We left Malaysia and took a flight to Bali. Arriving at Bali’s airport at 18:40 we obtained our visas, cleared immigration, claimed our luggage and exited through customs. There were multiple SIM card dealers and we chose Telkomsel, based on a review I had read. Really, they were all about the same price. 

With a working phone, we checked Whatsapp and located our pre-arranged driver. Walking the gauntlet of touts, all yelling “taxi, taxi, taxi” was amusing, only because we had a driver waiting for us. Bali’s airport is a bit of a zoo, so having someone standing by to pick you up can reduce the stress, especially after a long flight.

The never-ending drive to UBud

Once the luggage was loaded in the SUV, we were on our way for the 40 km drive to UBud. The driver said it would be about 1 ½ hours to UBud. Ummm….what? It’s only 40km? In reality, it took 1 Hr 45 minutes. An average of 22 km/hr. We really never went too much faster than 30 km/hr the entire way. Being tired and having sat on a plane for five hours, our behinds were feeling it. To complicate matters, our driver wasn’t sure of where he was going.

We eventually found the hotel. It was down a closed off street that was under construction. Great. Once all that was sorted out, we met the nicest reception worker ever. She checked us in, got us some water and helped us up to our room. Given the time, almost 10 PM, we asked for a restaurant recommendation as we were hungry. 

A Warung (family style restaurant) was less than 100 meters from our hotel. Sugriwa Warung was open and the happily sat us and took our order. Everyone has told us that Balinese food is wonderful. We didn’t venture too far as we were tired, so we ordered satay’s. OMG they were soooooo good. We were so happy and full when we left that we managed to have a great first night sleep.

What to do in UBud

Our first full day in a new place, when time permits, is not to schedule anything but wander around on foot. Picking up the local vibe, where to get things, tours, restaurants, etc. We scouted out a number of places and then ended up doing a short walk through the rice terraces. The local rice terraces were amazing to see. 

Our first adventure was a couples Bali massage. This was a one-hour experience and I do not think one-hour of time has ever gone by so fast. When my masseuse said it was over, I thought “nah, we’re only half way through”. Sure enough, we had been on the table for a full hour. We were both very relaxed, although we were also covered in massage oil.

It was a challenge to find a massage, not because they are hard to find, but because there are so many of them. Within 100 meters of our hotel there are at least eight places to get a massage. Price depends on the type of massage but also on the type of place. If you head to a full out spa, you’ll pay more, sometimes double or triple. We chose a “massage only spa” and could not have been happier with the results.

A day tour of UBud

The guide books and countless websites all tell you to tour certain temples and locations. The easiest way to do this is with a private driver for the day. Costs vary, however they are reasonable compared to western prices. Most places are pretty flexible with the itinerary and adjustments are easy to do. One place that is on almost every tour is the monkey forest where, according to some websites, approximately 700 hoodlums monkeys live. People are generally in two camps regarding monkeys. One group loves them, despite them being outright thieves, stealing phones, shoes (they can undo Velcro tabs), and of course snacks. The other camp, which you probably deduced I’m in, can’t stand them. Who wants a possibly rabid primate crawling over you, intending to steal anything they can?

For our tour, we swapped out the hoodlums monkey forest for a coffee plantation. All of the places we visited were touristy, in fact very touristy. The goal of those operating these places was not to appreciate nature and beauty, but rather to separate you from your money. There were some interesting sites and a bit of history, which we valued. Not wanting to be the only people who came to Bali and couldn’t prove it with Instagram-able pictures, we did take the obligatory “swing” pictures and other famous snaps.

UBud’s traffic gridlock – almost all day long

Traffic congestion is an issue in Bali, with narrow roads and every increasing tourists. We found having a driver for the day was a blessing. The reason you would want a private driver is to avoid having to haggle for a taxi at each site with the local taxi mafia. Ride sharing apps are frowned upon in some areas, including UBud, and taxi drivers will assault both drivers and passengers for using them. They have a stranglehold on the business and hence over inflated prices. This works for them and tourists can pay through the nose thank you very much.

Adventure excursions – taking a walk on the wild side!

One excursion we decided to try was ATV riding through the countryside. We drove out to the country and had a briefing on how to use the ATV. The briefing was, “here’s the accelerator, front brake and rear brake. Any questions?” Seriously, the guy could not have been less interested. We headed out with a guide and eight other ATV’s and had a blast. The one downer was going through the tunnel. It was dark, obviously, and I went to take my sunglasses off. They slipped, falling to the ground and I heard the distinct “crunching” of glass as the ATV went over them. Sigh.

From land to water…challenging the rapids.

We also went river rafting which we enjoyed so much, we did it a second time. The river rafting often combines with ATV’ing, however we decided to do one activity at a time. You needed to be in decent shape to do the rafting because you have to walk down 300 stairs to get to the river. You worked up a sweat before you got to the river where you received a short knowledge lecture and then you are off.

The river is not too rough, Class II rapids, but we were still tossed around a bit and were totally soaked. The boats only hold six people, so we all had to work together, under the direction of the guide. We met waves over the bow almost as soon as we started and continued to get wet regularly throughout the journey. Part way through we stopped at a waterfall and had the option to go under the rushing water. Being that the water was warm, the experience was amazing. At the end, you get to go up about 200 steps where you clean up and have an enjoyable lunch.

Heading to Sanur – an ocean town

As our eight days in UBud came to a close, we prepared to head to the south of Bali to the ocean town of Sanur.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.

Cam and Meg

Walking around the old historic part of Georgetown, Penang, you see street art everywhere. The history of the town and, the art that captures it has earned a UNESCO Heritage designation. 

The Clan Jetties – a glimpse of history, but now touristy today

In addition to the street art, there are “Clan Jetties”. These five jetties were where people from Chinese clans would go upon arrival to Georgetown from China. The original occupants were unable to buy land for a home, so they built houses on stilts and fished from there. As they acquired boats, they tied their boats up at their houses and would start and end their day there. 

Street Food in Penang – simply delicious.

Street markets abound in S.E. Asia and Penang is rumoured to be the street food capital of Malaysia. Different markets cater to different clients. The CoCo Island Hawker Stall, catered to tourists. There are a number of large hotel chains within walking distance such as the Marriott, Evergreen, Ascott, etc. The lighting, ambiance and environs were a bit nicer than some of the other markets. Of course, the prices were a bit higher. Unfortunately, some of the food was disappointing compared to more “local” stalls.

Our favourite was the New World market, which had almost the same food types CoCo Island had. At New World, prices were lower and quality was better.

This post was really about the art, historical clan jetties and food. I know some of the pictures have been on Instagram, however I do know some folks do not have Instagram.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.

Cam and Meg

Travelling from Nepal to Malaysia, there was a 25°C temperature shift, from 10°C to 35°C. There was also a huge improvement in air quality. In Nepal, they wood burning fires to cook and keep warm. This leads to always feeling like you are in a campfire. We both developed coughs from the pollution. This was amplified by our time in New Delhi, where the air quality index was hovering around 400. That did not help matters.

The first order of business was to wash our clothes once we arrived at our Air BnB. When we checked in, we unpacked our suitcases and it was as if we were standing around a campfire. Everything smelled like smoke and needed to be washed.

Red Eye flights are tough on the body…

On our arrival day, after the “red-eye” flight, we didn’t do much. The next day we took as a recovery day and simply walked around our neighbourhood, getting our bearings and trying some of Malaysia’s street food.

The street food is delicious. The price you pay for a meal here, is roughly the same as you would pay in Canada with one major difference. Prices here are in Malaysian Ringlets. There are 3.5 Ringlets to one $ CDN, so meals are effectively less than 1/3 of prices at home. Trust me when I say the food here packs a flavour punch. 

A bike tour in the country – we learned a lot!

On Saturday we went on a bike tour in the country. We were picked up at our hotel at 07:00, half an hour before sunrise. The heat becomes too much by midday and starting early is the only way to ensure safety. From our hotel we drove about 45 minutes to the west side of Penang Island. We were outfitted with bikes and then spent 2 ½ hours cycling around the country side learning and seeing and things we would have never seen had we just stayed in the city.

There were palm oil plantations. Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil and these plantations have replaced almost all the rubber plantations. The reason is simple – labour. Once you plant a palm oil plantation, it will take three years to produce and then it will produce for 25 years. The only work you need to do is harvest the palm oil dates twice a year. Nothing else. No pruning, no fertilizer, no weeding. Rubber trees are very labour intensive. They need to be tapped every year, similar to maple trees.

Something interesting we learned was the social dynamic within Malaysia. On the west side of the Island, there were two types of communities. Malaysian (obviously) and Chinese. And never the two shall merge. Malay homes are spread out around a community and people come together at a common place to talk, socialize and work. Chinese homes are clustered together and they work, socialize and function as one harmonious unit. 

The decline of the rural population

Malaysia has an issue with the declining rural population. Currently there is a large exodus of middle-aged people to the cities and places like Singapore. These people will leave their children at home to be raised by the grandparents and only see their kids two or three times a year. When the children get to age, they too tend to leave the country for the city or abroad. This scenario has played out since time immemorial with every culture. The Industrial Revolution, the dust bowl years of the great depression, and many others. Progress has its costs and effects in ways we often do not consider. In the end everything will work out.

The British were here too…cannons guard the approaches

Penang was originally a British base and when the French declared war on all monarchies in 1793, Penang hill became a lookout for the Island. It provided a clear view of the straits of Malacca. The French, at that time, had a large naval presence in the area. By being able to see down the straits of Malacca, the British, at Fort Cornwallis below, would have ample notice of an impending attack. The hill is 712 meters above sea level and it is a steep grade. I feel bad for the men and animals that had to lug the cannons, such as this one, up to the top. The markings are from King George’s III reign. 

Today, Penang hill is a popular tourist attraction with a funicular to get you to the top in about five minutes. We spent a day there and appreciated the atmosphere. At the top we wandered through tropical forests, saw expansive views and enjoyed the afternoon. There was enough shade to “hide” from the hot equatorial sun.

The beaches are OK, the water is not clear

We headed to the beach one afternoon, however found it was not as nice as some we had been to. The beach we visited had powder white sand, however was a 30° slope, so not ideal for lounging on. There were places to sit in the shade on retaining walls, but these were not conducive to spending long hours. The biggest drawback was the water. It was not the clear blue that you hope to find on a tropical beach. It was more the murky colour of the Gulf coast. The water is part of the strait of Malacca and, despite being tidal, was not clear. There were only a few children playing in the water, not really anyone swimming.

As we wound down our time in Malaysia, we took in a few more tourist sites learning of the history and culture. We were appreciative of the extensive bus network and the fact the buses were air conditioned. It made getting around easy and very economical. 

Malaysia Airlines – wonderful service and on time track record

Our trip to the airport and the entire airport experience were fine. The first flight was as domestic flight from Penang to KL. The domestic terminal was clean, modern and had a number of eateries. There were queues and order. Things moved smoothly. We would have never thought anything would be done differently had it not been for the complete cluster at Kathmandu. Even things moved more smoothly in India. The one thing we wanted to see was if our water bottles would go through half full. They did. One pleasant surprise when we checked in, the agent asked if we would be willing to sit in the emergency exit row. That was a nice upgrade .

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more later about street art from Georgetown as well as highlights from Bali.

Feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.

Cam and Meg

Nepal is a country most people have heard of, primarily due to Mt. Everest being located there. There is a lot more to Nepal than Mt. Everest and Kathmandu. About 200 km west of Nepal’s capital lies its second largest city, Pokhara.

Pokhara – Nepal’s second city and trekking hotspot

When we were mapping out our Nepal itinerary, we had always planned to go to Pokhara. We just weren’t sure for how long or what we would do there. After completing three enjoyable days in Kathmandu, we headed to Pokhara.

There are two ways to get between Nepal’s two biggest cities. You can go by road which requires a bus or a private taxi. Driving in Nepal is not recommended, hence the taxi. The other option is to fly. The bus between the two cities will take about ten hours to travel the 200 km. The traffic congestion along with the never-ending road work and restaurant/nature breaks, means your average speed is 20 km/hr for ten hours. That sounds painful. A private taxi will take about 6 – 7 hours and cost more than a flight. There are about 20 – 30 flights each way every day and they only take about 30 minutes.

Flying vs Driving between cities

We opted to fly on Yeti Airlines. Despite the flight being a bit late, were pleased with our decision. Once we started exploring Pokhara, we realized it was a special place. It has a more laid-back vibe than its larger neighbour and was a lot quieter. We were surprised by the sheer number of hotels in and around the Lake District, which is the area we were staying in. Most of the hotels were very empty as we were here in the “off-season”. Things do not start to pick up until March when the weather gets warmer.

Our hotel was great and, the manager, who arranged excursions for us was awesome. We outlined what we wanted to do and were quoted prices that were better than what I had seen online. There was a one day driving trip to some of the local “highlights” and must see’s. Of course, our overnight hike, as detailed in our previous post was a great memory.

Yoga in Nepal seemed natural

We also did a yoga class, it only seemed fitting to do one in Nepal. It was a private class, not that we wanted a private class, however we were the only people who showed up. The view of the lake in the morning sun was awesome. The class was just meh.

After eight days in Pokhara, we returned to Kathmandu, via Yeti airlines and this time we were appreciative of their tardiness. Our flight was scheduled for a 13:40 departure. We arrived at the airport at 12:00 and were told our flight was delayed by an hour. Then, despite it being noon, we asked if we could go on the 11:30 flight. That flight was also an hour late, now departing at 12:30. As it is a small airport, dropping of luggage as close to 10 minutes in advance is fine. There was no charge for this flight change (take note Air Canada). Clear weather gave us to wonderful mountain views while flying. It is, however, a bit disconcerting to be flying so close to the tops of various hills. I guess the pilots do this enough they know what they are doing.

We spent our last day and a half wandering around Kathmandu enjoying life. We also acquired some souvenirs that we likely did not need. As we wound down our time, we headed to the airport for what we could only describe as the biggest airport cluster I have ever seen.

The biggest airport cluster ever

We left downtown at 8:30 PM for our 11:30 PM overnight flight. Arriving at the airport at 8:50, we stared, in horror, at the mass confusion and chaos that was Kathmandu’s airport. We had difficulty exiting our taxi due to the sheer number of people crowding the curb and sidewalk. We waded through the huge crowds towards the terminal, only to arrive at a long line to get into the terminal. Prior to entering, you had to show your boarding passr. 

We located our check-in gate and joined what could only be described as a throng. There was no order and we waited about 45 minutes to drop our luggage off. Then we headed to the escalator to go towards the gates. That line was five minutes long, however, we needed to show our boarding passes and passports to get on the escalator. From here, it was 75 minutes in the immigration line. If you overstay your visa, there is a fine. Everyone, including Nepali residents, are “stamped” out when leaving Nepal.

Security may not meet North American standards

As the immigration line moved at a glacial pace, I thought it would mean no line-ups at security. I then recalled something from my recent post – “never assume”. The line for security, while shorter, was still painfully slow. In Nepal, there is really no point in emptying your pockets. I went through the scanner and did not “beep”. I was still searched. My ½ filled water bottle in my backpack went through without issues. 

After exiting security, well past the time for boarding, we located our gate. Lining up at our gate, we waited another 15 minutes for a bus to take us 200 meters to the plane. Shortly after boarding, the Captain came on and said there were still people in the immigration line and we would be delayed a bit. Taking off at 00:10, 40 minutes late, we headed to Kuala Lumpur (KL), arriving only 15 minutes late. KL’s airport was an ultra-modern, beautiful airport with high end shops and spotlessly clean facilities. We had a short layover then on to Penang.

Our time in Nepal was wonderful and we have put it down on the list of places to visit again. The warmth of the people, the scenery as well as the value all make it a top destination. The air quality and difficulty getting as well as the absolute gong show of flying out of there, are the only drawbacks. Pokhara’s air is better than Kathmandu’s and we like Pokhara more than its noisy neighbour.

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more later this week.

Feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.

Cam and Meg

Most people have heard of some of the challenging treks in Nepal. Mt. Everest is the most famous summit. Besides Mt. Everest, there are 1,000’s of treks, some difficult and technical with others being easy. We have just completed an overnight trek that, while classified on the ‘easy’ side, still had its challenges.  

Australia Camp

About an hour’s drive from Pokhara, is a small community called Kande. At an elevation of 1,770 meters, it is 950 meters above Pokhara. From Kande, it is approximately one and a half hours trek to Australia camp with a gain of 295 meter in elevation climbing to 2,065 meters, or 6,647 feet. This height is nowhere near the height of altitude sickness, however the sudden gain of 1,200 meters can be a shock to the system.

We left out hotel in Pokhara around 9:15 in a taxi with our guide, all of which were arranged by our hotel. While this trek did not require a guide, having never hiked in Nepal and staying overnight, a guide seemed like a good idea. We had packed overnight bags with warm clothes and basic essentials. As we did not have a porter, we kept things lights. At 10:00 we reached Kande and started out for Australian camp. Along the way we saw prayer flags, vegetable gardens, buffalos and of course amazing scenery. The day was overcast, so we were not treated to spectacular views of the Annapurna range, however what we saw was worth the effort.

Gaining 300 meters in a short time meant a lot of up-hill climbing. We took a number of breaks for hydration and well-being. 90 minutes after starting out, we reached our camp. It was the first real “flat” bit of terrain we encountered and we were relieved to arrive. Our guide checked us into the tea-house which would be our home the night. Resting, we enjoyed some tea and saw the mountains through some breaks in the clouds.

A Nepal mountain Tea-House

Wandering around the camp, we met and talked with other trekkers and then enjoyed a fabulous mountain lunch. Heading to our room, we noticed a few things that made us wonder how we would fare sleeping there. The most obvious issue was there was no heater. This was amplified by the HUGE gap between the door and the floor. While there was a shower, that came with warm water (a luxury in these parts), there were no towels. No one told us we needed towels! There was also no toilet paper, however we came prepared on that front!

Once we were settled in, our guide suggested/encouraged us to go on an afternoon hike to Pothana with an elevation of 1,890 meters. A drop of 175 meters from Australia camp, which would mean climbing up 175 meters to get back. As there was not much else to do, we headed out and started down the trail, literally, for Pothana. This is the jumping off point for the 8-day Annapurna base camp trek. Doing this also helped to adjust us to the higher elevation. 

Visiting Pothana

Pothana was very similar to Australian camp, a number of tea houses and restaurants and not much else. Looking around we headed back. There was not too much grumping when we had to climb the 175 meters that we descended to our neighbouring village. Despite working hard to climb, we were getting a bit cold. Heavy clouds rolled in, carrying a lot of dampness and they threatened rain.

It was now around 4:00 and our guide asked us what we wanted for dinner. He said you should order a few hours ahead of time to ensure you get your meal in a timely manner. Looking at the menu, Meg selected a chicken burger. Seeing that, I chose the cheeseburger, which was directly under the chicken burger. We headed to our room and read a bit. 

Dinner – never assume…

I was hungry and the burger was fine, although I was dreaming about a gourmet burger at home the entire time I ate my veggie surprise. We headed back to our ice cave and to get our iPads and then returned to the restaurant with its warm fire. I watched a movie while Meg read a book. Closing time was 8:30 and with that we returned to our room, but not before our guide recommended we get additional blankets. In all we had four down duvets which we used to pile on top of our bed. 

Hunkering down to survive the cold

After we got ready for bed, we jumped into our damp and cold bed and shifted the duvets around to keep us strategically warm. We were both wearing touques and, other than our noses, nothing stuck out. The night was long and cold, even colder when you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Just trust me on that. When morning came, we saw there was frost outside, so we knew just how cold it was.

A beautiful sunrise

The morning did bring a gift, clear skies. We were treated to seeing multiple mountains change colour from pink to white. Seeing the sun creep slowly across 8,000-meter-high snow-capped mountains was magical and worth all the effort. Once we finished our breakfast, we packed and headed out on an ‘alternate’ route our guide said would be worth it. The normal tourist track goes back to Pothana, then Dhampus and ends in Phedi. The new route was truly a trek less travelled. We did not encounter anyone on the trek for the first two hours and the scenery was amazing. Going from heavy forest, to open glades with stunning mountain views and back was what everyone hopes to see. 

Heading back down the mountain

The trek today was a fair bit easier as it was all downhill.  While on the trail, we made good time as it was a downward slope. Later, we encountered the “step” section. I’m not sure how many steps there were, however there were a lot, in the 1,000’s. These tried our endurance, even though we were heading down, the steps make a lot more impact than a gentle slope, at least to my knees. 

Four hours after starting out, we arrived in Phedi and, after a light lunch, hopped into our taxi to head back to Pokhara. 

The overnight hike, completed with guide, teahouse stay and mountain lodge food, was everything we hoped for.

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave any comments or questions.

Cam and Meg

Bob Seger, in his 1976 hit song Katmandu said – “I think I’m going to Katmandu”. I remember listening and singing that phrase as a youth back in the day. It is a place that is so far from “safe” Mississauga where I grew up that it held mystery. I never knew where it was and I didn’t think I would get there, and yet, here I am!

Nepal Visa Process

We arrived from Delhi over three hours late, (thank you Air India). Instead of arriving in the early afternoon, we arrived after sunset. There was the initial immigration processing and $30US fee for a 15-day visa. This had to be filled out at one of their six kiosks, half of which did not work. When we got that done, we went to the Immigration “bank” where we paid, in US dollars. It turned out that we made a mistake and I had to do mine again but surprise – this could be done online and there was free Wi-Fi in the arrival’s hall. 3 minutes later my form was redone, vs 45 painful process at the quirky kiosk. 

Once we had receipts for the payment of our visas on arrival, we could go to immigration where the standard passport stamping took place. Then a photo was taken. Interestingly, you did not need a passport photo for immigration. More on where you need photos later. We collected our luggage and then through security. That was not a type-o. You need to go through security to enter Nepal. Their process was a lot more professional than India.

Getting a Nepali SIM card

We were now in Nepal. First thing, get a SIM card. There was a lineup at the cell phone place we saw, so we joined it. If we had known there were other carriers, we would have gone around the corner and gotten a similar SIM card where there was no line. One thing you need to get a SIM card is a passport photo. If you don’t have one, no big deal, they will take one for you for 50 rupees, which is about $0.50 CDN. That’s a lot cheaper than getting it done at London Drugs.

The SIM card clicked and we had internet and a Nepali phone number. Then came the arranging transport. There were various “pre-paid” taxis booths, and of course they were all calling out to you. In the end we booked one for 900 rupees. The tout who took our money took us to a taxi, exchanged some paperwork with a guy who had a clipboard and then we got into a cab with both the tout and driver.

The Touts are everywhere

On the drive into town, our tout let us know that he had a tour company and he could “help” us book some tours the next day. How convenient. As it was now 19:00, we said we would meet him tomorrow, in the hotel lobby at 10:00 and he could take us to his office, which he said was only a two-minute walk from out hotel. That made him happy and the rest of the 30-minute ride to the hotel was fine.

Our first taste of Mo-Mo’s

Once we checked into our hotel, we searched on-line for a restaurant and selected one that served Mo-Mo’s, the local specialty, and was nearby. A five-minute walk took us down a labyrinth of alleys into an outdoor restaurant. Now normally, I love outdoor restaurants and patios, however it was 5C, dark and had no view other than the walls of other buildings. As we were tired, we ordered and kept our coats on. We both had hot tea with our mo-mo’s which were delicious. 

When we finished our dinner, we walked around the Thamel district, where we were staying. We found the shops, the people, the atmosphere and generally everything was nicer than India. One thing we noticed, almost all restaurants, if not outdoors, had all the windows open despite the cold temperature. Everyone, locals and tourists alike, were bundled up to eat. I guess that’s how they do it here.

We called it a night and headed to bed. The next morning, we headed out again and found a breakfast place that wasn’t totally outside, although it was still colder than we would have liked. Meg was happy as she got French press coffee. I had mango juice; it was the best option if you didn’t want tea or coffee.

You can tour Nepal and “my friend” will give you a good deal…

At 10:00 we met our “taxi driver arranger” and walked for about five minutes, then up two flights of stairs to a travel office. Our tout told us this was his office, however we would be better dealing with his manager and our tout left, closing the door. Our “new” friend asked a number of questions about how long we would be in Nepal, what we wanted to do, etc.

As we were talking, he drafted a plan and then presented it to us. We would have two days in Kathmandu with a car and driver and would see everything that we “should” see. The problem is, those would be 6 – 8-hour days. Not what we were looking for after the breakneck pace we had been going. We would then fly to Pokhara and tour there, followed by an overnight hike, staying a tea house in the mountains. The shock was the price, it would be $1,285 USD, not including accommodations. We were offered hotels, however we weren’t keen to book without reading reviews, we’ve been burned before.

Of course, there was high pressure to close the deal, but we stuck firm and said we’d think about it. As we left the office, we noticed our tout sitting on a milk crate outside the boss’s office. Things became a bit clearer then. Our tout was going to get a commission, that’s how it works in this part of the world.

Back in our hotel, we priced out some of the “package” and found we could do most of it for a lot less. We spent the rest of the day wandering Thamel, looking at monuments and other historical buildings. There were souvenirs to look at, spices, scenery, mountains et al. Lunch was on a rooftop restaurant in the sunshine with mountain views. The rest of the day was quiet as we mapped out how we wanted to spend our time in Nepal.

Traveling in Nepal

We booked our flight to Pokhara and found a highly rated hotel. We didn’t book any tours for Pokhara. We’ve learned you can book the day before, so we’ll watch the weather and do that when the weather is good. There are countless trekking outfits, travel agents, ticket vendors and others around. Every hotel has a tour desk. We’re planning to take it one day at a time.

One thing that made us laugh, is our flight to Pokhara from Kathmandu. It is on Yeti Airlines – seriously. We’ve captured a picture of the aircraft tailfin as a memory. Of course, being Nepal, our flight was late. We were scheduled to depart at 12:40. When we checked in at the airport, (there is no on-line check in), we were moved to an early flight as our 12:40 flight was “very delayed”. The 11:50 flight we were moved to did not depart until 13:40.

We remained in touch with our Pokhara hotel as they were sending a taxi for us. Sometimes, rather than dealing with the touts and haggling, it’s easier to pre arrange.

Our flight was fine, other than it was totally in the clouds and we didn’t see any mountains. Once we landed, we waited for our luggage. Picture the luggage carts the airlines use to move luggage to/from the airplane/terminal in Canada, or any major airport. Now, picture the truck that moves those luggage carts. In Nepal, there is no truck – a couple of baggage handlers push the truck to the terminal. Then they toss it on to a conveyor belt.

We collected our luggage, met up with our taxi driver and headed to the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised with our $25/night hotel. It was clean and quiet with a large room and wonderful staff. We will now settle into Pokhara for a week or so, including an overnight trek with a stay at a mountain tea house.

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave any comments or questions.

Cam and Meg

We left New Delhi and headed for Kathmandu, a place I’ve dreamed about visiting. The name itself conjures up mystery. Everest, prayer flags, rugged snow-capped mountains, adventure! 

As for India, we spent 4 ½ weeks in total there, between two trips. I have mixed feelings which I have to make sure I keep certain emotions in check to be fair.

Our time in Delhi

Our first few days in Delhi were typical from what I’ve discussed with others. Loud, crowded, dirty, noisy, polluted. While in Delhi, we saw some things that make Delhi famous such as the Lotus Temple, however other places were closed due to Republic-day holiday. While we were wandering the partially closed Chandni Chowk market near the Red Fort, we observed a youth passing people and feeling their pockets. I guess he was planning on who to target for pickpocketing. It was at that point, with the crowds building, similar to July 1^st in Canada, we headed back to our hotel. 

A few days later, we boarded a high-speed train for Agra. Let’s be clear here, this is a high speed by Indian standards, not Europe. It could reach 160 km/hr. That is a speed people do on HWY #1.  The train left on time, however in true Indian fashion, it arrived 30 minutes late. The journey was only supposed to take 1 hr 40 minutes. 

The Taj Mahal

Once in Agra, we saw the Agra Fort and then the Taj Mahal. I was blown away by the Taj Mahal. At the Taj, we hired a guide who passed on a lot of information and took some amazing pictures of us. After our one-hour tour, we said we wanted to wander about some more and take it all in. The guide said OK and curiously said “be careful”. I didn’t think to ask “why”. 

We wandered about for an hour, taking even more pictures. Then, as it was late in the day and getting cold and windy, we decided to head out. Looking at Google Maps we saw it was a 20-minute walk to the home-stay and headed towards the stairs leading to the exit. At the top of the stairs, I went to check my phone again and it was gone.   

The loss of my cell phone

I had become the victim of a pickpocket. We went to security and they looked at the CCTV and we saw exactly where the theft took place. A group of four young males came in behind us and nudged us apart, pushing and shoving in the way that is common in India. My phone, which was in a cargo pant pocket that I neglected to zip up, was an easy target. Security tried to call the phone but it was off-line.

With the loss of the phone, we lost almost all of our Taj Mahal photos. Meg took very few. We lost our internet as I had the SIM card for India. Our Indian phone number was gone. I was devastated. Heading back to our hotel I frantically thought of what to do, but honestly, I was a mess.

How I dealt with my cell phone being stolen

The hotel staff were great, they walked me some things to do with a lost iPhone, however I could not initially access my passwords. Eventually I was able to log into my iCloud account and “lock” the phone. I have since instructed the phone to “erase”. The phone has not accessed the internet since it was stolen. From the Apple site, the phone, with that EMI number, is nothing but a paper weight. According to Apple, no one can use it until I unlock it. I’ve read the phones are used for parts after being stolen. Who knows?

The past few days have been difficult for us; however, it is getting easier and this too shall pass. I do not intend to get a new phone until I return to Canada. There are subtle continental differences in phones and warranty may be an issue. I did check my warranty and I had declined theft coverage. House insurance has a $1,000 deductible and the phone was $1,050 – not worth the time/paperwork to file a claim.

There were things that were magnificent in Northern India. The Taj was amazing, Jaigrah Fort in Jaipur had incredible displays and only a fraction of the crowds of the nearby Amber Fort. Some things in northern India left a lot to be desired. For example, when we were heading to Jaigrah fort, we ordered an Uber from Meg’s phone. While walking to the pick-up point, we saw what could only be described as feral people in the streets and alleys. Everywhere was dirty and dusty. 

Jaipur Homestay – a bright spot in our travels

One exception was our homestay in Jaipur. Our was beyond amazing. It was the best hotel experience we have had in India other than the safari lodge which was $400/night. In Jaipur, we truly felt like family and we welcomed to dinner with the host and another travelling couple.

Pollution in Delhi – terrible on a good day

Delhi was dirty. Air quality index hovered between 375 and 500. People in Victoria go crazy if the index hits 20. You could see the pollution in the air. When we flew from Mauritius to Delhi, on an overnight flight, we landed at Delhi’s airport around 8:00 AM. This was well after sunrise. As we were on our final approach, I honestly thought we were still flying through clouds. At about 100 meters from the ground, we saw the runway break through the smog and the plane touched safely down.

Our flight from Jaipur to Delhi had a similar experience. Half way though the 75-minute flight, the pilot said the visibility in Delhi was 50 meters due to haze, they don’t like to say the air is polluted. In order to land they would require a CAT 3 trained crew. The pilot then said the crew was CAT 3 trained and as long as the visibility stayed at 50 meters or better, they could land. Similar to our previous arrival from Mauritius, we did not see the runway until about 100 meters above ground.

There is no way they would try that in Canada, however if they did not do this in India, they simply would not fly. Beside, the alternate airport likely had the same visibility so why use the alternate? A number of Indian people we met said India is famous for two things – people and pollution. There does not seem to be a will to fix the pollution problem. Breathing the air is like smoking a pack or two of cigarettes a day. I wore a mask about half the time. Meg wore her mask about 95% of the time.

Moving forward and being safer

I hope to write more about India, because I did enjoy much of it, I am hopeful I won’t paint the entire country with the brush of one organized pickpocket group. As for me, I am getting used to not having my security blanket (phone) next to me. I have tightened up my personal security, zipping pockets and using a money belt. I am thankful that my passport was not stolen, nor my credit cards.

Thanks for reading and stay safe.