Nepal with Karen Ramsay

This entry is part 17 of 19 in the series Adventure Rider Issue #30

Karen Ramsay ties up some loose ends on her ride through the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

A breathtaking Muktinath view.

The first thing we learned in Nepal was the lack of scrutiny from security in entering the country wasn’t mirrored on exiting the country, or indeed in other random places around the land. But more on that later.

Step-by-step

First, to set the scene – feel free to skip this paragraph if you read last issue – husband Dave, Martin Tobin, Meg Lees, Steve Johns and I were doing a self-guided ride around Nepal. Dave had spent hours working out where we’d go and how we’d get there, then Steve plotted it on the GPS. Dave and Steve rode local Bajaj Pulsars, Meg and I rode CRF250s, and Marty’s steed was the XR Tornado 250. We hired the bikes in Kathmandu and set off.

It’s pretty hard to sum up a month-long trip in just a few words. Exhilarating, challenging, exhausting and breathtaking would be a start. Like most things in life, it’s something you have to experience for yourself to fully appreciate.

Our basic itinerary was Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bandipur, Ridi, Lumbini, Bardia National Park, Rara Lake, Kagbeni, Muktinath, Begnas Lake, Gorkha, Bidur, Rasuwaghadi and Bhaktipur. We stayed in guest houses and motels. Hot water was hit and miss, regardless of how convincing the person on the front counter sounded. WiFi was more consistent. Power outages were a daily occurrence.

We had some great meals and some that tasted like my cooking. One of the funniest meals was ordering off the extensive menu – despite the owner suggesting the dahl baht as a good option – and hearing step by step instructions in the kitchen coming over YouTube.

Dave and Karen at the Kaligandaki River.

Every man for himself

We were a bit wary heading to Rara Lake, firstly because we weren’t too sure if the road Dave thought we’d take was okay, or if it was even a road.

We discovered more than once that physical roads and the GPS weren’t always the same, neither were place names. The other reason stemmed from an interaction with the traffic police in Pokhara.

We were pulled over and asked for our licences and bike paperwork. All that was in order so we thought we’d be on our way. Not so. Apparently it’s illegal to ride Kathmandu hire bikes in Pokhara. And they said they could impound our bikes. Eventually they let us ride off, but not before telling us that other traffic police around the country might not be so understanding. We tried following it up the next day with the hire company and the tourist police but there seemed to be no clear ruling on this law.

It also appeared Nepalese laws were subject to change without notice, and some traffic police like to charge a ‘fee’.

KAREN RAMSAY

On approach

We made it to a fork in the road near Rara Lake just before dark, riding in on a deep muddy road. Somehow we’d ended on a different side of the lake than Dave expected us to be. As we were trying to work out how much further to a town and accommodation, a car full of young men turned up and told us there was no accommodation available at the next village because the whole area was getting ready for the Prime Minister’s visit in a few days. The left fork looked equally unpromising as it was the road to the airport and there was no uncertainty – you were not allowed on it. One of the young blokes said he’d ring security and see what he could do. Within minutes he had security on the way and accommodation organised. We paid the lady at the ‘airport car parking’ and carried our gear up the hill and over the airstrip in the fading light to a homestay overlooking Talcha airport. Marty almost had to crawl to fit through the doorways of the traditional home. However, we were dry, warm and fed and very grateful to the helpful people who assisted us. And waking in the morning to snow on the surrounding mountains with an impossibly short runway in the foreground was worth it.

Majesty

One of the favourite places on our trip was following the Kali Gandaki River from Baglung to Kagbeni. It was remote, rugged, barren, and breathtakingly beautiful. It’s situated in the Annapurna Range, home to some of the highest peaks in the world.

I don’t mind saying I teared up a little on more than one occasion just at the sheer, overwhelming majesty of the mountains and the landscape. The road to Kagbeni took us through the deepest gorge in the world and was mostly dirt and rock, or along dry, rocky river beds.

A highlight of the trip was most definitely riding across our first swing bridge near Kagbeni. It couldn’t have been more perfect, with prayer flags waving gently in the breeze, the vast, open, barren valley below and snow-capped peaks in the distance. It’s not an experience any of us will forget in a hurry.

Care is needed

One thing to consider before embarking on a trip such as this is realising it’s a developing country. If something goes seriously wrong, getting medical help in a hurry is probably not going to happen. We often saw poorly equipped ambulance jeeps, crowded with passengers, sirens bleating feebly while they travelled barely faster than the rest of the vehicles. This was brought home to me when Dave scoffed a spoonful of masala paste made to accompany our lunch. He reacted badly and couldn’t breathe. All we had were some antihistamines and a puffer. If it had been any worse, it could have been a very different story.

Typical scenery in northern Nepal.

River coarse

With rivers being the lifeblood of the country we were all shocked at the way the they were treated. Rivers are used for drinking, cooking, washing and ceremonies, yet they’re also used as a place to dump rubbish. The air pollution during the time we were there was horrendous in places. When we’d wash out our face buffs at the end of each day, the water ran black. While we lamented not being able to see the nearby huge mountains, it was more sobering to think of locals breathing the polluted air day in and day out. Organisations such as Clean Up Nepal are making small inroads, but it’s a problem that’s going to require legislation, not just education.

Travel behind a truck or a bus spewing black smoke, multiply that by all the vehicles on the road there, and you’ll begin to get an idea of just one of the causes.

A few thoughts

So how did the bikes stack up? The Bajajs handled everything that the CRFs and Tornado did, but Dave and Steve had to think more carefully about their lines.

Also, the suspension was rather lacking.

Marty’s Tornado was terrific until the starter motor died, leaving Meg and Dave to be the (self-designated) push starters when there wasn’t a slope to park on.

Marty had a Royal Enfield 350 for the final week and was ready to set fire to it and push it off a cliff after his first day on it.

The people were really helpful. They gave us directions and were genuinely interested in seeing foreigners travelling such long distances. So many went out of their way to provide assistance and hospitality.

It wasn’t uncommon to find people who had family members or friends who were studying or working in Australia.

It appears the drivers have split personalities.

They drive like maniacs on the run, overtaking on blind corners or with vehicles coming towards them, but they’ll stop and wait patiently while people repair a vehicle or while a truck driver up ahead stops in the middle of the road to take a leak.

My favourite sound over there was the musical horns. They were a soundscape that became an iconic backdrop to our trip and still bring a smile to my face when I think about them.

Again?

Would we go again? Well, Steve and Meg wouldn’t. He didn’t enjoy the country as much as other places he’d visited, while Meg felt like it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for her and she’d accomplished all she wanted to.

Dave, Marty and I would go again, simply to spend more time in the Annapurna region and to visit the Manaang and Upper Mustang areas.

What I’ve learned

• A face buff is a must (and a sports bra for women)
• Don’t expect consistent English translation of place names
• Always carry water and snacks
• Royal Enfields offer romance but no comfort
• You’ll never forget your first swing bridge

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