Pokhara and Kathmandu

Wednesday 7th May

We hired a scooter today to look around Pokhara and see any last sights on our list. Firstly we headed up to the World Peace Pagoda or Stupa. It is the 71st one to be built in the world of the 100 that have or are being planned to be built. From there we headed to the International Mountain Museum, which was very interesting and of course mentioned Sir Edmund Hilary. Some of museums displays were in need of a revamp, but the newer exhibits were very good. From here we went across town to the Gurkha Memorial Museum Nepal. This was very interesting and I was certainly educated in the part the Nepalese Gurkhas have played in conflicts in different parts of the world. 

In the evening we caught up with some volunteers and farwelled Hazel who is off to trek up to basecamp with her partner who arrives on Saturday. All but Megan are departing this weekend so will be the end of another chapter. 

Thursday 8th May

We head to Kathmandu early tomorrow so a quiet day planned, meeting Nicole and Megan later to say our last goodbyes. We are going to spend the day planning our Italy tour and decide on a plan of attack.

Friday 9th May 

Reasonable bus ride to Kathmandu today, took the long route to the guest house once we were off the bus. The Thamel area is a bit rabbit warren, and we missed the turn for a direct route to the accommodation but we found our way eventually without a taxi; albeit hot  and bothered. The temperature here today was 30 and it's 31 tomorrow. 

Saturday 10th May

Debriefing meeting today with Bejin, a co-ordinater, so we can give him some feedback about our experience in Pokhara. Last minute sorting and then packing ready to catch our flight to Rome, leaving at 9.35am.  

We are both developing a bit of a 'smokers cough' due to the air polution here so it is fortuitous for us to be leaving, it's hard on your lungs.

It has been a real surprise to us the state of the air pollution. The city of Kathmandu despite being a bit of a tourist stopover for treking in Nepal is very dirty and polluted and I wouldn't recommend staying here for any length of time. Just for the day and a half here it has been really noticeable as I've mentioned in the quality of our breathing. The streets are dusty, and with all of the traffic it is continually stirred up. My  preconceived idea of Nepal, even as a developing country was that it would be a lot cleaner in rural areas, because of its mountainous terrain and highland areas. 

Overall our impressions of Nepal have been ok, unless Jim came back to do trekking, I can't see it as a repeat destination. 

Namaste