After our nightmare with the low cables and bad roads, we decided to find a hotel with parking and park big Sal up whilst in Nepal. With Dunny asleep in the back, dead to the world, me and Stew set about trying to find a place to park. Stew was back on the roof on cable duty and I was driving. After pulling a cable out of the wall (sorry to whoever lost power that day) we found a hotel with parking. When reversing through a tight gate not much wider than the van, with Stew on the roof moving cables and loads of motorbikes flying all around the van, a taxi driver parked behind us. Smack, his rear door had a new feature, a massive dent. He wasn't particularly pleased but we paid him £40 to keep his mouth shut and bugger off. We are convinced he saw our predicament and was looking for the crash to make some money from us. Some Nepalese kids recommended a different hotel, we checked it out and it was perfect. The New Hotel Panda. A locked compound with 24 hour security. We booked one room for two people, split the cost, took it in turns to sleep in the van in the car park and all share the shower. It was perfect!
We we're looking forward to Gaz's arrival and had planned a big day and night out. We met him at the airport at 10 am and greeted him with the purple Chinese dress, a silver sparkly thong, flowery bonnet and a couple of bottles of rum. His initiation to the tour was about to commence. We got a taxi back to the hotel panda room, put some music on and had a good catch up. Gaz came bearing gifts, a bottle of rum, bottle of grey goose but more importantly a set of brake shoes and return springs to fix our handbrake. Thanks Jordan for sorting out the bits for us. We played cards, listened music then with Gaz in his new attire we hit the town hard. A few bars, clubs and kebabs later we got back to the van/hotel in the early hours, the early bus to Pokhara would be a struggle.
Next thing on the agenda, white water rafting. Three days rafting, 2 nights camping on the river bank. We were excited!
Feeling hungover from Gaz's arrival party we got up and headed for the bus to Pokhara. I'm not particularly good with hangovers at the best of times but being on a bus along bouncy and twisty roads for 8 hours didn't bode well for Gaz who was asleep in the aisle below me. 'Gaz wake up, wake up Gaz I'm going to be sick!' I was frantically shaking him to get him to move. It was too late, sorry Gaz for spewing on you!
We arrived in Pokhara, checked into the rafting tour, found a hotel and went out for a banging steak.
We had to get up early for the three hour drive up into the mountains. There had been lots of rain so the rivers were nice and full. The views from the bus were unbelievable. Looking down on valleys full of fluffy clouds and snow capped mountains behind. We arrived at the river, unloaded all the kit from the roof rack and had some lunch. In our group there was us four and 8 other Israelis. We had two rafts for people, 6 plus a guide in each, one raft for kit and 3 safety kayaks to follow us down. The cargo raft carried so much kit. Tents, a full kitchen, 3 days worth of food, lots of backpacks and four people. Big respect to the one guy paddling it down the river.
We set off on the river in the afternoon and what a river it was. Sections of grade 4 rapids one after another. The raft was getting chucked around at all sorts of angles and we were doing our best to stay in. We arrived drenched at a beach on the riverbank a few hours later, it would be our camp for the night. Everyone mucked in and got the rafts unloaded and tents set up. The guides offered to walk to the nearest shop, 1 hour each way, to get us beers. We felt a bit guilty when we ordered 30 bottles but he was willing to carry them and make a few quid. We played volleyball then the beers arrived and things escalated quite quickly. I lost a shot gun and had to run into the river naked. We played cards, introduced the group to ring of fire. The guides joined in and everyone had a good time. There was another rafting group set up along the beach. Two of them had obviously lost a dare and had to come and do a silly dance around our group. We obviously had to reciprocate with one better. Gaz and Stew lost shotgun so stripped off and did the same dance around their camp starkers. They thought it was hilarious and bought us some cake as a present. The four of us decided to sleep outside that night on the mats.
The next days rafting was as good or better than the first. Lots of silly behavior, pushing each other in including the two Israeli girls, they weren't too impressed! They let us body surf down the rapids which was good, getting properly bashed around. When the guide said rocks ahead we were quick to climb back in.
The next nights camping spot was on a grass area near the inside of a meander. The night was a bit more sensible, playing cards and chatting. We heard the sound of drums coming from the next camp, we went to investigate. When we got there it was dying down and most people were asleep, there was an awkward silence, Gaz said 'we've come to listen to your drums' more awkward silence then we left.
The last day of rafting was flip day. If the raft hits a rapid at a certain angle and the guide flicks his rudder oar the whole raft flips over leaving everyone in the rapids. It was great fun, the raft flipped, the people on the top side were flung through the air. One if the Israeli girls was stuck in the air pocket underneath. Gaz, who had pushed her in 30 mins ago redeemed himself by dragging her out and 'saving her life'. They were friends again. We finished with another flip then royal rumble on the upturned raft.
We finished up just before the biggest hydro dam in Nepal. The security guard kindly let us have a mooch about.
We had lunch and packed the bus up. It was sunny so we asked to travel on the roof. We spent the first hour of the journey on the roof, winding down mountain roads clinging on, and ducking under low trees and power cables.
That evening the group and guides met up in a pub to watch the DVD they made of the trip and have a few beers. They said they don't normally get people like us, a guy from the Kathmandu office 100 miles away had heard about our antics! We went to the busy bee club in Pokhara for a couple with the guides then hit the sack. All in all a brilliant few days.
Rob
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