Back in Pokhara internet connectivity…..and the end of the line. As I had said yesterday we had to stop early because of rain. This morning that rain was a blessing because it dampened down all that dust. I must mention the guest house/lodge in Tukuche where we stayed. Here included is a photo/image of the sacred hesrt of Jesus in this very typical Bhuddist house. Well, make of it what you want, the patriarch of the family simply and briefly said thisis god and pointed to his heart. I liked this lodge/guest house most of any place we had stayed, and the tsampa (barley) porridge with the local apples was wonderful. The only other guests here in Tukuche were 3 nepali guys on motorcycles who we later met at a river crossing. I loved the simple dignity of this hotel where everything just seemed perfectly in its place.
THE RIDE…….. Started out at 7 and in a couple of hours were in Kalopani, yesterday’s intended destination. Now the road had more traffic especially motorcyclists doing their challenges. For a couple of river crossings I prefered to take off my shoes and wade across rather than perform heroics jumping rocks and having soaked feet for the rest of the day, or worse. Eventually we got to tatopani around noon. Because of Dusshera the most important festival in Nepal we were able to find only momos to eat. Then began the mudfest. The road was just full of traffic and a muddy mess. This was the same road I had ridden on last year and the deterioration was remarkable
We arrived in Beni at 3p.m. loaded the bikes on a bus and headed back to Pokhara. I have to say that this was the wildest bus ride I have ever been on. Here again was a road I had been on last year but the condition now….Add to that heavy rain and manic driver we were happy just to arrive in one piece.
