Tata partoutou – Short summary of past days and trip to Mahendra Nagar

So hi there, my friends, finally found some (even lots of) time to write the first long entry to let you know about my adventure here in India/Nepal, my friends…

So, where to start, my friends?

As I already told you, the arrival in Delhi wasn’t that great as I hoped it to be, the first day with no news from the Couchsurfer with whom I was supposed to stay, and then the luggage-misere… also I felt quiet lost at Delhi, because heading to Nepal, I didn’t look for Information about Delhi. No city map, no Idea where to go. But thanks to Isa, friend of Thomas, who let me know something about how to reach Rishikesh, I found a place to stay. I simply followed her instructions, and well, here I was, in Pahar Ganj, where I arrived at about 6am… quite too early to get a room.

I had a little rest, and got up at about midday, leaving the addresse of the hotel to the Aeroflot-company who would deliver my backpack, then to have a look for a second t-shirt and maybe some flopflops, because in this heat with my hiking boots … well…

Imeadiatly I was followed by I don’t know  how many Indian friends who wanted to know a lots of things of me.

Finally I was tented to follow one of them, who wanted to have a cup of chai with me… so why not? Happy to have found someone, I followed him to his office, we got tea, there were some other friends of him. We were chatting a lot, it was really nice with them discussing about every thing – different culture, different languages, different religions, and – as well, believe it or not – about love and s.x (!)… well, they were telling me, about their stories of all their relationships to “western” girls … Indian are really great storytellers… they invited me the evening to eat with them, and the next day I did some sightseeing with Vecky. The afternoon turned round to be a little bit less relaxing, as Vecky involved me into heartbreaking discussions… how can I be so rude to leave him back with a broken heart, because, yes, he felt so much chemistry. Poor boy! But with all my “abilities to read other persons” (quote Vecky) I played the game on. He promised me to buy my busticket to Rishikesh. So fine, so good. The real troubles started the day after, when he wasn’t there where he promised to be. Strolling around, going to his office, waiting, etc. finally he arrived with about 3,5 h delay. Without my busticket. “But don’t worry, don’t you trust me?” Well…. The day was passing, I still spend my day with those gang, discussing, but the more and more I got unquiet. Still some hours later I got my bust ticket. When Vecky deposed me where my bus should leave, he went in the office, not without having me told to hide my ticket, checked my place (seems everything ok), and left immediately, one hour before bus leaving… if he really would be so in love … well, I tell you, still I wasn’t sure about the bus to Rishikesh… Only when I really got onto the bus, and they checked my ticket, only at that time a big big stone fell off my heart. The bus should arrive at 6am at Rishikesh. Time to have a little rest.

5am, doors open: “Rishikesh!!” Hop, took my things, out of the bus. Ah, finally some walking! Still needed to go to CityCenter. I took the road. I wasn’t that unquiet, I thought, this is the right way. Well it was. Everybody was telling me that. But when I came to a bridge, so narrow, that I nearly couldn”t pass it, because of so large Tata-lorries, who nearly took all the bridge, I wanted to take the small bridge right next to this one. Half-turn around, some meters later, a habitant of this village told me, nono, it’s the other bridge. Hummm… welll…. Lets try again, so. I took all my courage to pass the bridge, whereon a car stopped to ask me “taxi?” but I really didn’t want to take a taxi only for the few time to Rishikesh. So he went on, but he stopped on the other end of the bridge, and he told me, that I am at 12 km of Rishikesh… What the …??? So he was so friendly to take me to the next street junction, where he took the other road and left me behind. I found a motorikshaw immediately who took me to Rishikesh city center. Once more I followed the email of Isa: after the bridge to the right, straight ahead, street ends, 2 stone walls, there is her Ashram. So I turned right, the streed ended between two stone walls, but no Ashram nowhere. ?. Very Small Street, not touristic at all, like a boy sitting above the canals besides the street to do his everydays needs… Where I am? Isa asking me. I told her in a message, and tried to go back to the main road. I asked a few persons, everyone indicating different directions, but finally an old man took me to the mainroad, took me to the rikshaw, accompanied me till the place after where I had to walk. Ah, here a bridge, turn to right “youhou, I am here!”. Isa’s answer: where, I cant see you? Oh no, lost again?!? But no, Isa, meanwhile, was so nice to go to fetch me at the other side of the bridge… So I waited for her, and finally finally we met!

After checkin “my friend, you will keep a room for my friend? Sure? Thank you my friend!” Isa offered me a cup of tea in her room, and I was so happy to be in a place where I didn’t have to fear someone taking advantages of me… pfiou…

After a small chat, we had breakfast together, and after that I had to sleep a while. In the afternoon we had a small bath in he Ganga, really really refreshing, yes, it’s a mountain river! Walking along the Ganga we arrived at the more touristic place of Rishikesh, had lunch, and after a small internet session we got back to the ashram. We made appointment to see the fire ceremony at the banks of Ganga later that day, at about 6pm. Isa, already traveling/living in Asia the fourth year now, explained me lots of things: Indian behavior, hindu symbols, interesting reflexions of life… it were very touching, intense two days, that I spent with her! Afer a drink in a bar, she needed to go to Internet again, so I accompanied her, but I left her at about 9pm to go to bed.

The next day we met at 7am to do a small hike up to the mountains, there is the shiva-temple, 12km from rishikesh. I appreciated the silence over there, because, as in China, Indian people are always blowing there horn. “don’t move, here I come! Don’t be afraid, I will overtake you! Are you crazy, what are you doing! Hello my friend!” First, I cant make the difference between the meanings, second, it’s really really noisy! The temple was very beautiful, and I found out, that, nevertheless, Indian people are very friendly. In the afternoon I had a rest, then once more Internet. Chatting on skype 45min really was good for me. :) Found out lots of things about the hiking I wanted to do (Rara National Park, Phoksundo lake). Then I went back to the Ashram to meet Isa, we made an approximate appointment for having a Chai in the evening. So once more chatting till late midnight. Afterwards I found some trekking infos in my guide book (no, not the bible of travelers, another one), so I kept reading until 1am … even if we had appointment once more for having breakfast together, before leaving. The next day will be a day of travel.

After breakfast, I really felt, I had a new friend, I was sorry to leave, but the adventure still is calling… So a long long goodbye to Isa, I really really appreciated the time with you! I came to Rishikesh, nearly broken, with the resolution to NEVER again do a trip on my own, and I was leaving, standing straight up, with a big smile on my face. I really found the time to touch down in India, to know how to play with my Indian friends. So, let’s leave for adventure!

Short walk to the taxi stand, I found a Motorikshaw who will take me to Haridwar directly without waiting for the bus (50 rs = <1Euro), arrived there, went to the ticket office, because I wanted to ask when the bus was leaving to Kathima/Banbassa, and they jumped up, ran outside, stopped the bus for me, and I hopped on. 225 Rs (<4Euro) for a 9h bus ride. I will reach Nepal border at about 19h. cool! That will give me the time to cross the border today!

Sitting in the first row right in the bus offered me an exceptional spectacle: better you don’t are afraid of being copilote in a car… beween hornblowings and overtaking maneuvers sometimes I rested with my eyes wide open!!! But one gets used to that, really… so dropoff at banbassa, bicycle rikshaw to the frontier. The boy told me 40 Rs. Let’s go! 5 min after he told me to turn around, and stay in a hotel at banbassa, because boder office will be closed…. AAAAAAARRRGH! Those Indians! So I kept insisting to go ahead, because border is supposed to be open all the time. But I wasn’t aware that because of traveling to the east, at 7pm it’s already dark outside… Arriving at the Indian border office, first thing they told me: why do you arrive so late? Well… Sorry, the bus ride from Rishikesh was so long. Aha. Ok. Let’s proceed. 2 min later I started in the noone’s area between India and Nepal. Another police man stopped me. He asked me where I am going. Finally a nice Nepal guy took me on his motorcycle to the border post of Nepal. But there was noone. Finally I got to the private rooms of the border controller, who opend the door in undershirt and trousers. Immigration proceed take 5 min, then the young man brought me to a hotel. Arrival 20h30. In other places the life is still explosing at that time, here, the city is nearly broken down. No electicity anymore, only the hotels with an generator can keep alive the light in their rooms. Not very expensive, but not really a hotel room. In the Kasten/placard there were several papers, documents belonging to someone… so… well, for the price for one night, it’s ok. Having dinner I really reel foreign, much more than I experienced in China. My cell phone still is not working. Because of the electricity cut? Susi told me before leaving, that a few years ago Nepal didn’t have Roaming Contracts with Austria, but that should have developed a bit. Than shower and bed. I’m having very very hot here, it’s so humid, and I really want to leave to go to the mountains. But at that time there is nothing else to do. So good night.

Today I got up because someone smoking outside the room, the whole time between 5am and 8am I nearly couldn’t sleep, because the smoke drove me crazy. This too, was a decision to leave immediately. Going to the bus stop changed my plans. The bus is leaving tomorrow 5am. Oh no! So changing hotel, at least… When I got back to the hotel they asked me if I really want to leave, as there are no busses today… Well yes, changing hotel… I already found one that seems not better, but not worse, and costs 50 Rs less. Its smaller, there is no international menu in the restaurant, but I don’t know, I feel that its better. Not much, but well… Still no cell phone connection. Get to internet to find out a bit of Hikes (I posted on the Bibles Traveler Forum), cell phone, check mails, everything, as I found out that there are no Buses at all today, I have to spend the time somehow.

So here, my mailbox doesn’t work well (glad that I only checked my Spam-Mailbox as I couldn’t lock out anymore), fb doesn’t work, the connection is slow, no USB, so no Pictures for you, no skype, only my blog works.

And then I will get a Nepal SIM-Card, as Orange Austria still doesn’t have a Roaming contract with Nepal…

And then I will challenge myself to learn some Nepali, to get around! I already drank a chiya and was babbling in nepali :)

Tomorrow I will get to Bardia National Park!

So, get out of here!

Lots of kisses to all of you!

Bye bye

koerndl