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Well much has happened since our last blog.We both recovered from our trekking experience and headed for Chitwan national park.Managed to go on a safari on the back of an elephant and even had the privilege of giving it a bath afterwards. We saw rhinos, deer, elephants and crocs but unfortunately not the elusive tiger (not convinced there are actually any in the park to be honest). Saw 4-week-old twin baby elephants in the breeding center, the first surviving twins ever recorded.
Then off to Pokhara, Nepal's 2nd largest city in the west of the country.It's their idea of a luxury resort town - think a credit crunch version of lake Como!We decided to splash out and secured the penthouse suite of the best hotel we could find.Ensuite bathroom and large screen TV - all for the pricey sum of $15 a night.LB loved having a regular shower again.
After a few days R&R we booked ourselves on a river kayak trip.LB was a bit apprehensive and her fears were realized after the first day practicing on the lake where she really didn't get into it and couldn't wait to get out of the thing.I must admit that they are a lot more unstable on the water than you think.Anyhow after a bit of a pep talk from yours truly ("well we aren't getting our money back so you have to bloody come") we headed off the next day for the river and the rapids.Really good fun, plenty of white water, big rocks, capsizing and generally getting wet.Spent a couple of nights camping by the river and paddling during the day.Hit class 3 rapids on the last day which were a bit daunting - not sure if they would let a group of complete novices down these kind of rapids in Oz or the UK.A few scrapes and bruises but all survived.LB spent a bit of time cruising on the support raft and managed to get tossed out of that as well!
We have just entered India.If any of you are a bit concerned about our safety re terrorist attacks etc, that should not be your prime worry - it's the bus rides that are the real danger.The narrow, pot riddled roads are full of 1970's 50-seater buses with about 150 people crammed into them, including many on the roof.Because they take awhile to get going, once up to speed the driver is very reluctant to do something as sensible as braking so will overtake regardless of the status of oncoming traffic, around blind corners, dogging people, cows, goats, bikes, monkeys, mobile food stalls, trucks, other (overturned) buses and anything else that manages to fall in their path.Our strategy has been not to look, as we figure what you can't see won't hurt you.So far so good.We have an overnight train trip to Delhi tonight so that should be interesting.
Hope all are well.Keep in touch,
MT&LB
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