Nepal - First Solo Trip

A place where I want to travel again n again.

Traveling Delhi to Kathmandu

When there is so much on your head, all you need to do is to let it go. I was finishing up 2019 with my mundane life and then this beautiful destination popped up on my mind.

I planned to touch base Nepal in the last week of December 2019 without any clear idea of where I will be heading towards at this new place, without giving another thought to my random travel plan, and without calculating the risk of planning it too early to make my trip very right.

I guess that's how you make "Successful Plans".

So, I wished myself Bon Voyage and left from Delhi at 10 am in the last weekend of 2019.

My plan was to capture every single stupid move of me or record my every day journey throughout. But, the trip decided its fate for me by not taking my-way but highway.

I reached the Sanauli-Nepal border at 3 am and that was too early for the immigration to open as it opens at 6 am. So, the bus driver advised everyone to sleep and I followed his words so lovingly..lol

The custom clearance and immigration part was so boring that I won't take you through that much.

After clearance, my bus got changed and I left for Kathmandu(KTM) at 8 am. I still had to cover 270 km, which was 7-8 hours journey again by bus. Pheww!!

I sat by the window seat to enjoy the vista of valleys and the morning side of Nepal but none was there on my side as I was facing the rocky-rock side of the road.

So, I slept again. And hoped that I'll reach by 4 pm but I could not.

Remember, I told you that this journey decided its fate for me. The police officials stopped all the vehicles approaching Kathmandu as there was some road-maintenance routine task going on. They asked us to wait for at least three hours.

I came out of the bus with a sad face, thinking... I am not gonna make it up to Kathmandu on time today. And then, I saw a beautiful river surrounded with green mountains. As soon as I saw the view, I rushed towards it. I sat by the river side with closed eyes and received what nature had to offer me.

How did those 3 hours passed, I have no idea! I just surrendered myself to the place and left a part of me there.

We left at 3pm from there as promised by officials and reached Kathmandu (The city of Mt. Everest) at 7 in the evening.

Explored Kathmandu, Chandragiri Hills
Left for Pokhara

Checked into the best hotel I could and slept to shake-off all the tiredness which over-powered me during the trip.

I checked out from the hotel at 10 am the next day and went out to stuff myself with the best vegetarian food in town. Guess what... fortunately I bumped into Veg Satkar Restaurant at Thamel, Kathmandu.

I checked with locals where to visit, what to explore, best restaurants, cafes and the best places to visit around. In the era of Google(the best artificial guide) I stayed dependent on the old-school trick "Ask local to enjoy local". I don't hope if you get this line. Never mind.

I headed for Chandragiri Hills which was roughly 28km from Thamel by a taxi.

"Taxi- The most expensive commute I came across in Nepal but I am skilled in bargaining, so, I managed a bit."

When I came out of the Taxi, the view left me spellbound that I forgot if I had seen anything else beautiful than it ever-before.

I was like, as if someone has sprinkled the white pixie dust on the Himalayan ranges from Annapurna to Everest. The mounts looked so beautiful that I did not wanna take a step further to see it more closely. I was just frozen seeing them.

There is a cable car which takes you to enjoy the panoramic view of Chandragiri Hills from Langatang range to Mt. Everest on a clear day. The cable car journey is of 2.5 km which can make you think as if you're taking the high ride in the lush green mountains.

There, I enjoyed the view with Mocha Coffee and Cuppa Noodles.. ah, what an idea to carry this stuff and have it at such height facing snow capped mountains.

By the way, I forgot to tell you that the cable car goes to a height of 2550 metres.

I came all the way back from Chandragiri Hills to Kalinki in just 25 Nepali rupees. What a ride it was! One should travel in local transport to experience the true culture and the real vibe of the place.

There are micro buses in Nepal which runs on long routes. Localites also call them as "Hiace". So, I booked a micro from Kalinki Chowk to Pokhara which took almost 6-7 hours. The van had a flat-tyre, so, we had to wait for an hour or so for the second bus to pick us up. Meanwhile, the locals asked me if it was my first time in Nepal and what I liked about the town.

The people are really nice and friendly. You ask for anything and they are ready to help you, unless you are all set.

I lied straight in bed after checking-in to the hotel at Pokhara.

Explored Pokhara city
Started with Sarangkot Sunrise Point
A stroll in boat in Fewa lake
Enjoyed some rides n games at the lake side
New year with local cuisine of Pokhara

As, I arrived this amazing city at night so, I couldn't see what was surrounding me because what Google Images showed, was not what this city holds in real.

I woke up at 5:30 in the morning to get ready for the astounding sunrise. I took a taxi from my hotel to Sarangkot which is a sunrise point. Having no clue of what I was going to see on my way to Sarangkot, I left with a tiring face from hotel.

I saw three huge snow-capped mountains surrounding the one side of the city as if they were the soldiers standing on the border. I was so amazed to see them because I thought that I will be just seeing the sunrise from a place, instead I saw the entire city shining with the golden rays. However, I behold the beauty of sun falling on mountains and turning the snow to fiery orange. It was so satisfying to see the view that it seemed like heaven had opened its door for me to witness its beauty.

I reached the sunrise point and now, I stood closest to the mountains as much as I could. I just stood there mesmerized and wondering how God has placed these mountains so beautifully that you just can't make it more absolute.

There were at-least 100 people around me, but none of the voices were reaching to me because the serenity of silence filled my ears with the music of sunshine dancing on the mountains.

The view was worth spending a whole day there.

I came back to the hotel, rested for a while and left to explore this beautifully crafted city.

There was a marvelous lakeside with the open bistros, food carts, game area and lively music. There, I played some games in the funfair and won a gamble game, too.

I took a lovely 3 hours boat-ride in the lap of mountains facing three 8,000-meter (26,000-foot) peaks- Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu; which can be seen from the city.

The dusk spread like butter on river made the ride paradisaical for me.

By the time I finished my boat-ride it was already 5 in the evening. I decided to take a stroll at the lake-side by enjoying juicy momos(so wanted to have them) at Pokhara, Nepal.

The hotel from Fewa lake was just a 5-7 minutes walk away. Wish I could spend some more lazy evenings there.

As it was 31st December, there was a mob flowing in the streets of Pokhara as if each and every single person of the city has landed straight on to the streets. The locals had also participated in Street Food Festival on 31st. They were selling delicacies like pastries, momos, cakes, noodles and a lot more on their carts. Some locals were grilling the fish by the sides and enjoying the warmth of fire pit grill with beer and cocktails.

The vibe of the culture was so lively that I also wanted to do the same, sitting with them. I headed towards the other side of the road to explore the festival a little more. I came across Disney Land(Fun Fair) which had lots of fun rides to shake off the laziness. I took some rides and enjoyed like a kid, got scared, too, on some of them but it was fun.

I came back to hotel, waited for the firecrackers to lit the sky with its colors, wished myself a Happy New Year and lied back in bed.

Left for Delhi from Pokhara

This country has so much to give you through its magnolious nature and culture.

I am ready to go back once again to this place because now I have my whereabouts in this beautiful town.l

I don't know if you have been there yet or not, if it touched your soul, you'll never think twice to touch-base again as a traveler, wanderer or a nomad.

P.S. - Being a girl, I did not feel any insecurities in this ancient city wandering even post 12 at the night.

Lost I was in the city of greens

With the touch of rivers and peaks

My mind wandered on the edges of hills

Thinking how can I be there in just a pair of tee n jeans

It enthralled me like nothing ever before

I want to explore, now to the core

It will hold you, till you set yourself free

Be the one there, you tried earlier and couldn't be.