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

Namaste!

Kathmandu - loud, dusty, chaotic.  But it's organized chaos.  The road system is a great example.  Cars and motorcycles flow in an unrecognizable pattern.  Horn use is encouraged, if not downright required.  You walk on the left side of the road, usually without a sidewalk, and as long as you don't make any sudden movements, you should fit right in.  Otherwise imitate the locals.

On the 34 hour trip here, we flew through Paris.  Kathmandu definitely differs from Paris, or any other Western city.  The dust clogs your throat, and many people wear masks over their faces.  That explains the frequent coughing.  The noise is constant throughout the day until it suddenly dies off around 9 pm.  Wait for an electronic rooster to wake you up.  There are no city lamplights at night, so without car headlamps or shop lights, you're stuck in the dark.  That's not much of a danger, except for the foot-deep potholes that easily exceed the ones in Chicago after a rough winter and the ensuing road-salting.  Incense always fills your nose drills and most likely masks some of the dank smells.  Hawkers of goods approach you every other step.  Not used to it, we keep in mind that it's only supposed to get worse in India.

You also have to watch out for scams.  We sort of fell for one on Friday.  We got out trekking permits (7,500 NPR or about $90 for both of us), and then headed to the Indian embassy to get started on our visas.  We haggled with a taxi driver over the prices, got it down to a fourth of what he was asking, and headed out, very happy with ourselves.  Well, it turned out that the embassy and its visa providing capabilities closed at noon, and we got nothing accomplished.  The taxi driver, of course, knew that, as he provided us with several other details, including a question if we'll need his services tomorrow.  Except tomorrow was Saturday and the embassy is closed for the weekend.  This one is on us, and I hope we learned our lesson.

But I love Kathmandu.  It's a city with a vibe.  The organized chaos seems to liberate, to set you free, from a schedule, from rules, from how you should behave.

We set up shop temporarily in Elbrus Home near Thamel, the tourist neighborhood of Kathmandu.  It's a bit pricey at $14(!) per night, considering the comparative prices, but we really like it.  We eat our breakfast every morning on a beautiful patio, stories up above the city.  With limited space, everyone builds up.  Each balcony is decorated with potted plants and pastel rainbow-colored walls.  Enchanting.

We spent the last few days in parts of the ancient city, near Durbar, or royal, Square, which is a complex of intricately carved temples and shrines.  A symbol for the cultural and religious life of the Nepalese people, the square hosts the coronations of the Nepalese kings.  It was also the King's residence until the early 20th century.

Today, we crossed the river border from Kathmandu into Patan, the second largest city in Nepal.  With its own ancient Durbar Square, it impressed us beyond belief.  We took a moment to just sit atop one of the temples and take in the sights.  Despite development, we could still imagine the way it looked back in the day.  For lunch, we found an interesting place off the square.  We were greeted warmly by the owner, the only tourists in the place at the time.  Sitting cross-legged by a low bench, we ate a delicious meal of chataamari, or Nepali style "pizza".  After asking two local students for a photo, we were invited to join their table.  It was interesting to get a Nepali perspective on many topics.

Now we're resting on our patio, taking in the sunset.  I'm finally writing a blog update and Pawel's chilling with a fellow American, enjoying a Danish beer, (toughly haggled for) for the low price of 180 NPR (Nepalese rupees - about $2.50).  On Monday, we plan to go apply, again, for the Indian visas, and take a bus to Pokhara.  We will stay there for a night, rent out some equipment for the trek and set off for Besisahar, the origin of our ABC, or the Annapurna Base Circuit.  Of course, as we already found out, plans can change quickly.

But life is good.  Since we're heading out into the mountains, it may take a while before we post another update.  But thanks for following!

                                                         Mandatory Eiffel Tower photo.

Patio breakfast

                                                                            We're rich!

                                                               Busy streets of Thamel

                                                               Durbar Square in Patan

                                                         Durban Square in Kathmandu

                                                        Vishnu - red chalk is used for blessing

                                                                      Patan

                                                                       Patan

                                                                 Patan streets

                                                                Vishnu altar

                                                       Restaurant with ambiance

                                                    Can you imagine it in the past??

Packing list for a restless mind

After reading countless other blogs and finding them helpful, here’s my packing list.  Whether it’s too much or too little, I guess I’ll find out on the road.

-         - Clothes:  2 pairs of pants (legs can be rolled up into shorts), 2 skirts, 5 shirts, Smartwool base layer and silk long johns for those cold Nepalese nights, sweater, sweatshirt, rain jacket, pjs, long dress, underwear& socks (5), pair of low hiking boots, sturdy sandals, flip flops for those grimy shower stalls, hat, headband, pashmina (use as accessory, towel or blanket), bathing suit, sunglasses, watch, thin gloves

-         - Cosmetics, etc., aside from the usual essentials: hand sanitizer, sunblock, mosquito repellant, wipes, travel towel, eye mask, ear plugs, collapsed toilet paper, SPF chapstick

-         - Gear (term used loosely):  universal sink plug, available in any dollar store, clothesline, pillow cover, silk sleeping liner (great insulation against cold, heat and the buggies), rain cover for backpack, safety pins and a homemade sewing kit, headlamp, mug, spork, collapsible dish, water bottle,  mosquito net, money belt

-          - My first aid/pharmacy: band aids, tweezers, advil, pepto bismol, moleskin, antibiotic and anti-itch creams, Immodium, liquid bandaid, supply of doxycycline for malaria, Z-pac antibiotic, gauze pads, elastic bandage, motion sickness pills, Swiss army knife, matches

-         - Others: lock, ziplock bags, duck tape, rolled a bunch of times around a pen, 2 carabiners, adapters, pens, internal pocket, small notebook, fake wedding ring (helps with the unwanted advances)

-          - Electronic gear: unlocked phone for use with any SIM card, iPod, Kindle, chargers, USB key with data

-          - Documents: passports, debit cards, credit card (Chase’s Sapphire has no foreign transaction fees), copies of all docs (e-mailed them to myself too), copy of travel insurance, addresses and emergency phone numbers, extra passport photos, vaccination book

-          Pawel will also carry some items that we will be sharing, such as a small netbook, camera, and UV filter for water purification.

All of these, along with some personal items, I’ll pack up into my trusty 50L Deuter bagpack and small day bag.

Now, it’s time for some final goodbyes.  We’re excited, readily anticipating the adventure, but also nervous, already restless.  But then it seems we found the cure for that.    

3 is a good number

With three weeks until departure, I figured it's time for an update.  But where do I start?

Ahh, yes, I have three days left at my law firm- a pretty incredible feeling after so many years of consistent work.  It's also a bit scary, knowing that my orderly life and steady income are about to be turned upside down.  But hey, we planned for it, right?  Right?  Despite some apprehension, my decision to leave and take on this crazy opportunity was met with a positive and sometimes even enthusiastic response at work.  I'm glad; after so many years I'd like to leave things on good terms.  And the hectic schedule just makes the time fly.  

As work finishes, I have some time to set things in order.  First of all, I'll take full advantage of my ending insurance, ie annual check ups, dentist and eye doctor appointments, and, most importantly, meds for the trip.  My Blue Cross Blue Shield is pretty much all encompassing, as I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it covers, in full, my eight months supply of doxycycline for malaria (let's see how I deal with the potential sun sensitivity) and Z-pac antibiotics for serious TD (that wonderful companion).  Donna from Dr MacGregor's travel medicine clinic in Morton Grove was especially knowledgeable.  We also decided to accept the typhoid fever shots in light of the occasional outbreaks.

After weeks of tedious research, we also decided to buy a travel insurance policy with the established Travel Guard.  With an option for every pocket, Travel Guard provides affordable coverage.  We focused on the immediate medical expenses and emergency evacuation details, the latter especially too important not to consider.  Worth every penny for the peace of mind.

We decided not to buy any visas in advance.  With a little planning, we can obtain them in some of the capital cities, sometimes for a third of the price, especially when using our Polish passports.  At this point, every dollar counts.

Other than that, it's the little things on the to-do list that can drive a person crazy.  We have to, in no particular order:

- download and organize movies, e-books and music
- early vote (!)
 - figure out the best way to access money - Charles Schwab offers some good options, with minimal fees abroad, as opposed to some other banks - check the little print!
- make copies of all docs, and preferably e-mail them to ourselves
- call credit / debit card companies to make sure they don't block cards when one is swiped in, say, Indonesia
- prepare a sneaky internal pocket for documentation
- prepare list of instructions for people handling financial matters at home
- teach mom, again, how to use Skype ;)
- move!  although I'm thankful that my brother is moving in, so the move involves only personal items
- figure out best online storage for the millions of Asia photographs
- buy some remaining items
- pack, of course!
- and say some goodbyes

And most likely tons more that I cannot recall right this minute.  Ok, I'm off to climb the stairs.  Trek prep doesn't happen by itself.

Pre pre dress rehearsal..

.. or an update on our travel preparations:

First definitive step:  One random Tuesday, we received an e-mail alert about some Travelocity deals on flights.  Pawel shifted around the dates for departure (flexibility, people!), and found better ones so we could save some major bucks.  I used some credit cards points and, who knew, got a ticket halfway across the world for less than a domestic flight from Chicago to, say, Florida.  Score.  So, officially, we leave home on October 30, 2012, on a one way ticket, via Paris and Bahrain, for Nepal, Kathmandu.  I think I gave my parents a collective heart attack with this one, since plans finally became real.

Health Chart:  We conducted a brief search of the necessary vaccinations but still need to make an appointment with a travel clinic / doctor.  We even got some names. :)  We're still up in the air about taking meds for malaria.  Different types of these can cause considerable headaches and complications, ranging from ineffectiveness due to strain resistance and cost to sun sensitivity (imagine that, in a tropical climate!) and hallucinations.  On top of it, it seems that taking malaria medicine for such a long period of time may be more of a risk than not taking it at all.  I suppose the doctor will help us sort that out.

Paperwork:  All countries except for India and China provide visas at entrance.  We are waiting with obtaining those two since the time limit on the Indian visa starts ticking the moment it's issued.  Of course, much can change as we start our adventure and decide to travel to countries currently not on the target list.  Ah yes, I forget to mention.  At this time, we're looking at Nepal, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, China and Indonesia.  We'll see how it pans out in the end.

Gear:  Now here we have made considerable progress.  Taking advantage of Pawel's employee discounts at REI, we already bought most of the gear.  In the interest of saving our postures for old age, we purchased items that, to me, the travel minimalist, are the epitome of leisure: silk liners, collapsible plates, a Deuter backpack, LED headlamps...  Granted, the cost and weight of these items are perfectly justified by their benefits.  Anything we're missing, we'll buy or rent (!) there.  After all, who wants to drag around a heavy duty sleeping bag and a parka just for the trek in Nepal?  (Did I mention we're doing a trek in Nepal?  Yup, we're doing a trek in Nepal.  The Annapurna Circuit.  Look it up.)

State of mind:  Pretty great, I must say.  We have a summer ahead of us full of weddings and weekends away, which absorbs some of the immediate excitement for the BIG trip.  But the date looms closer, and it's becoming next to impossible to ignore that we're leaving in 4 months, 30 days, 2 hours, 14 minutes, 5 seconds, no 4 seconds, no...  Ahhh, freedom.  I can almost taste it. 

Test 1 2. Test 1 2.

Friday night, yet here I am.  P's watching a game (go Bulls!), while I'm trying to figure out the inner workings of a blog.  Computer literate at best, I've decided to start the blog far ahead of the trip.  I want to make sure I can efficiently take full advantage of the sporadic internet hot spots in SE Asia.  Who knows where exactly we'll end up.  Anywho.  Welcome and enjoy!