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Hey!
Only two days since I wrote a blog but so much has happened! After my last one that night I really didnt get much sleep, there was the most wicked and violent thunder storm right above... I've never heard or seen anything much like it!
Thankfully it didnt stop my bus running and after a walk through the puddly muddy streets I got on my bus to Pokhara, all the luggage got thrown onto the roof and was joined by a few people! I think it would have been rather fun atctually, and a lot cooler, I would have been able to take some fantastic pictures as the views were incredible but we couldnt stop. The scary thing was that we broke down... because the brakes had stopped working! We did get it fixed so we were only delayed an hour, and it gave me a chance to get some sleep as we were stopped still!
Arriving in Pokhara was great... as we drove in you could see the tips of the snowcapped mountains which is a really rare view at this time of year... sadly I didnt get a picture but I will say it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen!
I then got to Bindus where I am staying, and met the other volunteers who are here already - Phillipa, Kim and Kenny (kims boyfriend who is leaving on monday) they are absolutely fantastic! Me and Phillipa went for a walk around lakeside and had a drink and a chat then walked back to Bindus and we all headed out for food.
The place we went was so tiny, but incredible - they have power cuts all the time out here, and so we have candles in our room - and we ordered the food by candlelight last night! It was amazing to get to try the local food - I had vegetable Tari (probably spelt wrong) which is rice with three different sauces or pickles and a jipata bread... it was soooo very yummy - and spicy - and also really filling! Apparently its rude to leave food - which is terrible as there is always so much and they bring more! It was so cheap though... and apparently the little places are and also so much nicer - we had a beer each and the food and it came to 2 pounds each!! The atmosphere was fanastic and we were the only people in there too... and they cooked all the food from fresh.
On to today! We got up at 5 this morning in hope that the view was going to be clear and took a taxi up to Saragnot in hope to see the mountains - we saw the peak but nothing more - apparently on a clear day the view is fantastic - but I have to admit that being totally surrounded by mist and hills was the most incredible feeling - I think you could feel like nothing else exsisted anywhere else and it was eerie in a way but still amazingly beautiful.
I decided I wanted to explore and walked down to lakeside (with my walking boots on!) in hope of hiring a boat. I did so... but it was so difficult! I spent just over an hour paddling my way through the lake and got hardly anywhere in all honesty although I did feel a sense of achievement! It was extremely beautiful and peaceful - and I had set about with the intention of going to the other side of the lake, but gave up when i kept getting stuck as the boat was far too big! When I got back to hand the boat back the man said as I had paid for longer he would give me a guide and I got rowed across to the other side of the lake without paying anything more!
By this time it was already rather hot - and the Stupa was a faint dot in the distance - through what seemed like a jungle! However there was a rather rocky and slippy"path" leading the way up so I began climbing! (Definately this classes as a famous walk mum and dad!!) Everytime I turned a corner the road kept going up! It was so peaceful, I didnt see another person the whole way there. Getting to the top was amazing - I really didnt expect what was there - it is called the peace pagoda and I could see why - it was utterly silent apart from the wind. I felt like the only person alive. The stupa was increible as well with lots of Gold Buddas around the sides.
Walking down was rather tricky - and when I finally got to a road I was in damside - 8 miles away from where I had started in the middle of the day! (I think it must run in my family to do walks like this!) Luckily there were taxis running so after walking about a mile I got in one for a pound and arrived back very warm indeed!
After going for a shower and getting changed I went to Lakeside and sat by the lake and had some fruit juice and then it began to rain - which is certainly a welcome break from the stuffiness!
And soon I shall be walking back to bindus and then going for some food. Tomorrow is a massive rice planting festival that I think we are going to.. which is all free and they have mud fighting and tug of war!
Thinking of you all as always - Missing you greatly
Big Smiles
Rachel xxxx
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