Long bus trips are for young virile backpackers

who can't afford anything else and do not have yearning for cleanliness.  We have done a lot of long hot dirty bus trips in our travels and when the taxi driver accidentally took us to the airport this morning instead of the bus station, I nearly sprinted to the terminal to book our 22 minute flight but stupidly contained myself and laughingly told him, "Oh no not the airport, we are going on the bus!!!  You know the bus that takes seven or eight hours - always closer to the eight - and nearly goes over the edge on every corner of the high passes.  Yes, that one!!!" 

So after three very relaxing days in Pokhara, we headed back for Kathmandu on a bloody bus!!!!  Pokhara was the place where we were going to do a trek but after finding out that we needed at least five days and we had three we were left with rather a gap in our itinerary.  We did enjoy going to the Gurka Museum and strolling along the beautiful lake but other than that there was not a lot to do especially as the Annapurna Ranges were under cloud for the majority of the time. 

It was a good rest though and I think you need that when travelling in Asia.  It is so much more demanding than Europe.  So we made the most of it and we are now back in Kathmandu.  We have a few things we still want to see here.  We also have to sort out our luggage which has grown considerably before we fly out for India on June 1. 

Our friends the Glindemans leave for Poland soon and we wish them a happy and safe journey.  Make the most of it guys and look forward to catching up when you return.  Also for Ron, hope you have an exciting time in Holland making your big purchase.

Cheers.

Pokhara, place of rest!!!

Yesterday was a day of ups and downs as we travelled to Pokhara.  Set off at 6.20 am from Kathmandu on the Tourist Bus.  Had great seats on the bus up front with the driver and really enjoyed the leaving of Kathmandu and then the beautiful scenery heading west.  After about four hours he let us off and we met with a guy from a rafting company where we donned lifejackets and helmets and set off on the mountain river and a three hour white water rafting trip.  It was great - a beautiful scenic river flowing through a steep gorge and just strong enough rapids to keep it interesting for us.  On one of the level four rapids, a big wave came over the boat and out went me (Deb) and one of the guides.  After I realised I had to hold my lifejacket down a bit so I could breathe through the waves, I was fine and we finally made our way through that particular rapid and were rescued by the main guide and John.  A bit of excitement for the day!!!!  We really enjoyed this and was a welcome relief from the bumpy bus ride. 

We eventually boarded our next bus and four very very bumpy hours later we arrived in beautiful Pokhara absolutely worn out.  A shower and a bit of a walk and lots of English channels on TV which we haven't had for a few weeks - TV that is and we were happy to relax for the night.  Pokhara is a lovely town set on a lake and from our window we have the occasional view of the Anapurnas - it would be a permanent view if the clouds would lift.  This morning we spent walking around the town and determining what we will do over the next three days.  We would love to do a trek but have been assured both in Kathmandu and here that three days is not enough.  We have both loved Nepal and so have determined we will come back and do the trekking at a future date.  Also we are assured the weather is a bit flukey at the moment to make trekking a pleasurable experience. 

Have just found the Lleyton Hewitt v Giles Simon game on TV - French Open.  Yeh.  See you soon.

Komfy Khaotic Krazy Kathmandu!!!

We are, for reasons unknown to us, at the moment packing a few clothes into a little bag to take with us tmorrow when we leave Kathmandu for Pokhara.  We are so completely at home here.  We eat well, sleep well, there are loads of exotic and interesting places to explore, the people are friendly, the accommodation great, the prices are cheap.  All in all a great place to be. 

For the last four days, we have been literally wandering around some of the sights of Kathmandu but it is one of those cities that you just soak up.  There are not a lot of major attractions but just being here is a complete hoot.  It is busy, it is crowded, traffic is constant, honking and chaotic, but it is so interesting walking around the streets and exploring little dark alleyways.  We have visited an area to the south called Patan, gone to Durbar Square, been overwhelmed by the colours and enjoyed the food.

Tomorrow we are going white water rafting for three hours on our way to Pokhara, a smaller town to the west of Kathmandu which is situated on a lake with views of the Anapurna ranges.  We were going to trek but our host here assures us you would need five days and we haven't got that much time.  So we are thinking we will come back one day and do some trekking here.  As long as it's not at altitude, we would love it.  We are both thriving here and really enjoying relaxing and being in one place.

Cheers everyone.  In case people don't know, if you want to email us please do so on debranoeline@hotmail.com.au as our email account corrupted as soon as we left Australia and I haven't been able to fix it.

On the top of the world!!!!

You really can’t underestimate the excitement of travelling the world whether it be in Australia or overseas. Sometimes it is hard slog and long days of waiting and being hungry and using dirty toilets but then you have days like we have just had and all those things become so insignificant because you have had such a high (literally for us) that it just doesn’t matter about small inconveniences.


When you wake up in the morning and walk outside your little Tibetan tent where you have slept soundly by a stove fuelled by yak dung and with the pots bubbling away on top, and there, close enough to touch, framed against a brilliant blue sky without a cloud in it, is the highest mountain in the world, you just immediately laugh and cry at the same time. What a beauty!!!! We overnighted in Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side after a long and rough drive in. After leaving a little town called Shegar at six in the morning to get to the top of a high pass to get our first glimpse of Everest we found it was covered in cloud. However, we stood in the minus five temps waiting for the cloud to lift for probably an hour and a half. Our driver and guide were devastated for us but hey, northing they can do. So off we headed across the barren and stark Tibetan countryside, through little villages and yak herds, over mountain streams, along a road that was bearly recognisable as a road even though it lead to EBC.

Finally our guide turned around and just looked at us and said :There she is!!! And there framed by the high brown and treeless mountains was Everest with only a small amount of cloud coming off her but the summit in full view and absolutely amazing. We were beside ourselves. This was the main reason for our trip and of course it is is flukey as to whether you see her or not but there she was!!! She got clearer and clearer as we headed towards and finally arrived at EBC where we walked along the road to get closer and closer. You can drive to EBC in Tibet. It is at five thousand three hundred metres and then take a bus another six kilometres further on to a military camp where they have a small stone sign announcing that you are at Mt Quolomongo Base Camp. We sat in the rocky pass near the mountain river roaring down the slope and just watched for a long time.



Sunrise at EBC - there she is!!!



We slept that night in a Tibetan tent where the Tibetan lady cooked for us and we drank some Lhasa beer with our guide and driver. The high altitudes had not been kind to us and we each suffered from headaches and nausea controlled occasionally bysome Chinese high altitude tablets which they don’t recommend to take very often. However the tent was warm and cosy and we all slept soundly and our Tibetan host even came round and tucked us in under doonas and warm blankets.



The next morning when we got up it was to perfectly clear skies and the sun just rising and casting its light on the mountain. We were jumping around like school kids and it was perfect. We couldn’t have scripted it better. Everest here is at the end of a valley of high treeless mountains looking like moraine. It is the only mountain in sight with snow. It is close, it is majestic, it was glorious on this clear May morning.



Obviously I could go on and on about this highlight of our travelling, but we finally left this basic EBC with a view and headed to the Nepalese border. The roads in and out of EBC are almost impossible to find they are so basic. Rough and across extensive rocky plains. Once we got onto the Friendship Highway again we headed south and had views of the vistas of the Himalayans. It was glorious. Finally we headed to the border town of Zhangmu which hangs on the wall of an amazing gorge which we drove along for hours.

Yesterday we crossed the Chinese border into Nepal and shared a six hour taxi drive with two Hungarian girls into Kathmandu. As is our habit we threw the bags in, had a shower and out we went







Grubby sign for base camp



. It is wonderful not to have to worry about the altitude and feel like you can walk more than six steps without being breathless. We immediately loved this place and spent yesterday wandering our local area. It is full of book shops, map shops, knife shops, carpet shops and wonderful restaurants – so guess who is happy!!!! And it is so cheap.

We loved Tibet. It is a glorious country and the scenery is beyond beautiful. This will be much easier though being in Nepal. There is so much to say but the last few days have been a wonderful experience for us both and we are grateful that we were given the perfect weather and the oopportunity to be on top of the world!!!!

On the road in Tibet

We very reluctantly left Lhasa yesterday.  We enjoyed our stay there immensely and now do not have the tiny amount of luggage we started off with.  We were picked up in a 4WD with a driver and a guide and headed off to the south west township of Gyantse.  The drive blew us away with the scenery so magnificent.  Towering treeless mountains and wide plainlands presented at every turn.  We went up through two passes over the mountains at four and half thousand metres.  One of the passes presented the view of Yamdrok Lake, a turquoise shimmering huge body of water which we drove along for many kilometres - not the water, the road that ran by the water.  It was a spectacular day and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  The mountains, which our guide calls hills, were often snow capped and one of our stops was at the Karola glacier, picturecard white against a brilliant blue sky.

We stayed overnight in Gyantse, a town inhabited mainly by Tibetans and not Chinese.  We were very impressed by a walled mountain temple perched on a huge sheer rock outcrop and the necessary abundance of photos were taken.  Were not impressed however by the cold shower in the hotel room as the temperatures here at night drop quite low.  However the days are blue and warm and set off the scenery perfectly.   

Today we have come on only a short trip to Shigatse.  On the way I actually helped a Tibetan farmer plough a field behind two galloping yaks.  Quite an experience!!!  We are jacking up about just seeing monasteries and have told our guide enough is enough - and for us enough was a while ago.   

Tomorrow we head for Shegar which is at the entrance to Everest Base Camp where we hope to spend a night and two whole days.  I am sure, like you Jimmy Seaha, a tear or two will be shed looking at that big mountain and we are hoping for a continuation of the wonderful weather we have been having. 

Internet is a big scarce here so can't post photos but will do that when we are in Kathmandu. 

Cheers everyone!!!

Leaving Lhasa

We have had four glorious days in Lhasa and thoroughly enjoyed this exotic city.  We have stayed in a typical Tibetan rest house owned by a Tibetan family in the heart of the old city and only a 10 minute walk to Johkang Square the centre of town.  Lhasa is a city under construction - almost every road in the old city is torn up while they install heating.  Not for the Tibetans to do one road at a time and with their obsolete tools their progress is slow only quickened by the fact that they work long hours.   

The main square is framed on one side by the Johkang Temple, the most important temple to the Tibetan Buddhists.  It is smoky and mystical, with candles burning in yak butter and many relics and idols lining the various crowded chapels.  The Tibetans are a devout people, lucky for the Chinese occupiers!!!  They always believe something good will come from situations but the presence of the Chinese police and army is obvious and blatant.  Check points everywhere, loudspeakers telling you what a blessing they are for Tibet and a huge statue in front of the revered Potala Palace called the Peaceful Chinese Pacification of Tibet monument.  Think John and I will be joining in a few marches on our return. 

The most wonderful asset of this country is its people and nowhere is this more obvious than on the circumambulation around the Johkang Temple where young and old join in to better their chances of heaven as their destination in the next life.  All walk clockwise with prayer wheels, rosary beads and prostrating themselves as they make their way around the temple. Large stupors burn incense and the whole experience is very spiritual and intense yet uplifting and relaxed at the same time. 

We visited the wonderful Potala Palace - probably the most impressive building we have ever seen and once home to the Dalai Lama.  It was very interesting.  Our guide is a passionate Buddhist and we have learnt a lot from him.  No one is allowed to enter Tibet without a guide and a car booked so it's an expensive business.  Probably the most expensive country we have ever visited.  But our guide, Tenzin, is very experienced and is keen to help us see the best Tibet has to offer.  We went with him yesterday to the Deprung Monastery which was also extremely intersting. 

Today we leave Lhasa and head toward Everest Base Camp via Gyantse and Shigatse.  The weather has been great here so we are praying for a fine day at EBC so as we can see that beautiful big mountain in all its glory.   

Hope all is well at home.  Happy holiday, Jules.  Hope you really enjoy Canada.  Will be thinking of you.  Take good care.

Deb and John

The beautiful people of Tibet

 

We are in Tibet!!!

We enjoyed our time in China and had a couple more wonderful days in Yangshuo.  After getting a very sore bottom on a bicycle, we swapped to a scooter for a day riding around the mountains with new friends from America.  Steve, our bandb owner came with us for part of the way and showed us places off the beaten track.  We had a wonderful day.  The mountain scenery here is different and dramatic and the lushness of the watered countryside makes the vistas remarkable.  Steve and Jess kindly let us have our room till late the next day when we taxied over to Guilin and finally got our flight to Chengdu at 2 in the morning.  It was a long night and one you would rather forget.  When we got to our hotel which I had booked because it was near the airport we had to leave the windows open because the planes flew through.  We spent the day in Chengdu going out to the Zoo as we thought this was where they had the panda nursery.  But no, just another sad Chinese zoo.  It was filthy and sad.  

Well, we are now in Lhasa in Tibet.  We flew over here on Sunday morning and we were met by our guide and driver for the next 10 days who brought us into our typical Tibetan hotel.  Lhasa is amazing and is preparing for one of its major festivals of the year, Saga Dawa.  We both got a pretty bad dose of altitude sickness for the first two days but noticed a big difference yesterday after John and Tensey, our guide, got some strong Chinese medicine to help us.   

Yesterday, Densey took us to the Johkang Temple.  It was incredible.  Hard to explain.  The Tibetan people are Buddhist and this is one of the most important Buddhist Temples for them.  There is a sense of the mystical and spiritual as you enter the Chapel.  It is smoky and full of their gods and people circumambulating the inside of the temple.    In the afternoon, John and I wandered around Lhasa by ourselves and we have both decided we love it here.  Certainly a different experience from the first day which was clouded by headaches and tiredness.   

There is of course a strong Chinese army presence.  Constant checkpoints and soldiers marching with batons are reminders of the aggression these people have suffered.  The Tibetan people are wonderful and very long suffering.   

The streets in the old town here are being pulled up at the moment to install heating into the houses.  Every street is difficult to navigate and we are constantly stepping over big holes and trenches.  Wouldn't want to have a few too many beers. 

Hope all the Mums had a great day on Sunday.  Thinking especially of the new Mum in our family, Maree, and hope Gary and Lachlan treated you to a great day. 

Deb and John

Us on the roof of the Johkang Temple looking across to the Potala Palace

Riding in Yangshuo

On the Bund in Shanghai

Our street in Shanghai - it was a pet market

What a sight!  The Potala Palace in Lhasa - one of the most impressive buildings we have ever seen

Rainy and misty afternoons ...

are perfect for reading and sleeping and writing blog entries especially after cycling all morning out to Moon Hill near Yangshuo in southern China.  What a morning!!!!  John was very patient with my frequent stops but we did it together and covered the 12 or so kilometres among the karst mountains and bursting rivers in the morning sunshine.  Although Yangshuo is quite the tourist retreat, we have enjoyed our time here so far with good food and great hospitality at the Stone Bridge B&B owned by an Aussie and his Chinese wife.  Amazingly they used to live near Fernvale so we had immediate common ground.  It is a beautiful area - one of the prettiest in China and we look forward to the next couple of days.

We came here from Nanjing.  Caught the train there from Shanghai.  Although it wasn't a bullet train it reached speeds of 300 kmh and we covered the distance in no time at all.  We liked Nanjing and walked the walls and visited the Southern Gate where the Japanese broke through.  Also went out to the Yangtze River.  But without a doubt the highlight was a visit to the site commemorating the Nanjing Massacre.  Nearly 400,000 Chinese citizens - men, women and children - were slaughtered by the Japanese here in 1937 and this site respectfully and fittingly pays homage to those who died.  It is more than a museum with memorial parks, cemetries, peace parks etc.  The Chinese might not see the irony of promoting peace throughout the world - think the Tibetans might have something to say about that. 

We have found the Chinese people pleasant especially when I practice my exquisite Chinese on them which Patrick taught me.  Food has been a challenge at times especially in Nanjing where not many menus had English translations.  When you know that pig brains, tripe, intestines are on the menu you tend to be a bit careful. 

Of course, all social media sites are blocked as is my blog site so Lynda is putting these posts up for me.  Hope you enjoy the photos (not arrived yet). 

Deb and John

Shanghai - now this is a City with a capital C

After a lovely comfortable day in KL which is pretty much becoming our home away from home, we flew in Shanghai late last Thursday night or early Friday morning and arrived at our hostel exhausted and looking for a good night's sleep.  The place we are staying in is great.  Right behind the Marriott and a lovely big room and a beautiful hot shower.  Just what we needed.  Shanghai has been so enjoyable and our first day we spent wandering down Nanjing Road which must be one of the most incredible city streets in the world - busy, bustling, shopping, food, buskers.  It's all there.  It took us quite a few hours to get from our hostel down to the Bund where we took in the Peace Hotel, the Customs House and the Bank of Shanghai.  My favourite was the Peace Hotel and John's the Bank.  These are buildings all built in the 1920s by the British and are amazing.  The most beautiful ceilings which add light and colour to the rooms they umbrella.  We did a look around first from the restaurant atop the Marriott - from the 36th floor and got a look at sprawling Shanghai.

We have never seen such an array of skyscrapers - each one almost a architectural masterpiece.  Our friend, Bob Reuben, recommended we go to a place called Xuijihu - not sure of the spelling - to see cityscape at its grandest and we headed there yesterday morning.  Standing on the overpass there and looking around was an architectural overload and really worth seeing.  From there we headed to a village of Qibao.  Now village is hardly the word but they have a section of old town well preserved and we spent a few hours wandering around the wooden Chinese houses and over the bridges, eating glorious and tasty street food and generally enjoying the balmy spring weather.

In total contrast, last night we rewalked Nanjing Road on Saturday night.  What a blast.  The lights are like nothing I have ever seen.  Something you can never capture in a photograph.  There were people everywhere and you wouldn't go many steps without being intrigued by what a group of people were watching.  Dancing, singing, acting buskers were everywhere.  A really popular pastime here for women's exercise is they learn a dance.  Not zumba style but to their own level and they perform as a group in the mall.  Mind you not a smile on any of their faces!!!  We ended our walk on the Bund looking across at Pudong and the light show that it puts on every night.  We also called in to the Peace Hotel and listened to a famous Chinese jazz band.  The Jazz Bar there was once voted the best bar in the world!!!!!  The average age of the band is 75 and the drummer is 90 - so hope for us yet.

We leave this afternoon for Nanjing.  We have really enjoyed our time in this big big city.