This is Day 5 of Nepal Travelogue (May 17, 2013)
Our stay in the
low-key Budhanilkantha neighborhood was so laidback that one more day could
provoke bored Misha asking questions about wisdom of coming over to Nepal. Preemptively,
I had been reassuring her that we would soon be going to the jungle – where she
would meet her storybook friends – elephants and rhinos!
That was not
an empty promise at all; our next destination was Chitwan – Nepal’s oldestnational park, situated in the lower country – or Terai, close to the Indian
border and famous for one-horn rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, and many other rare
species. Though it might not be as exotic as an African Safari but from
Pakistan, Chitwan National Park might be the closest place for a full fledged Jungle
expedition.
On the Road Again at 5 am: Kathmandu → Prithvi Highway → Chitwan – 175km/7hrs
We woke up
before dawn to catch the first microbus from Budhanilkantha to downtown where
tourist buses depart for Chitwan at 6-7 am. After reaching the makeshift
tourist bus stop, kids and Urooba settled
down in one of the better looking ones while I bought breakfast from one of the
vendors around. Soon the bus was running smoothly on the Prithvi Highway. The
enroute scenery was as green and as refreshing as it could be around any hill station
but the surrounding was more lively and happening than that in Pakistan’s North
.
However,
when the bus left the Prithvi Highway, near Mugling intersection separating the
routes to Pokhara and Chitwan, the landscape starts changing, so did the
weather. This change got more pronounced when we crossed Bhaktapur, a major
city near Chitwan, and evolved into a tropical setting with rainforests on both
sides of the road.
In the bus,
I had some interesting conversation with the attendant, who had been to
Pakistan in an attempt to crossover to the dreamland, i.e. Europe where several
of his colleagues had been living and working illegally. The poor guy, had
already spent a hefty Rs. 2,500,000, ~USD 25,000, on his failed ventures! He
had been deported every time he tried.
At that
moment, I was only wondering if I had so much spare money, I would have
thinking a Round the World road trip, in a more legal way obviously!
Weather Shock at 12 am: Traveling from 10°C
to 35°C
We reached
Chitwan’s Sauhara bus station, or Bus Park as they say in Nepal, exactly at
noontime, and it was extremely humid and quite hot, with almost no air, completely
opposite to what it was around Kathamdnu, and worse than what we had left at Karachi.
Nature Shock at 3 pm: Rhino Fight
After the
cultural shock in Budhanilkantha and the weather shock at Sauhara bus park this
morning, the coming nature shock was our third in Nepal and second of the day.
We were
obviously expecting something exotic but not this early. Soon after we settled
down in the hotel and went out for an orientation walk, we saw a rhinoceros
running towards us passionately behind a harmless fence officially separating the
wild and the civilization! Suddenly, a man nearby jumped from behind a tree, waved
something at it and shouted, distracting the charging animal towards him. I
realized that he was not the only man there as another guy repeated the same ritual
the next moment. It was like a Spanish bullfight, live!
I looked at passersby
who were unruffled with the show. One of them enlightened us that it was
actually an injured young herbivore which had been brought to the ranger camp
for medication and there was nothing to get worried! Unfortunately for us, wardens
mind photography around their installations barring me recording that exciting
episode.
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Chitwan and Pokhara Bound Buses are Lined-up at Kathmandu's Kantipath |
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Tourist Flocking from All Around to Catch the Early Morning Bus |
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We Chose the Better Looking of All and Paid on the Spot |
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Maybe Because of Early Departure these Buses are Parked on the Road Rather than at a Bus Station |
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Ramhes, the Bus Attendant Wanted to Work Abroad |
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Prithvi Highway Runs Along the Low Lying Hills |
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It was Mostly Green Along the Prithvi Highway |
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Cultivation in the Hill Country |
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Banana Tree: Fusion of Tropics and Mountains |
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A Vegetable Vendor on Prithvi Highway |
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Dried Fish Hanging on a Vegetable Stall |
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Leaving the Prithvi Highway for Lower Nepal |
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Close to Chitwan, Scenery and Weather Started Changing |
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Now it Looks More like a Tropical Country with Rain Forests |
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Finally Kids Find Something of their Interest |
Today’s Bills – in Nepali Rupees
50 |
|
Logistics |
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Microbus -
Budhanilkantha to Thamel |
70 |
|
Food |
|
Morning Tea at Bus
Terminal |
20 |
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Pencil&Paper |
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Newspaper |
820 |
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Logistics |
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Bus Ticket - KTM to
Chitwan + Loader Tip |
400 |
|
Food |
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Enroute Buffet Lunch |
90 |
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Food |
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Milk, etc |
1450 |
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Total for May 17,
2013 |
|
|
11480 |
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Total as of Today |
|
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* Room charges and hotel's food bill will be included in Day 7 at check-out
Traveler's Tip # 9:
Kathmandu to Chitwan Tourist Bus
Daily tourist buses, of various companies, run between Kathmandu and Chitwan from Kantipath road around 6-7am. This is the exact location of the makeshift bus stop:
View Larger Map
We bought tickets on the spot for NPR 400 each: ~USD 4, one way, without much hassle. Advanced booking might also be possible, most probably through hotel or an agent by paying small commission but since they say "seeing is believing", I would recommend reaching their early to have a look around for the one satisfies the instincts and only then locking into it.
We found the price and the seating arrangement, i.e. 2x1, consistent while bus condition varied from company to company, which was the major decision factor for us. In fact when we reached there, touts from the next bus quickly took our luggage and made us the tickets, without even me paying, giving the impression that if it were the only bus to Chitwan. But obviously it was not the only bus and one of the next buses looked in better shape so we shifted our luggage there after a little argument with those touts.
Public buses also run between Kathamandu and Chitwan but it would most probably involve multiple inconvenient transfers and will definitely take much more time.
All of the companies run two buses, each for Chitwan and Pokhara, from the same point, and so the above largely holds for Kathmandu-Pokhara transportation also.
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Tourist Buses to Chitwan and Pokhara Depart Before Working Hours Start |
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Refueling for 150 km Journey |
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We Found Blue Sky's Buses Newest |
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Bus Stopped for Lunch |
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Vegetarian Buffet Lunch was Good |
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Seating Hall of the Bus Stop Restaurant
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Another great post. Thanks for sharing. Keep them coming :)
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