CyclingDutchGirl

I have cycled about 200km in the last 5 months. That must be a record for some one on a big bicycle trip

Together with mum, dad, Hans, Ali and Sally (my new best friend for two weeks) I set of on a rafting adventure down the Seti river. A fairly calm and low-grade trip and we were assured nothing could go wrong..
Funny that we went into the first rapid with seven, but came out with six men on board. We’ve lost Ali, who came drifting down behind us, slightly bruised but mainly unscattered. From then on we all held on tightly at every minor rapid and we came through with no further accidents.
We camped on a beach, sang songs around a fire, having a good time as the villagers came down to sing and dance with us..

And then on to Chitwan with high expectations ’cause of my previous experience. (see: ‘too lazy to backpack’ )
But in the jungle, the mighty jungle, the tigers were asleep. As were the rhino’s. The crocodiles. The birds, deer and boar. We did enjoy the pool at our fancy resort, and riding plus bathing the elephants was great fun.
And to be fair, I did see two ants, a cockroach, a lizard, a dragonfly and a leaf falling of a tree.
I couldn’t help the feeling that the locals we saw on our safari’s, burning down the forest, might have had something to do with the lack of wildlife.

I traveled back to Kathmandu in style, on top of the bus. With my mp-3 player blasting, waving at surprised faces on other buses and singing out loud. I would have danced if I could, but the drive-style in combination with the road conditions stopped me from trying.

Back in Kathmandu I said ‘good bye’ and ‘see you next year’ (wherever that may be) to my parents.
Sally and me shared a room in the Tibet peace guest house, where we did things girls do. Like painting my toenails bright pink and swapping clothes. (Thanks Sally, Love them trousers!)
One night I woke up from a big thump on the roof, I looked over to see Sally bolt upright looking around. As my first thought was a cat jumped on the roof, she reckoned it to be a vampire

And then, after 5 months, finally time to try my bicycle again…
My chain needs a bit of adjusting, but it also works if I kick it with my right foot while peddling with my left. Almost always.
Except the one time I was going a bit too slow uphill and ‘forgot’ my left foot was strapped in. So I slowly fell straight into one of them real deep gutters they got around here…
Slightly embarrassed I looked around, lucky no one had seen it. But a bus was coming my way so I nonchalant pretended just to stop for a sip of water. With my bike up side down in the gutter.. :-s
As I pulled it out the saddle came off. Lucky there’s nothing duck tape wont fix.

I almost forgot how different it is when you’re cycling. I love the way people react. Smiling and waving, the bus-boys hanging out of doors and windows to give me the thumbs-up
And when you stop at places you wouldn’t normally, people show a natural and generous interest.
I discovered my camping gear still works as I tried it in a massive storm at the river side. Only got a little wet. But it’s hot so it dries in no time.

Rainy season is on the doorstep. Every day now it starts pissing down in the afternoon. It won’t be long before monsoon’s here. I’ll be in India.
It’s that ‘planning-thing’… or the lack of it to be precise.
Summer in Iran, winter in Tibet and monsoon in India…Ah well, it be boring if I did it the easy way

I planned to be in Pokhara in two days time. But nothing ever goes as planned. On the 2nd day I stopped 34km before Pokhara at Devendra’s roadside restaurant & hotel. A bicycle-enthusiast who’s got a Giant himself. He told me to stay there so I pitched my tent in the garden and sat inside as another wall of rain swept past.

In the evening a ‘important’ police men (he told me himself and it was confirmed a few times through the evening that he was, indeed, very important..) invited me to have lunch with him and his wife. So I left the next morning, not having paid for either accommodation, the food or drinks;”You are my friend! It is complimentary, come tomorrow for lunch!”
So I cycled the 5km to the Important-police-men’s house and got told how to eat dhal bhat (local dish of lentil soup, rice, vegetables and sometimes chicken that people eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. EVERY day) properly. Kneading it with you right hand and scoop it in your mouth, it’s a bit of an art, I need some practice. Half the meal ended on my face and the floor.
I got the chance to practice again at Devendra’s place the next day when I took down my darling bullet.
It’s not easy-going back to a bicycle ones you’ve had an engine.
He also decided to take me on a side-seeing trip to a waterfall that appears in a video clip his brother made. To Bandipur, a traditional Mewari village. And a ‘concert’ in some town where women and men in traditional dress where singing traditional songs while others danced the traditional dances. Or just drank beer. When we walked in everybody looked and even the people on stage ‘Namaste-ed’ me.

Now I am, it might not come as a surprise, in Pokhara. I put my tent up on a roof and so far it seems waterproof-ish. But I have got a plan. Since China is no option, and neither is Burma.
I’ll cycle to Varanasi, on to Calcutta and cross to Thailand.
Or something like that.

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That’s what Nepal stands for. Just so you know

My bicycle was still where I left her! She got a bit rusty. She’s been sitting outside since I left her in December when I came down from Tibet. The poor thing.
But she’s gonna get some serious attention when I get back, in about a week from now.

And mum & dad are here! It’s great to see them after months of messenger-conversations.
They got to Kathmandu with their friends Hans & Ali a day after I finally got there on the Bullet.

The first week we spend doing all the things you’re supposed to do when in Kathmandu (but I would never do myself) We’ve seen all the sites of great cultural, historical and religious importance.

But I prefer the mountains.

Good that’s exactly where we headed. Me and dad on the Bullet and the rest by car. I managed to get through the Kathmandu traffic unscattered and on a clear day we rode the Pokhara-road with the white peaks of the Himalaya right next to us. Breathtaking.

We stayed here during the election, they passed peaceful enough. It was death-quiet on the streets and we rented a pedalo for 5 and spend the day, swimming, sunning, reading a book with a glass of wine on the lake. Doesn’t get too much better…

O yes it does

It was time to get a little active again and show them why exactly I like Nepal so much.
So back on the track.
Slightly different from last time now, we had a guide and two porters (I carried my own stuff)
and we were off to Poonhill.

It surprised me how easy I found the hiking. I thought I lost all my fitness after 3 months on the motorbike. But no, I felt great. So when we arrived at Gorephani, same guesthouse as last time, they even remembered me “Hey, youre back! …. you got fat!”
thanks,
I pushed on up the hill (3210m). I took with me my mat, sleeping bag some cookies and yak-cheese, the plan was to stay up there the night. So I did.

As the only person up there I watched an incredible sunset and made myself comfortable in the watchtower. It was a little chilly so I figured the best way to warm up is doing sit-ups in my sleeping bag. It did help. I only woke up suddenly in the middle of the night with a bright half-moon and millions of stars shining above me with this shocking thought;” what if there are bears here! Or wolves!”
After a few minutes of scaring myself I fell back asleep only to be woken again at 5a.m. by the first tourists coming up for sunrise. About 100 people arrived in the next hour including my parents to see the sun come up and stand in awe over the view of two 8000+ and another couple of big hills.

That morning I moved on.
In December when I was here my plan was to walk to Annapurna Basecamp (ABC). But it didn’t happen so I took the opportunity this time around. I left the group to do their own thing and set of by myself.

It was another great day, walking over a ridge from where you can see the mountains and then through a magical forest with little streams and waterfalls and the sound of yak-bells and birds singing. Till suddenly the sky went dark, the forest turned eery, the rain began and my path disappeared. I wondered if I took a wrong turn and got lost in the forest. Backtracking myself back up the hill I ran into this old goat shepherd with a felt point-hat and coat. He resembled a friendly fairytale figure and he showed me the right way.
By now the sky had broken and it was pouring down. Not much later I found a guesthouse where I stayed as the only guest overlooking the valley where the most wonderful rainbow formed as the clouds parted and the sun peeped through.
The young couple running the place told me it was a special day. The Nepalese new year, it’s 2065 now.
For the occasion they murdered a goat and relatives from surrounding villages would come over to celebrate.
I got invited to come and sit in the kitchen around the fireplace, have some mutton and taste their special ‘medicine of the mountain’.
As family members started to arrive I noticed the helpful fairytale man amongst them. Another one was carrying a baby-goat in a bag, telling me he had to look after it since the mommy-goat died. I wondered if that and the fact there was a goat cooking on the fire might be in any way connected…

It’s a bit of a climb to Annapurna Basecamp, but as I’ve told you before; ‘you never walk alone’.
This time I met a bunch of happy San Diego-college-rugby-players who are traveling together for 4 months and with me for two days.

ABC is something special, at 4130m it’s like an amphitheater. You’re surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the world at 360º. You really have to go there if you haven’t been yet…

I slept with the sound of avalanches falling around me (a bit like thunder) thinking of the guys up the mountain right now. Two teams are trying to summit the 8091m Annapurna 1 as we speak. Dangerous business. Good if you wanna get rid of some body parts I guess.

It was busy in the morning. Apart from me there was a French crowd of 50 people, dressed up in lycra leggings to start a Marathon at 7a.m. In the first few meters some went down with sprained ankles because its ice. Running doesn’t seem to be the best way forward but they tried.
After watching the start, enjoying some breakfast and the stunning scenery, I said goodbye to my new friends and started making my way down. Only to catch up with three of the French ‘runners’ 7hours later at Chomrong.

Friday, after another good hike, I got back to Pokhara where I found my Parents, Hans & Ali and Padam (their guide) surprised to see me. They only got back themselves the day before (www.jancees.waarbenjij.nu)

Now I’m enjoying the last few hours with my motorbike which I’ve grown pretty close to the last couple of months.
And I’ve had a super relaxing Ayurvedic massage. All muscles feel good and ready to go again.

Tomorrow we’re off to Chitwan National Park (sounds familiar huh)
But this time I’m rafting down in two days, camping on the side of the river on the way.
We’ll be staying in a super deluxe resort inside the park!!! (another something I wouldn’t ever do by myself)
I might even manage to drag myself out of the pool and onto an elephant to spot a rhino, croc or maybe even tiger (just keep trying ) I’ll let you know.

And then it’s back to Kathmandu and then what..?

I do love the mountains. Could easily spend much more time hiking around. And maybe I will.

When i first got here the plan was to head back into Tibet. That now seems even more impossible than it did then. There’s even Nepalese police up at camp 2 on Everest (6500m) to make sure no one is gonna bother them Chinese with trying to get the flame up there (hows that gonna keep burning I wonder).

So I’m undecided. I’m gonna have to climb on my bicycle again soon, but with no idea where I’m heading.
I wondered if you could give me some ideas…

thanks

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And in my case I started walking with Carla, Ed and Carl. Three of my six friends from Nyalam (Tibet).
We’d spend a short but fun time together in Kathmandu, filled with lots of food (ahh… pizza, chips and burgers…) and my birthday party that even included Tenzing, a Buddhist monk!

I enjoyed the lovely warmth of Nepal in December only a short time, I must have missed the cold, the dry cough and thin air of Tibet ’cause for some reason I decided to walk (!) back from a comfortable 800meter above sea-level up to 5416….
The Annapurna circuit, according to Carl it’s widely regarded as the most beautiful trek in the world. Haven’t done every trek in the world (yet) but I have to say it is absolutely phenomenal.
We started of on a cloudy day across villages and up a river valley on both sides forest and paddy fields. On our 2nd day our company grew to a number of 5 when Thomas, a young mountain ranger from the states joined our party. It’s handy being in a group in the ‘off-season’ because many lodges and hotels desperate for business offer you free rooms as long as you eat in their restaurant. Nt a problem for us. Secondly there is still a slight change of Maoist attacks in the area who see tourist as n easy source of income. We, luckily, didn’t encounter any of them.

Quickly after we started the road became just a track where all traffic consist of Mules and Donkeys loaded up with all sort of stuff and people carrying enormous loads in baskets on their back strapped to the head. This way they can carry up to 100kg on tracks where I would have trouble just walking…
As we got higher, climbing through dense forest with waterfalls and animals all around us, we even spotted some monkeys! passing prayer wheels and stupa the surroundings slowly changed to needle forest.
At one stage there was work being done at the trail and we had to climb around it, scramble up steep rocks up the mountainside over an improvised ladder and down the other side. One wrong move and your down in the river down 100 meter below… Carl reckoned it’s the most dangerous thing he’d ever done. I did feel a bit shaky too. We heard later that some other hikers turned back because a landslide took down half the cliff right in front of them… urgh.

It’s great (and a bit cold) getting up early to witness the sunrise and smelling incense when you walk through a village where cows and chicken are wondering the streets without a worry in the world. Around us the big snowy peaks of the Himalaya towered above us and no more trees at this stage, the views became more beautiful every day and we spend the night before the pass huddled around the fire wondering what the next day would bring.
The big one, ‘crossing pass day’ We did meet a few people turning back telling us the weather was bad or too much snow… So we planned to leave real early. But of course, getting up, having breakfast all took a while so the walking didn’t start till just after 7.
There was a bit of snow, and we had to make our way slowly trying not to lose our balance and turn into a giant snowball rolling down the mountain. It was indeed a ‘proper pass’ which in my world means every time you think you nearly there another hill appears and the struggle in the ice-cold wind isn’t over yet…. But after 5 hours Carla and me where the 1st to get up there. WHOOOHOOO, It’s like with cycling a great feeling! And that without loosing any body parts to frostbite, Carla was particular worried about her nose, but it’s still there and we ‘rocked that pass!’

Coming down the other side was easier than expected, not much snow and completely different from where we came up. Great extras on this side of the trail for example a Dutch Bakery in Tukuche where we enjoyed Douwe Egberts coffee and ‘wortelstampot met appelmoes’ during a three-hour lunch break. Great bread! They had an oven to bake proper bread. That oven weight 130kg and had to be walked up there!!!

Another plus where the hot springs at Tatopani, spend an extra day there in the warm waters after having all together just 1 warm shower on the whole track.
From this point I continued up myself. The entire walk took me not as long as I expected so I figured I might as well walk up to Annapurna Basecamp before heading down to Pokhara for new years…

I still wasnt alone though, A dog kept me company all the way up to ‘poonhill’ a viewpoint where you have spectacular views over the Annapurna range especially with sunrise and sunset. The dog would walk ahead, wait for me and continue when I came into view. Made me smile.

One thing that’s difficult on the trail is communication. Normally that wouldn’t bother me much but my sister was due on the 25th of december. So when I arrived at poonhill and came across an internet cafe I excitedly checked to found out if I’m an auntie yet. And yes I am! She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on the 15th. But the greatest news became instantly the worst when I read on an heard that the little girl named Tamar was stillborn.
With no way of contacting them and constant power cuts I figured going back to Pokhara would be the best thing to do where at least I’ll be able to speak to the family.

So,
I have been here in Pokhara for a while and it’s an easy place to just stay…
It’s also one of the best paragliding sides in the world which makes me think.
My parents are coming to Nepal in April and untill that time I can do whatever I like. My bicycle is still in Kathmandu and it might just stay there for a bit.
Getting a motorbike in India still sounds like a plan… Everest base camp is another…
Maybe I’ll make up my mind. But not untill next year

Have a good one
-xxx-

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