Nepal (Sarangkot) March 2013

Sarangkot (1,592m) is a small village on top of a hill, about 5 km from Pokhara's Lakeside. On the 3rd day, I took the opportunity to trek up the hill to catch a glimpse of the Annapurna Range - though it was cloudy when I reached the top, but I managed to see the fish tail (the highest peak) of Annapurna from far. Most travelers could take a taxi to the hill top and watch the sunrise in order to have a clearer view of Annapurna. It took me about 5 hrs to trek up and down this hill - but it was well worth the efforts - seeing some actions on top ie paragliding and a panoramic view of Pokhara & excellent lake view !

" It's your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you but no one can walk it for you - a little mountain trekking & hiking up the Sarangkot hill - I did it my way ! "

Nepal (Chitwan National Park, Sauraha) March 2013

Hotel: Royal Safari (complimentary bed provided by the Chinese tour group )
Entrance fee: NRs50 (Elephant breeding centre)
Tourist Bus: NRs600 (Chitwan > Kathmandu)
Food : NRs650
Exchange rate: US$1=NRs85

I befriended a group of travelers of five from China during my bus trip from Pokhara to Chitwan National Park. What a great start in Chitwan ! The group had done a 10 day mountain trekking from Pokhara to Annapurna Range. In Pokhara, they signed up with a travel agent and paid 7,000 NRs for a 3 day package tour to Chitwan - the price inclusive of a two night stay, all meals , transport from Pokhara to Chitwan & Chitwan to Kathmandu, entry to Chitwan Naitonal Park (1,500 NRs), elephant safari ride (1,200NRs for 1.5hr), canoeing, cultural show & a visit to a Sauraha village etc.

The group had asked that I stayed with them in Chitwan and where necessary, requested me to act as their interpreter as I was conversant both in English & Mandarin. I did not join the group on all their tour activities but instead visited the surrounding areas near the National Park & Rapti River, the Elephant Breeding Centre (50NRs), the village tour, the Tharu Cultural show (100NRs) , the main street of Sauraha town etc.

Unfortunately, I had a bad attack of Diarrhea on the first night after joining the group for a dinner at the hotel.

1) Chitwan Natioanl Park (UNESCO Heritage Site ) - From travelers to friends in Chitwan, Kathmandu & Bhaktapur - Sino-Malaysia Friendship Days

2) Royal Safari Hotel, Sauraha

3) River boating & canoeing, elephant fun rides over the Rapti River

4) Chitwan Elephant Breeding Centre

5) Sauraha Village

6) Sunset over the Rapti River, Sauraha

7) Tharu Cultural Show

8) Elephant Safari

9) Rhino & Elephant Statute, main street, Sauhara

 

" You don't choose the day you enter the world and you don't choose the day you leave. It's what you do in between that makes all the difference "

Nepal (Bhaktapur) March 2013

Entry fee: NRs100 (Chinese National)

Bhaktapur is about 12km from Thamel, Kathmandu. Together with the Chinese group, we took a micro van from Thamel and visited this popular UNESCO world cultural heritage site. To gain a better understanding of the history of this Durbar Square, our group hired a mandarin speaking local interpreter to guide us on a 1/2 hr tour of this magnificent place.

1) Bhaktapur Durbar Square (UNESCO Heritage Site)

2) Pottery Square

" Nothing in the world is your's. Only your health is your's "

My Dreams - The Six Senses in Travelling

Smell 

" The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it. I'm only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry and be sure to smell the flowers along the way - roses are red my love; violets are blue ...." 

Japanese Flowers, Tokyo, Japan (2008)

Taste

" Invest in taste, your return is delicious. Invest your time in travelling, your return is beyond imagination - give yourself a treat each time you visit a country .... " 

French Ice Cream, Paris, France (2012)

Hearing

" My eyesight is not nearly as good (I had a cataract operation in 2003 on both eyes), my spouse's hearing is probably going away (needs hearing aids). As we aged, our memory is slipping too (tends to be forgetful) - But we are still around, yearning to see the world as much as possible & listening to Cliff Richard's favorite song, The Summer Holidays .... "

Zurich Train Station, Switzerland (2012)

Sight

" You lose sight of things .... and when you travel, everything balances out - Antoni Gaudi made a balanced decision when designing the Sagrada Familia church in 1883, a very unique master piece of art …. "

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain (2011)

Touch 

" Just touching an ancient pyramid was truly moving to me because when you touch these pyramids, you have such a sense of the passage of time, of history .... "

The Great Pyramid, Cairo, Egypt (2008)

Six Sense

" Money is like a sixth sense without which you cannot make a complete use of the other five - you make use of your six sense to wander around the world .... not all those who wander are lost - a triumphant smile awaits you at the Victory Gate when you arrive home safely ...."

 

Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France (2012)

" We live in the wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm & adventures. There is no end the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open; taste the exotic food, smell the fresh mountain air; touch an old oak tree; listen to the sound of music performed by a Vienna Boys choir !

To those who can dream, there is no such place as faraway .... "