Peace in Pokhara

Kathmandu's chaos got tiring quickly.  We stayed there until Monday, waiting to apply for our Indian visas.  We arrived at the embassy at 9AM sharp, only to join a looong line of interested applicants.  We waited for 4 hours just to file a telex form, and we will have to go back after the trek to pick up the visas.  Fortunately, we shared the misery with another Polish couple.  They just completed the trek we will be attempting and shared all of the interesting details: how food gets more expensive the higher you go, how when accepting or giving anything to a Nepalese, you should do it with both hands, which routes were the most awe-inspiring...
 
After we left the embassy, we decided to get out of Kathmandu as quickly as possible.  The only transportation to Pokhara, our next destination, in the afternoon was via a local micro-bus   And what an experience that was.  The road was ruled by drivers with either the biggest vehicles or the biggest cajones.  Our driver seemed to have the latter - he got us to Pokhara in 5.5 hours, instead of the expected 8.
After finding a reasonable hotel (it is the high season), we grabbed a bite to eat along with a fellow local bus enthusiast Marcus from Germany.  Pawel then met up with Scott, the American we met in Kathmandu, while I decided to call it a night. What a day.

The morning offered an unexpected surprise - Pokhara's unbelievable scenery.  Quiet and relatively clean (given the standards in Nepal), Pokhara was a hippie hangout back in the day.  Situated in the city's Lakeside neighborhood, we took the 3 minute walk to Lake Fewa.  And we just stopped.  The scenery was breathtaking.  Low mountains, covered by lush greenery, framed the clear lake waters.  Instead of trying to dress it in words, I'll just attach photos below.  Although that might not do it justice either.

We spent the day locating equipment and provisions for our trek.  After dinner, we had a beer by a lakeside bonfire, the quiet randomly interrupted by a James Brown song.  Tomorrow we are off to Besisahar to commence our trek.  Wish us luck!

                                                                 Micro-bus to Pokhara

                                                         Room with a view

Snow-capped Himalayas

                                                                          Lake Fewa

                                                                Lake Fewa

                                                              Room with a view

Streets of Pokhara