Overland to India

So it was eventually time for us to depart our little home in fishling. This place had been our base for the last three months nearly and the family that lived there looked after us pretty well. The girls were great they made us chai, cooked meals for us, let us watch their TV and gave us advice on where to get stuff. Although I will be sad to leave I am also excited to see the friends I made in India again. 

After cleaning our small room and packing our belongings and the kayaks it was time to wait for the bus which was running on Nepali time - suprisingly! It arrived in the dark around 6:30 about two and a half hours later then expected. After getting the boats on the roof and tied on it was definatly goodbye to this small village that had been our home. Although, when we first got on the bus there was a guy sat in one of our seats who was sleeping. The 'bus drivers mate' spoke to him and he seemed reluctant to move to the back of the bus - however he didn't have any choice as we had these seats booked since a few days before. 

And then it was time to sit and listen to the great Nepali bus driving music mix. Which consisted of a range of Nepali love songs, Hindi dance music to gangnam style... Amoungst others. This was going to be a long journey overnight to reach the boarder town of mahindranager. 

The journey was fairly uneventful to be honest apart from a punctured tyre in the small hours of the morning and a few uneventful stops for police checks. No bribes or fuss was given about the kayaks which was good for us. We eventually arrived in mahindranager about 10am, where as soon as I stepped off the bus as usual everyone was asking if I needed a bus, taxi, rikshaw and I ignored them and helped with the boats. We were to stay and take some rest before crossing the boarder so we took the kayaks and the rest of our stuff to a guest house a short walk away from the bus park. I'm glad it wasn't any further and I was carrying the light play boat! After a breakfast of dal Bhat it was time for some needed sleep! 

Around 2pm we got woken up by the child from the guesthouse and got told we needed to leave which we were doing. He ran off for us to go and fetch some mode of transportation for the three boats and the two of us and after a short while turned up with a horse and cart. 

It could have been a joke, but it wasn't and we loaded up the boats on to the cart after paddy negotiated an agreed about the price. So we were off. Our last journey out of Nepal and into India would be on a horse pulling his cart, our three boats, bags and the three of us. The journey was about 15km or so and we passed police check points and customs and apart from smiling at what I guess was me and not the horse, none batted an eye lid at our boats. The first stop was at the Nepal immigration "office" - I mean desk where I filled in a departure form and got my departure stamp in my passport - which is the important part this stop took all of about 5 minutes. The second stop was the immigration police where they filled in a log book by hand to record some details such as my name, country, passport number and the time I went through. Again this stop took abut 5 minutes to complete but the converstation consisted of askin if I would like some chai and askin if I was single or married?!. The last stop was the Indian immigration, where I had to fill in an arrival form, then the guy at the desk asked me what my job was - I replied outdoor instructor which was too hard for him to understand, so I said instructor instead and he still didn't understand so I became a teacher... Close enough I guess. Like asking from where I started my journey to get here - he didn't understand where fishling or mugling where - so I left from kathmandu - doesn't matter that there is about a 100km difference I suppose? Then he filled in the paper log book to say I had entered India and stamped my passport with my entry stamp. Job done through immigration and security and crossed the boarder in probably one of the more interesting ways! 

Our horse had been doing a great job, his name was Salam khan after one of the Bollywood action heroes. And after the driver stopped a few times to do some shopping we were at the bus park. Time to unload the cart and have some bus drivers shout at us for our business on their bus - we found one leaving around the right time and going all the way to rishikesh which was good. So it was time to load the boats up again. I much prefer having my own car with roof racks or a trailer to transport boats but it can be done on the buses as long as you pay a little extra cash for carrying the boats. 

The bus however was a state bus and the condition much to be desired, I had a magic window which liked to open itself, the seats were hard and uncomfortable and the music much too loud. We left at 7pm and after some stops for chai and food, again greeted by chai, garam chai and all sorts being shouted that we could buy at the stops. The first stop one of the guys asked for a picture of me- which he seemed Suprised when I said no - reminded me of the things I dislike about India. This didn't happen in Nepal. Oh well. This is India! 

We eventually arrived in rishikesh at around 6:30 and our friend and his truck was there to greet us. 

Tamba Kosi

Although I had paddled my last river of the year the boys were yet to paddle theirs. We just had to get there! The trip had split up with two guides staying with Michelle so that she could paddle the Bhote Kosi and the boys could do a harder river. 

The journey was to take us up the mountain and I went along for the road trip. It was a fairly painful journey with my head hurting with the bumpy roads and shaky bus however it was nice to see the scenery. There was great views of some high mountains and we passed through several pretty villages along the way. That is until the bus suddenly stopped. Again this was to be another "6 hour journey" that turned into more! Luckily however we had a mechanic on board who was able to help to save the day. That was for a few hundred meters until the bus stopped again. We got it started and another few hundred meters and you guessed it - it stopped again. Luckily we were in a town at the top of the mountain and we were able to get the bus to a garage.

 We all offloaded to go have a toilet stop and for the boys a beer - and the mechanics had got it started again. So we set off on the way again. Shortly after leaving and heading down the mountain - again the engine cut out again - this time it had got dark so out came the head tourches and the on board mechanic set to work again. As we were facing downhill the plan to start it was for one of the boys to run in front with a head tourch and the other boys to push the bus to jump start it - luckily the bus started and we didn't need this plan but when in Nepal who knows what will happen. 

The rest of the journey was again fairly uneventful although a slight scare happened when a motorcycleist smashed our wing mirror - at least he didn't collide with the bus as we ha already killed a dog (I don't think any of us would have been happy if we had killed a person!). 

We however did eventually reach our destination for the night a small house of which the 9 of us would sleep upstairs. It was very basic accomadation a room with a tin roof a bed and not much else although it was enough for us for one night. After a short lay down for me because my head my in so much pain from all the travelling we had our nightly dal Bhat and then it was time for some rest. They boys were to have a big day ahead of them the next day. 

The boys were to set off early and after some noodles for breakfast they got geared up and ready to start paddling. I was to spend the day with the bus and the boys that were with the bus. The river to start with looked fairly flat and calm with nothing to worry about. That was to change however but they left feeling happy and excited for the paddle ahead. 

We started the drive to the get out and stopped along the way at what we though was the first major rapid. Whilst we were waiting some villagers stopped and asked me what had happened to my head - with my limited Nepali and no English from them photos on my mobile showed them followed by some nodding and more Nepali being spoken that was pretty much it apart from the bus driver explaining to them when they asked them. 

The boys were soon in sight and they seemed to be caught off guard by the rapid that was to come. Soon enough they were at the side inspecting the rapid deciding which way they were to go. Soon they were off and our view of them was gone. We later discovered that there was a group of people burning a body by the river who all stopped watching the person burn and were watching the boys go down the rapid. 

Again we stopped further down the river at an even bigger rapid - it turned out to be the same rapid. They had got out and scouted a lot by the stories from the boys and at this point three of the boys walked off the river and joined us on the bus. The rest of it the two Nepali guides - shamba and paddy had then decided just to say to the English boys - follow us and they made quicker progress. 

At the end when we all joined up again the boys were in high spirits and they had  all enjoyed themselves! Now it was time to load up the bus with the boats and head back to meet Michelle and the other two boys. Apart from some interesting banter then bus journey was uneventful. Soon the whole group was back together and the journey continued through to kathmandu. We arrived around 10pm plenty of time to get changed and ready to see the new year in. There were thousands of people however and making the way through the crowd to get to the office was quite hard and again by this time my head was hurting lots so it was time for a lay down - which turned into sleep - missing the new year come in - again for the second year in a row!?! 

Overall it was a good trip and chance to paddle some different rivers and see different parts of Nepal. 

Travel to the Tamur

A long bus journey was to be undertaken - the bus was late due to getting a puncture en route to us. It wasn't so bad sitting around drinking rum whilst we were waiting. Once some kayaks were unloaded and different ones loaded up we were on our way. We were not going to be getting off the bus until approx 10 am the next day so sleep was pretty much all that was on the agenda. 

We stopped for pee breaks and dal bhatt, obviously but that was all. The road was bumpy and the bus old and battered the music was Hindi rave, techno - boom boom boom...! Yep bus journeys are great! We eventually reached to our first destination where the kit, kayaks and personal belongings were unloaded from the bus. 

We had a few hours in a hotel here to wait for Libby's boyfriend both GRG volunteers from the states. Eventually he arrived and we got on a smaller private bus to take us up to the top of the mountain. This journey was slightly better  as it was just us on the bus but the windy road was long and we just kept getting higher and higher. The views were beautiful though and converstatjon between napping was good getting to know the others on the trip who were all British lads. 

We reached to the top of the mountain and we were staying at the yak hotel - a basic hotel but it was a lot cooler up here than it was further down the mountain. By now it was my birthday and we had spent all the day travelling so it was nice to be at our destination for the evening so that we could relax. 

We had some tumba - some home brewed alchohol with these seeds in - you add hot water, add some strange container and a straw and drink. It's got for up the mountain and your health apparently - just don't stir it otherwise it's going to give you headaches. 

After a few beers and the tumba it went straight to your head - the altitude didn't help at all but it was all fun and not a bad way to celebrate my birthday at the end of the day really. 

The next day we all loaded up into a land rover - all about 14 of us - it was well packed to say the least - and embarked upon our journey even further up the mountain. This journey was to be one of the most epic rides I have ever been on the road was crazy - I say road - more like a track with deep ruts, big rocks and massive drops to the side in places. However our driver was skilled and successfully managed to get us to the top of the mountain without any issues. 

We were at approx 3000ft above sea level - and the small walk up to where we pitched the tents left me short of breath. The view however took my breath away. The view of the lake and the mountains was amazing and one that I'm glad I got to experience. The tumba was welcomed that evening the warmth filling my insides, and the food was good giving us much needed energy before the trek that was to follow the next day. It was cold, the sleep was cold even with the body heat of two of us in the tent. It was only for one night though and it was worth it. 

The sunrise - like the sunset was magical the colors, the cold, the mountains, the view & the company. After a delicious breakfast we left for the trek. From working at Himalayan Outward Bound I had already experienced trekking in this environment so it wasn't too much of a shock to me. However most of us were walking in paddling shoes which were not necessarily the right footwear for the trek - but the trek must go on and after some uphill, some downhill followed. Shortly more uphill followed and some more downhill. The altitude at first again didn't help but we were not the ones carrying the weight - the porters were so it was a case of one foot in front of the other and keep going. 

Most other trips do the trek in two days - we did it in one and we reached in the darkness. It was a beautiful trek through and it was worth it when we finally reached camp. The sore feet, blister and hurt knee were soon forgotten after more delicious food and some beer. After this sleep we would be rafting and kayaking - excited much?!

First Programme

So we were off to Dharamsala again! A few bus journeys was all that stood between us and the arrival at the camp - what could go wrong? Not a lot really with the help of Suri, Devu and Raju anyway as they did most the hard work of making sure we got seats on the right buses. With our rucksacs on our backs or crammed into the limited space on the buses the journey was pretty smooth really - well as smooth as the Indian roads would allow with buses that didn't seem to know what suspension was. 

During the journey we had to split - as Raju and Suri were meeting the group at the train station and escorting them to camp. This left Devu and myself to go as the forward party to ensure everything at the camp was prepped correctly and to make sure everything was all good to go for when the group arrived. This was all good however Devu seemed a little confused at times speaking English although as we spent more time with each other it improved. We arrived in McLeod ganj at like 4am and it was cold and we had to wait a few hours for the next bus so some hot chai kept us warm and we were able to attempt to talk to each other. 

After two more buses we reached salli village, as Devu had never been here before it was up to me to navagate us to the camp. After a slight detour we arrived and met the camp staff and were welcomed with somewhere to sleep and some food. They were still busy preparing the camp for the groups arrivals - there were two of our programs running from here with nearly 200 people so there were tents still to be pitched and other details that needed to be sorted.  Once that was done all we had to do was wait for the arrival of the group. 

I was quite nervous about it as I didn't know if they would understand me, how things would go, if they would like me and if our planning and preparation meant the rest of the program would go smoothly. Although during this time me and Devu had chance to spend some time breaking down boundaries in order to make sure everything was organised. 

I didn't have too much time to dwell on anything being kept busy with one thing or another as soon the group would be arriving and it would be go go go time! With campers to show around camp and allocate tents to and make sure they get food and everything else that had to be done!