Makalu Basecamp, Part 2
Makalu Basecamp, Part 3
Day 1:
A mere two hours in Kathmandu, arranging for a (useless) TIMS permit and making the most priceless purchase of my trip, a compass, and I'm off to Dharan, 16 hours away. This is just the start - from Dharan, it is another 8 hours to Khandbari (via Hilay), from where it is another 6 hours to Num, which marks the real beginning to my trek.
Enroute, I break the established rules of bus travel in an alien country, as also warned against by my Nepali friend/liaison, Kaju, "Don't befriend strangers, or accept food or water they offer" - I do.
Day 2:
Dharan comes too early, at 5AM. Before even rubbing the rheum off my eyes, I find a bus for Khandbari waiting, and hop on. I get an aisle seat, next to an obnoxious teenager, for the first few hours, then find a window seat.
Some horrible roads result in the bus breaking down after Hilay, but it ultimately continues onwards. ("Goodluck Travels," as the bus company is intuitively named)
The bus halts at Tumlingtar for lunch. Tumlingtar is the nearest airfield to start on this trek. This town is situated along the Sabha Khola (Khola ~ River). I love the Thukpa; and keep the enticing fish dish for the return leg.
Khandbari by 14:00. Because the same bus is gonna do another 20km, to end its journey at Mane Bhanjiyang (MB), I stay put. The tarmac roads are far behind; now its only mud.
I finally get to step down, at MB, nearing 3PM. No vehicles leave for Num (still 4/5 hours away) for the day. I'm anxious, but a local elderly helps me get my calm back, and tags me along to the main market. I find a dorm to put up for the night - just a bed and some ventilation, but one which overlooks the taxi union counter down by the road.
It soon starts to rain in MB. I wile away time with the locals.
Later, when the rains recede, I step out. The marketplace is resourceful.
My map shows a temple here, so I ask around for directions. "Only Brahmins allowed," I'm forewarned shortly before my approach to the temple. I find the temple, and Sahdev, the caretaker-cum-priest, who tries to push me into donating money and in turn get a bench dedicated to my name, but I evade.
Night ends with John Lennon's Imagine playing in this little village. I'm stressed as both the zippers of my rucksack are broken, and my co-occupant of the dorm speaks from his bed that there's no repair possible; FML.
Day 3:
Still no transport going up to Num. The rains eat out the roads, so lesser people travel towards Num in this season.
I get a packet of balloons, and dole one each to the kids. Soon the marketplace is a cute sight - kids playing on the road in traffic.
...Continued
Makalu Basecamp, Part 3
A mere two hours in Kathmandu, arranging for a (useless) TIMS permit and making the most priceless purchase of my trip, a compass, and I'm off to Dharan, 16 hours away. This is just the start - from Dharan, it is another 8 hours to Khandbari (via Hilay), from where it is another 6 hours to Num, which marks the real beginning to my trek.
Enroute, I break the established rules of bus travel in an alien country, as also warned against by my Nepali friend/liaison, Kaju, "Don't befriend strangers, or accept food or water they offer" - I do.
Dharan comes too early, at 5AM. Before even rubbing the rheum off my eyes, I find a bus for Khandbari waiting, and hop on. I get an aisle seat, next to an obnoxious teenager, for the first few hours, then find a window seat.
Some horrible roads result in the bus breaking down after Hilay, but it ultimately continues onwards. ("Goodluck Travels," as the bus company is intuitively named)
The bus halts at Tumlingtar for lunch. Tumlingtar is the nearest airfield to start on this trek. This town is situated along the Sabha Khola (Khola ~ River). I love the Thukpa; and keep the enticing fish dish for the return leg.Khandbari by 14:00. Because the same bus is gonna do another 20km, to end its journey at Mane Bhanjiyang (MB), I stay put. The tarmac roads are far behind; now its only mud.
Later, when the rains recede, I step out. The marketplace is resourceful.
My map shows a temple here, so I ask around for directions. "Only Brahmins allowed," I'm forewarned shortly before my approach to the temple. I find the temple, and Sahdev, the caretaker-cum-priest, who tries to push me into donating money and in turn get a bench dedicated to my name, but I evade.
Night ends with John Lennon's Imagine playing in this little village. I'm stressed as both the zippers of my rucksack are broken, and my co-occupant of the dorm speaks from his bed that there's no repair possible; FML.
Still no transport going up to Num. The rains eat out the roads, so lesser people travel towards Num in this season.
I get a packet of balloons, and dole one each to the kids. Soon the marketplace is a cute sight - kids playing on the road in traffic.
The schools begin at 10:00AM, so at 09:30, all the balloons were seized, and out came uniforms, combs, and ribbons.
I kept inquiring about the taxi for Num; only a handful of people had been waiting, and there was a wait for more.
I exit MB around 10AM. The taxi wouldn't go upto Num, owing to the condition of the roads, but possibly to either Chichila or Devrali.
The road was horrible. The ride was bumpy. That it didn't rain for those few hours was a blessing.
The taxi carried me as far as Devrali, a coupla' hours before Num. So that is where I start from.
The taxi carried me as far as Devrali, a coupla' hours before Num. So that is where I start from.
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