|
Written by maud
|
|
Sunday, 18 January 2009 13:49 |
|
 Eventually its happening, Louis and Maud are going to Nepal. It's very quit in Rishikesh and there is hardly any work. So enough of a reason to go to see the heart of the Himalayas. 
After a 1000 km travel by train and bus, then crossing the border of India and Nepal, were we get a 15 day tourist visa, than again take a jeep (taxi) we arrive in the middle of the night in Pokhara.
Our mission is to make a trek into the Himalayas: to Annapurna south basecamp, 4130 mtr. Neither Louis and me have ever walked so high up. We make the choice not to hire a mountainguide since we have a good detailed map. We think we will manage without.....Were packed lite: thermo underwear, waterproofs, a waterbottle and a sleepingback.
The trek is absolutely great, first we see a lot of the traditional Nepali lifestyle when we pass their small villages. Everything is really clean and smells fresh. We spend the nights in thea houses, where we rent a small room. Every morning we get up early (around 6/7) to start walking. Nepali people are very very friendly, and we are truly amazed by them.
After four days of walking and climbing we reached the Annapurna Base Camp, which lies totally in the snow. Beeing at basecamp we are surrounded by 6000 -7000 meter high mountains, absulutely great vieuws form the Theahouse were we staying. We are very lucky with the weather, sunny and crisp.
I'ts very cold around 4130 mtr, so we go to bed at 18.00, becouse otherwise your freezing, even inside. The next day we start walking downhill also on our way back we see some great vieuws. Around 2000 mtr it starts to get warmer again so we get rid of some layers. I'm very impressed with my footwear: a pair of Inov8 goretex shoes (Rocklite 290), light and watertight. Perfect for this trek.
After week of walking we are back in Pokhara, Louis and me had a great holiday and were happy to spend this time into the Himalayas in Nepal.
Yesterday we started traveling again back to Rishikesh/India, unfortunately it took us 30 hours for 1000 km distance, my god!
But eeeh....thats India!!!!
Next time more about Louis his first descent in India,
|
|
Last Updated on Sunday, 13 December 2009 10:28 |
|
Written by maud
|
|
Tuesday, 21 October 2008 05:37 |
|
At 21.00 local time we arrive at Delhi Airport. By our check-in in Manchester it became clear to us, kayaks are no handlugage, actually we were rebooked on another flight becouse Etihad doesn't fly kayaks. After paying an extra £500,- Emaritz was happy to take us with the 2 kayaks onboard. It was a big relief to see our kayaks sliding off at the luggage bands.
When we walked out off the airport to our taxi were getting bombed by a cocktail of impressions. The smels, lots of flys, people everywere, the noise, cars. The hot and moisty air is almost unberable. Welcome to India!
With clothes sticking to our bodys we load the kayaks on the taxi (with airco) which is going to bring us to Rishikesh, a 250 km drive up north. There cars everywhere, going everywhere, hitting there horns non-stop. Driving a car on the motorways can be described as is a slalom parcours, passing cars, bikes, horses, pedestrians, tuctucs, Trucks and motorbikes. In the middle of the night we arrive at our destination, Rishikesh, not soon later, we crash in a hotelroom.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh is a failry big place with lots of Hindi tempels and holy cows. Every year it has thousands of Indians and tourists from all over. Also the Ganges river is seen as very spiritual and holy water. There are yoga & massage centres all over the place and lots of westeners go 'big time' into this 'karma making yoga thing' waking around in traditional Hindi clothes.....(dont ask me why). And the Hindi people prefer to walk around in westener clothes. It's a funny world.
The holy water of the Gangas
In the large eddies of the Ganges there big waterbuffeloo, cooling down with their heads and horns just above the water. On the riverbanks there monkeys playing around before disapering off into the jungle. It's great to see all these wildlife entertainment whilst paddling. This river has BIG rapids (a flow of 1000cms) with 3-4 meter high waves and big crashing waves that can easy flip a raft but the lines to paddle are fairly easy. I don't like shallow rivers with stones I'm always afraid to hurt myself when opside down. The last few days I found out that I feel really well on big volume! It's great fun! The trips are long, on a daytrip we paddle more than 40km. Let the biceps burn baby!
Great, next time more!
|
|
Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 February 2009 10:32 |
|
Written by maud
|
|
Friday, 22 August 2008 14:32 |
|
|
|
Last Updated on Saturday, 19 December 2009 16:51 |
|
Written by louis
|
|
Tuesday, 01 July 2008 09:44 |
|
|
|
Last Updated on Saturday, 07 February 2009 04:20 |
|
