some buff meat and rakshi. It was our last day in Pokhara and our last day in the Annapurna region so we decided to celebrate and relive Dasain. The rakshi here was much stronger than that which I had drunk on the trek and I was soon feeling quite tipsy. We were later joined by a friend of Kanchha’s who used to work at the Sherpa guesthouse in Landruk a few years ago, but he didn’t know Laximi. Afterwards Kanchha and I went back and had Dhal Bhat with the hotel owner and his family.
Day 35: Pokhara to Kathmandu
This morning we woke up early and got a taxi to the bus park. The morning was very clear and there were very nice views of the mountains. We got the tourist bus back to Kathmandu which wasn’t as interesting an experience as the local bus but it was faster and certainly more comfortable. The journey was pleasant and after an hour or so we said our final goodbye to the Annapurnas.
35.1. View of the Annapurnas from Pokhara Bus Park.
Just before we got to Kathmandu we were held up for a couple of hours due to a bus accident. We got into the city at about 16:00 and then got a taxi to Thamel. The Tibet guesthouse was fully booked so instead we went to the Hotel Prime which was located right in the centre of Thamel. The room was fine but being in the centre it was bright and noisy until around midnight which is late for me with a trekkers sleep pattern.
I met Jagat in the lobby and we had a brief chat and arranged to meet tomorrow. Kanchha went to the Tibet guesthouse to pick up my bag that I’d left before the trek. In the evening Kanchha went back to spend some time with his wife and daughter and I went for dinner, had a beer and planned a 16 day itinerary for the Khumbu region.
35.2. View of Thamel from the window of the hotel.