April 7 and 8, 2009, Bandipur, Nepal
Tuesday morning we finally got out of Kathmanu on a public bus - 6 hours to Gorka - $2.00.
After 5 hours travel, however, we came to a police roadblock. It seems yesterday during a strike - on the highway, a driver had attempted to run the roadblock, and he had been shot -dead. Today, the police had the entire area shut down. So the bus took us back to the last little town we had passed thru, and we got 50 rupees back on our ticket (60 cents). We had lunch in a little "restaurant" - beans and chapati (flour tortilla) , then we walked to highway to flag down a minibus to next town.
One stopped, and we ran to it, and the helper was yelling for us to get on. I couldn't imagine where we going to "get" since the van was slam bam FULL. Then I realized the man was telling us to get "ON". Up the ladder and onto the luggage rack. We climbed up and were still standing when the van took off again. With much difficulty..... and fear - I was able to get my backpack off while holding on for dear life and finally got sorta settled in - trying to get my center of gravity LOW so as not to just fly off on some of the sharp curves.
The ride was only for about 25 minutes, and we came to the next town where we had to change vans...thank you, Lord! So then we were to get on a 4x4 jeep. There were bench seats in the back for 3 people, 6 total. By the time we left the jeep stand we had 16 people in or on the back, and 6 inside the front.
In half hour we reached the mountain top - unloaded, and we were in Bandipur!
It is a beautiful old town.... all brick buildings of the 19th century at least and how you would really think a Neplali village should look.
When I get to the next town, hopefully, I can post some photos of Bandipur.
So long for now - so long from Bandipur, Nepal.
Johnny
After 5 hours travel, however, we came to a police roadblock. It seems yesterday during a strike - on the highway, a driver had attempted to run the roadblock, and he had been shot -dead. Today, the police had the entire area shut down. So the bus took us back to the last little town we had passed thru, and we got 50 rupees back on our ticket (60 cents). We had lunch in a little "restaurant" - beans and chapati (flour tortilla) , then we walked to highway to flag down a minibus to next town.
One stopped, and we ran to it, and the helper was yelling for us to get on. I couldn't imagine where we going to "get" since the van was slam bam FULL. Then I realized the man was telling us to get "ON". Up the ladder and onto the luggage rack. We climbed up and were still standing when the van took off again. With much difficulty..... and fear - I was able to get my backpack off while holding on for dear life and finally got sorta settled in - trying to get my center of gravity LOW so as not to just fly off on some of the sharp curves.
The ride was only for about 25 minutes, and we came to the next town where we had to change vans...thank you, Lord! So then we were to get on a 4x4 jeep. There were bench seats in the back for 3 people, 6 total. By the time we left the jeep stand we had 16 people in or on the back, and 6 inside the front.
In half hour we reached the mountain top - unloaded, and we were in Bandipur!
It is a beautiful old town.... all brick buildings of the 19th century at least and how you would really think a Neplali village should look.
When I get to the next town, hopefully, I can post some photos of Bandipur.
So long for now - so long from Bandipur, Nepal.
Johnny
posted by Johnny at
7:56 PM
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