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2008/2009 Nepal & India

Day 09: Kathmandu, Nepal > Bandipur, Nepal (and the start of the Annapurna Circuit Trek)

08 December 2008

We woke up early (as if we had been asleep).  We are both not feeling well and wishing we could have another day of R&R.  As we did not have enough money for the trek we tried to get some from the local ATM but that wouldn’t dispense any cash so we will need to be careful with our budget as apparently there isn’t any banks until Jomson which is the other side of the pass.

Our group assembled in the foyer and our guide (Indra) joined us.  We had a short walk through Thamel to our bus which would take us to another town just short of where our trek will start (Bandipur).

The bus ride wasn’t as scary as some of our previous trips in India and South America but the country roads are still of poor quality and the drivers take some very risky maneouvres – we passed several head-on accident sites (luckily none of them looked too serious).

There were a few checkpoints along the highway; another opportunity for the government to collect revenue, but at least someone is keeping some sort of eye on who is arriving and departing the city.
We stopped for morning coffee in a small cafe on the edge of the cliff overlooking at fast flowing river and a long way below.  There was a table of local young men just sitting, casually drinking their tea with a garbage bag of marijuana by the table!

Shortly after leaving the cafe we stopped in a little town for lunch; a popular truckstop that served pretty good and fast food.

Eventually we arrived at Bandipur and walked a short distance up the hill to a lovely and well restored guest house “The Old Inn” that was partially owned by the trekking company. Bhandipur was on the main trade route between Tibet and India, but 50 years ago the route swapped to Pokhara and Kathmandu and the town started to fall into disrepair.  The town is being slowly restored and is very strict on development and is basically a traditional town that has not allowed tourism to spread uncontrollably as in Thamel.  There was also no cars which added to its beauty.

The view from our bedroom window.  The haze ruined things, but the next morning was a little clearer.
The view from our bedroom window. The haze ruined things, but the next morning was a little clearer.

We were warmly greeted with tea and coffee and eventually shown to our small, but very nice rooms.  Ours has a double bed (we are the only couple of the trek after all) and a view over the valley below (if it wasn’t so smokey we might have even been able to see some of it!)  After a short break, the group went for a stroll to see this small town and the lookout points.  It was still very hazy, so you could do little but imagine how magnificent the view would be in less polluted conditions.

We arrived back at the Inn in time for a lovely buffet dhal bhat dinner and a briefing about tomorrow’s activities.  Although a few left and went to bed straight after dinner, some of us pushed on and stayed up longer, eventually deciding to call it a day at 20:00.