On to Nepal!

It’s amazing what a border crossing can do... upon entering Nepal you feel like you can finally breathe again. Its subtle differences--the streets are slightly less crowded, somewhat cleaner, and some of the people's features are more Asian. If you didn't know (and hadn't spent an hour doing visa formalities--which was very efficient, so I’m not complaining), however, you could easily believe you were still in India. When we crossed over there was no marked change in dress, cows still amble in the roads and settle right in the middle for a nap, and passersby either wave jollily or stare as you pass by.

It’s just calmer somehow.

Getting there took nearly the 8 hours predicted, but it was pretty smooth sailing in fairly roomy SUVs (though we declined to pay $20 for the driver to use the a/c, so it was a bit dusty). The other car didn't take the road around a town that we did, and in going through they ended up stopped at an impromptu roadblock by a group of kids with a barrel in the road. after 10 minutes of arguing the driver was able to buy them off for 10 rupees (about 25cents) and they were on their way again.

8 hours in a car is kind of dull, but it's a great way to see the scenery without exerting yourself. Yesterday was the last day of the festival of lights, and people were winding down in jubilation. We frequently got stopped in traffic as hordes of chanting singing cheering people followed pickup trucks that were removing the huge gaudy statues of different gods that had been on display in big temple like tents all over town. The towns were all strung with lights and tinsel, and loudspeakers blasted a variety of Hindi music. I’m definitely deafer as a result.

When we arrived in Nepal, the border town was dead since it was a festival day there as well. Most of the shops were closed and we had to drive to three different hotels to find one that had a kitchen that was open and staff that could prepare meals. after a brief lunch and beer stop (no one had had a drink in the past few days since Varanasi is a holy city and you're not supposed to drink there, and I haven't drunk since Delhi since my stomach has been protesting everything except tea, soda, chocolate, toast, ice cream, and spaghetti), we headed on to our hotel. The further we got from the border town, the more "Nepalese" it became. There’s just more space here. Even when houses are crowded together they seem roomier, they seem tidier and less ramshackle. It’s not a huge difference, but it's discernible.

Our hotel in Lumbini was a gorgeous resort like place with a mango garden, a jogging track, a lotus pond, and a Buddha shrine. The rooms were spacious and well-appointed, though we had to pay $10 for a/c. It was so muggy; dad forked over the money immediately and it was splendid. It was definitely a rip-off though, since I’ve stayed in places for the amount just the a/c cost.

After a quick turnaround we jumped in rickshaws to visit the birthplace of Buddha. (I had taken a quick rinse off shower before we left, but within five minutes I felt just as dirty and grimy as I had before.) The rickshaws provided a nice breeze and we arrived at the park just before sunset.

The legend has it that Buddha’s mother was taking a swim in this pool/pond and when she got out she walked 25 steps and then squatted down and gave birth. the pool is still there (though it looks like it was probably refurbished) and the ruins of the village or wherever she was are still there--now housed under a cement and steel building to protect them from the elements I guess (which is kind of strange since these rocks and ruins are over 2000 years old and still there). There is a rock in a glass case with a spotlight and a sign that heralds it as the exact birthplace of Buddha.

There are a lot of trees in the park, including a very large one that supposedly Buddha sat under (but I think there are a lot of trees with that claim), and strings of prayer flags crisscross the whole garden. It’s a very serene and peaceful place. There is also a large building/temple with a typically tacky bronze statue of Buddha and brilliant frescoes on all the walls depicting Buddha lore.

Once we got back to the hotel my stomach decided to revolt again, in earnest this time, so I spent the rest of the night in the room and the bathroom. at 830 this morning we jumped in the private bus (intrepid was going to pay for public transport which would include 2 bus switches and over 5 hours travel time, so we forked over an additional $3 a person to hire the private bus). It was still cramped, but pretty much everyone had their own seat and it was much nicer than being crammed on public transport, though I have a suspicion that the Nepalese are probably kinder traveling companions than the Indians. Less pushy and starey.

We tumbled through the Nepalese countryside for 3 hours, and it was beautiful. Similar to India, but nicer. Lots of trees and rivers, and the beginnings of hills. We gained quite a bit of altitude and drove up an actual mountain before coming back down a ways into the national park area. All along the way you saw cows and buses with people crowded on top and some motorbikes, but it's far less dense and crowded than anywhere in India was.

The "highlight" was our toilet stop, at the top of the mountain. there was nowhere to hide really--we were at the edge of a cliff below, and a pretty steep mountain wall above so there was this one bush that kind of shielded me from our bus. however, our guide, the bus driver and the driver's 2 assistants (no idea why there were there other than to keep him company) wandered all over--clearly violating the western rules of staying on the other side of the vehicle. Public toileting is just so common here that it doesn't faze anyone. When the buses and cars drove by I felt compelled to hide my face--which is silly really, I mean, none of them will ever see me again, but it was just a very disconcerting experience.

The Nepalese seem to have an affinity for swings, because they are everywhere. some hang from doors, some from trees, and every couple of miles you would spot one made from a bunch of really long (like 30-40 foot) poles strapped together like a teepee with a swing hanging down below. It was so nice to see the kids playing and laughing.

We arrived at our hotel in Chitwan after about 3.5 hours, and we have cute little cabin like rooms. Pretty rustic, but nice. We’ll be here tonight, check out tomorrow for a 2 day trip into the park/forest, and then stay here again that 2nd night. Some people were cycling to an elephant breeding site this afternoon, but I’ve seen a lot of elephants and we're going on a 1.5 hour elephant ride day after tomorrow, so I decided to pass and shop/rest/internet instead. Tonight there is a cultural show at the hotel and tomorrow we head out early. I think we walk a total of about 10 km, we also go in canoes for a bit to try and see crocodiles, and we stay at a very basic hotel that only has 1 bathroom. Yikes! I hope my stomach cooperates.

Other than the stomach, however, I feel fine. I’m oddly rejuvenated just being in Nepal, and it might even be a few degrees cooler because there's so much shade. It’s still miserable and sweaty in the sun though... I can't wait for autumn back home.

I am reading a great book right now though, that perhaps would have prepared me more for India had I read it before I left... it's called "Holy Cow" and it's by Sarah McDonald--an Australian woman who moved to India to be with her fiancé who was the Australian broadcasting company's foreign correspondent there for a few years. She’s witty and funny and sarcastic (a bit like Bill Bryson), and describes things perfectly without being unjustly critical or romanticizing it. Highly recommend it for a fun light read.

Anyway, that's all for now. I’m going to go spend some Nepalese rupees. :-)