Travel Through Nepal on a Harley-Davidson
By Peter & Kay Forwood
Nepal on a Harley (8/2/07 - 14/2/07)
Distance 859 km (486634 km to 487493 km)
This is part of the thirteenth section of our around
the world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map
Coming from India or read our previous visit
to Nepal
8/2/07 Already at the border we felt a more friendly
peoples. The smiles, straight talking, seemingly caste-less society
where businessmen work with their employees is vastly different from
India. Purchased our visas, $US 30.00 each, processed the motorcycle with
the carnet, and ate our first momo's, steamed pasta pockets and settled
into a border hotel. There had been a general strike today closing the
road onward but it should be open tomorrow. The uncertainty of the political
situation and unrest in the country has been deterring tourists from visiting
here for the last few years.
9/2/07 A later start with only 150 km to Chitwan National
Park. The good road, with little traffic, and polite drivers, through
hilly forests
a boost to the riding enjoyment after Indian congestion. Chitwan
is Nepal's premier National Park but is currently receiving few tourists
and we were approached by a few hotel owners for business. A two day all
inclusive package, $US 40.00 each. All meals, accommodation, elephant ride,
canoe trip, jungle walk, visit to the elephant breeding facility, traditional
dance night and park entry too good a deal to pass up. Our package included
an ox cart ride to the elephant breeding facility. It is currently the source
for replacement elephants as they can no longer be taken from wild stocks.
A couple of elephants were initially introduced from Burma and Thailand
to broaden the gene pool and wild elephants also mate with the captive animals.
As we walked amongst the baby elephants it appears the program has been
a success.
10/2/07 The early morning canoe trip was in a dug out
log, big enough to take our group of eight, just drifting down the river
in the fog. It was followed by a three hour walk through the national park
looking for animals. Unfortunately the troubles that Nepal has been experiencing
have filtered down 
to the wildlife. There have been more weapons
in the community and some have been used for hunting at a time when the
authorities have been preoccupied elsewhere. The rhino population in the
park has halved over the last six years. We managed to see two large
crocodiles, some monkeys and deer but the sloth bear, tiger and rhino
are harder to sight close to the local populated areas. The afternoon's
elephant ride was more fortunate. Two hours sitting uncomfortably was
rewarded with the sighting of four one horned rhino. With the aid of the
park ranger security personnel we tracked two large animals through the
forest with our elephant often breaking down small trees and crossing steep
sided creeks. The rhino did not seem worried by our presence on the elephant
even though we were making considerable noise getting within a couple of
metres of them. Two more, a mother and calf, were later sighted in open
country. Spotted deer, red deer, sambar and wild boar were also seen as
the animals, used to the lumbering elephants, seemed to ignore our presence.
11/2/07 We left
the relax of the quiet village and headed back on the road. Traffic
in Nepal is much less than India but as the trucks have only just started
to travel again, after the strike, there are plenty on this main artery
supply road. We started looking for petrol almost immediately but at each
station we received a negative. Finally at one where we found some imported
oils and did an engine oil change they offered us two litres, arriving
in plastic water bottles, enough to get us to Kathmandu. The road winds
up through some beautiful mountain scenery alongside a snow melt river but
the last 30 km it becomes steeper with gravel trucks supplying building materials
chugging slowly and breaking down blocking the road. The petrol story in
Kathmandu was no different. Every station was empty. Lines had formed at one
where a tanker was discharging. We arrived at our hotel with nothing in the
tank but a shrewd tout walked us to a station that had just received a consignment
where we could get 20 litres in plastic containers.
12/2/07 Took a day off from travelling and sightseeing
just to take in the main street of
Thamel, where the tourists hang out, usually waiting before or recovering
after a trek. Nepal has lost, or is losing it's prime position as the Himalayan
trekking destination as the political problems, pollution and rising costs
deter. The Thamel area still has all the comforts of western restaurants,
German bakeries and souvenir shops for the tired trekker. It had rained
yesterday afternoon and today the air was sunny and clear of haze as we
relaxed in a rooftop restaurant watching the locals.
13/2/07 Still on a schedule deadline we left Kathmandu
taking the mountain road south. 107 km's of magnificent scenery to Hetauda,
crossing two mountain passes with snow-capped peaks on the horizon for
most of the trip. Heading down after the second pass the road meanders
through a cloud forest of flowering rhododendrons and holly trees covered
in moss. The narrow, poorly maintained road deters trucks and leaves it
almost traffic free. Petrol was still scarce but we had managed to talk
one station in Kathmandu to allow us a drum of 10 litres and
with a refill in Hetauda have enough to return to India tomorrow. Once
onto the plains our speed increased. It is here that only last week 24
people were killed in an uprising. 17 were killed by police trying to control
the situation, the rest by civil unrest. We passed two burnt out trucks,
left in the middle of the road, where it appears they were turning around
trying to escape. We stayed in a small hotel, in a now quiet region.
14/2/07 It started raining in late evening yesterday but
had mostly cleared when we left this morning. The troubles of the region
were again apparent, even moreso in the town of Lahan, where we counted
20 burnt out vehicles. Most were buses and trucks but a police vehicle and
tractor were amongst the wrecks. Another small town had two official buildings
also burnt. We stopped in Lahan for breakfast where it was now quiet and
business was back to normal. By lunch time the rain had returned and stayed
with us all the way to India. Leaving Nepal was relaxed and polite at the
border.
Move with us to India
or go to our next visit to Nepal
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