But we made it. I was honestly scared during landing because holy shit we came in fast and furious and we hit that runway with authority. But we made it!
Again I was greeted with a taxi driver with my name on a sign and after a short $3 (plus trip for being late) trip from the airport towards the lake I was at another guest house. This time the bed appears as though it will offer comfort rather than mild torture for the week. And no 4am gongs to wake me!
Enough complaints though, this place is really beautiful and quite touristy. It is also the launching place for the Anapurna Mountain trail where the avalanche happened so I am interested to see if people are still heading out… It seems the storm was a freak occurrence but after last year's drop in tourism from 'disengaged' political will, and a lag in the european economy I can only hope that it's a one time thing and people keep on trekkin'.
I got here in time for a 2pm lunch and wandered up and down 'the strip' for a bit. Not surprisingly vendors tried to sell me anything and everything, and an american-indian family asked for a photo with me-- I'm not even blonde so I was like, okkkkkkkk? Later I did some data entry and then had a beer on the patio (would you like 2 glasses madam? No, was my sad reply) with 4 people who spoke a language I sometimes understood so basically got caught up on my Kathmandu Post and Nepali Times papers. The newspapers here are quite blunt, I kind of like it.
After a quick Skype call with my mom in the evening I went out again in search for fresh fruit and returned with a beer and cookies, a close second. In my room I noticed that I have a little roommate, a gecko that's about 2 inches long. I'd like to think he's there because he wants to be but part of me is wondering how many bugs there are in my room to feed him? Out on the patio there are numerous rather large geckos so I assume 'lots' is the answer. I was also joined by a ridiculously cute one eared kitty that is intent on playing with everything but a crazy cat lady. I am in total cat withdrawal having only stroked ever so slightly one kitty since I got here. I had a good pet with a few street dogs but in the back of my mind I wonder about catching mange.
Here are a few initial shots of Pokhara:
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| There's a lot going on in this picture from front to back: laundry, a small rice paddy, tomato greenhouse, more laundry, a resort, and a big beautiful blue sky... |
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| I can't help but a) take pictures of cows and b) think that all cows around here are a little bratty because most people here are hindus and treat the cows with a lot of respect (and without that carnal relationship we have with them at home). |
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| My BIL is interested in the local hippy wildlife so here is my first take. This specimen clearly has no shoes and was wearing lots of bracelets and wooden rings. I saw a guy in my guesthouse wearing a legit women's skirt. I saw another guy this evening wearing a shirt that says "HIPPYS SMELL". |
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| View from the front balcony at the guesthouse. |
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| There are lots of boats on hire to take you across the lake to the Peace Pagoda Trail and beyond. |
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| My new little roommate, let's call him Norman. No let's not. That makes me sound crazy. |
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| Down the main strip of Pokhara. This is certainly the touristy area but this is the 3rd largest city in Nepal so certainly there is a whole other area where houses and businesses area. The peak on the left is where the parasailing launches off. They look like flies there are so many up there... |
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| At the waterfront there's a decent walking trail. The hill in the foreground is where the parasailing launches off. |
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