Because of the horrendous journey yesterday, today's start is scheduled for 11.00am. I developed my second bout of Delhi belly and didn't improve the situation with the beer last night but I needed it. The breakfast although good took a good hour to be served, speed not in the Nepalese gene pack. I sat in the shade looking at the beautiful mountainous scenery doing heavy breathing exercises every time I got a stomach cramp.
The journey to Kathmandu which took well over four hours with the traffic congestion in the city, made last nights effort look positively stupid. We were heading up a mountainside road full of potholes, mad Nepalese lorry drivers, at least three over turned lorries and a drop of three or four hundred feet into the river below.
Our first glimpse of the legendary city reminded me of all the stinking, over-populated, poverty stricken holes we'd been through in India. The hotel looked better from inside than out but our room was the worse so far. It was a box of a hole with a double bed that sloped down to the headboard even though the floor was flat, a dirty bathroom with no door lock and bad lighting that made everything look worse. Instead of kicking up a fuss we rushed off to eat with Barry who'd been here a couple of days and was raving about the place.
The food was very good for bar food and the live band was excellent especially the singer, lead and bass guitarists. We then decided to move bars but had to rush back to our hotel to use the toilet. When we came out couldn't find the rest of the group, this place is a maze of alleys etc.
Wednesday 19 December 2007
Day 43: Sunday 4th November: Varanasi - Kathmando
This was the earliest start yet. I haven't been up this early since the 6 till 2 shift at Handsworth Pitt. As we left the hotel grounds, bang on time, at 5.00am and turned into the main street outside I was not surprised to see it occupied by a substantial number of faces quietly waiting for daylight to break and staring inquisitively as we sneaked out into the last of the night. As soon as we left the city the lights on the bus went out and most of its passengers quickly slipped into the dreams so abruptly broken an hour earlier. Laying with head pressed against the window it was strange not to lookout on a scene bathed in early morning sun but a landscape shrouded in mist. Laying in the comfort and warmth of a hotel it is easy to ignore the fact that life for the masses here in Mother India gets
harder after dark.
This journey turned into another nightmare trip. First a very long and boring drive up to the Nepalese border along a road totally unfit for carrying traffic. The border was yet another dumping ground for lorries and travellers. The actual border control was situated on the main street of the town and took an hour to get to because of all the vehicles queuing. The women had to use the most appalling toilet I have seen since Ecuador 1993. Once through the border we were told to expect another 10 hour drive up to Kathmandu.
The last of the daylight was not waisted on the most beautiful of scenery as we started to climb into the foothills of the Himalayas but our estimated time of arrival began to look ridiculous. As dark took over the drive became dangerous. The road started to climb steeply and the lorries coming down from Kathmandu just kept up their constant drive to overtake everything in front irrespective of the danger. At 10.00am Sue erupted into rage. We'd now been driving for six hours since Nepal without a toilet stop and fifteen in total. As by magic the bus stopped for what I thought was a toilet stop but on looking at John Paul's face it was obvious we were going no further. Whether by luck or judgement we were stopped at the entrance to a Nepalese travel lodge and after a ten minute wait Leighton confirmed they had enough room. Although I didn't have any Nepalese rupees and we'd been told by the guide in Varanasi not to take anything above 100 Indian notes because no one would change them the little man at the bar took them thank goodness.
The lodge had been built by the locals and was quite comfortable if not a bit damp. The rooms were stretched out above the bar and dining room terrace and lit by fairy lights and looked idyllic from the road. The service at the bar was good but food took an age even though a large sign said 'food 24 hours a day'. By the time our soup arrived I'd had three bottles of Ghauka and since I'd been up since 4.00am I was feeling a bit tipsy. I sat with John Paul and he was very annoyed about the length of the journey which was impossible in the time given by Andrew and Mark. I think it is becoming obvious they are office travellers. Their instructions said set off no later than 8.00am and a buffet tea will be waiting in Kathmandu. We had been travelling for sixteen hours with few breaks, hence the outrage by Sue, and talking to the little barman who lived in Kathmandu it takes at least another three hours. It seems to me they're either ignorant of the distances and road conditions or they're prepared to endanger our lives and the reputation of the drivers for the sake of their precious timetable. Went to bed very very tired and bitter because obviously we have lost one of our days in Kathmandu.
harder after dark.
This journey turned into another nightmare trip. First a very long and boring drive up to the Nepalese border along a road totally unfit for carrying traffic. The border was yet another dumping ground for lorries and travellers. The actual border control was situated on the main street of the town and took an hour to get to because of all the vehicles queuing. The women had to use the most appalling toilet I have seen since Ecuador 1993. Once through the border we were told to expect another 10 hour drive up to Kathmandu.
The last of the daylight was not waisted on the most beautiful of scenery as we started to climb into the foothills of the Himalayas but our estimated time of arrival began to look ridiculous. As dark took over the drive became dangerous. The road started to climb steeply and the lorries coming down from Kathmandu just kept up their constant drive to overtake everything in front irrespective of the danger. At 10.00am Sue erupted into rage. We'd now been driving for six hours since Nepal without a toilet stop and fifteen in total. As by magic the bus stopped for what I thought was a toilet stop but on looking at John Paul's face it was obvious we were going no further. Whether by luck or judgement we were stopped at the entrance to a Nepalese travel lodge and after a ten minute wait Leighton confirmed they had enough room. Although I didn't have any Nepalese rupees and we'd been told by the guide in Varanasi not to take anything above 100 Indian notes because no one would change them the little man at the bar took them thank goodness.
The lodge had been built by the locals and was quite comfortable if not a bit damp. The rooms were stretched out above the bar and dining room terrace and lit by fairy lights and looked idyllic from the road. The service at the bar was good but food took an age even though a large sign said 'food 24 hours a day'. By the time our soup arrived I'd had three bottles of Ghauka and since I'd been up since 4.00am I was feeling a bit tipsy. I sat with John Paul and he was very annoyed about the length of the journey which was impossible in the time given by Andrew and Mark. I think it is becoming obvious they are office travellers. Their instructions said set off no later than 8.00am and a buffet tea will be waiting in Kathmandu. We had been travelling for sixteen hours with few breaks, hence the outrage by Sue, and talking to the little barman who lived in Kathmandu it takes at least another three hours. It seems to me they're either ignorant of the distances and road conditions or they're prepared to endanger our lives and the reputation of the drivers for the sake of their precious timetable. Went to bed very very tired and bitter because obviously we have lost one of our days in Kathmandu.
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