Monthly Archives: December 2016

Panauti, Nepal

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When you first arrive in Panauti you might think it’s one big dust bowl, but then all of a sudden the air settles, we heard women singing – then offering us floral necklaces and dressed in beautiful exquisite saris; they had arrived in a timely manner to meet us and had welcomed our group whole heartedly.

The town is approximately 32 kms southeast of Kathmandu. Panauti is quaint and a truly interesting destination to visit for those seeking a quieter alternative. It feels as if it’d been left exactly the way the founders had built it in the 13th century. It’s a real gem and one of the oldest places in Nepal which is steeped in culture and tradition.

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Lisa being greeted by one of the organisers of our Community Homestay which is run by Women for the Women. Currently there are 16 ladies involved in the Homestay Project which empower them to become involved in tourism and hospitality which in turn allows them to give travellers an authentic and interactive experience with a local family.

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At the Community Centre we’re offered light refreshments before being taken to our respective homes for a two-night stay and experience how a Nepalese family goes about their daily lives.

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And if it means helping out with some washing – well, better throw some of mine in too!

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And as luck would have it, our host family was located near some of the oldest temples and monuments, not just in Panauti, but all of Nepal.

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There are some fabulous ancient temples which have stood the test of time, partly because of Panauti’s legendary resistance to earthquakes. This certainly held true during the 2015 earthquake, when the town escaped with minor ‘abrasions’.

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Along the river is the most concentrated number of temples to visit. Panauti, consists of a variety of Buddhist and Hindu religious edifices and is considered to be one of the area’s most important medieval sites.

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Triveni Ghat is located at the confluence of the Punyamata Khola (river) and the Lilawati (or Roshi) Khola. A third river, the invisible Padmabati river is said to join these two.

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A 15-minute climb north-east takes you to Gorakhnath Hill (2,000 ft) from where one absorbs an overall view of the fish-shaped town as well as panoramic views of the region.


There’s no shortage of goats hanging around and I’m glad, they’re so naughty and always make me laugh, except when they chew on something they’re not suppose to!


Another means of transport and carriage of goods.


Ready for work.

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Walking around the township and a simple nod acknowledges a friendliness from the locals –  it’s time for a break.

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So what happens when you find a cool spot to sit down and watch the world go by? You meet a small girl and another Mum who were happy to chat and have their photo taken. And just as you think you’re going to rest up after climbing the ‘huge’ hill earlier in the morning – then just hang around whilst my group have gone off trekking, I gladly ended up spending the rest of the day with my new-found friends showing me another view of the town’s fascinating aspects.


But firstly to check if the outside world still exists … I mean really? How many westerners would offer you their computer to try and check your emails over at their shop? Apparently there are designated times for the power to come on and then go off with a schedule being made available.

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Here’s where we meet Rajan who’s a teacher at the Shree Panuati Lower Secondary School. Being Saturday they aren’t at school, but it’s their only day off in the week and then it’s back to the business of learning on Sunday and work for others.

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Rajan at the Gyan Bikas Community Library with his younger siblings; it’s considered the only library in the world located within a World Heritage site. I’d been shown around the library and found it quite impressive as there’s more than 100 people (on average) who visit the library each day. The facilities are a place of interest for children, women, youth and adults for learning and sharing. There’s a dedicated Women’s section to those who are pregnant in giving them maternal advice and support.

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And at the end of the day, it was interesting to watch at the Barber’s shop people having a haircut and trim up which was probably around the equivalent of A0.50 cents …

Chitwan National Park, Nepal

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Ready, set, go and we’re off now to Chitwan National Park in the southern region of Nepal. It’s a quick flight of about 40 minutes or so to Pokhara and then a bus transfer to our resort.

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The region is quite flat and perhaps, naturally you’d think all of Nepal is of mountainous terrain and needing to be climbed somehow! But, here in the south, seemingly endless fields are sown with the staple diet of rice. In altitude it ranges from about 100 metres (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 metres (2,674 ft) in the Churia Hills.

Out of interest, South Base Camp at Mt Everest in Nepal is an altitude of 5,364 metres (17,598 ft) and North Base Camp is in Tibet at 5,150 metres (16,900 ft)

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It’s a bit of a bumpy ride to the Lodgings, but no one’s complaining – just enjoying really warm weather of late August as it’s freezing back home.

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We did enjoy a ride by way of buffalo and cart later on and there’s quite a number of them around.

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Our lodging for two nights is at the Barahi Jungle Lodge whereby free-standing ‘huts’ give privacy to the guests and a sense of intimacy.

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Beautifully presented, clean and smart, all accommodations types are air conditioned and offer superb views  of the river and the natural surrounds.  And this being the lead-in category, everyone’s very happy with the choice made by Crooked Compass.

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One of the highlights of the day is seeing Rani being fed a snack by her Mahout. He will care for an elephant and be their trainer, rider and keeper after he is assigned one chosen early in its life. They remain bonded to each other throughout their lives.

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Why bother having a shower when you arrive, we’ve all taken off to the river with the elephants and their handlers.

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In turn, the big fellas are been given a scrub down and readied for our safari later in the day.

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After a snack and wash, we’re now part of the elephant safari alongside the river’s edge. If you’re seeking a less expensive alternative to Africa’s safaris and packages, without doubt you might want to consider Nepal as an option – especially Chitwan National Park being part of the ‘Soul of Nepal’ tour.

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The cooler afternoon made for some great photos as the light was constantly changing with some rhinos being spotted.

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This old boy is used to the elephants coming near and it seems to be a rite of passage to let us go along our way and continue sightseeing.

By the end of the 1960s, 70% of Chitwan’s jungles were cleared using DDT, thousands of people had settled there and only 95 rhinos remained. The dramatic decline of the rhino population and the extent of poaching prompted the government to institute the Gaida Gasti – a rhino reconnaissance patrol of 130 armed men and a network of guard posts all over Chitwan. To prevent the extinction of rhinos the Chitwan National Park was gazetted in December 1970, with borders delineated the following year and established in 1973, initially encompassing an area of 544 km2 (210 sq miles).

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Sunsets are just stunning here and it’s been a full day but, so worth every minute to see and experience this place first hand.

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Next day out, we’re taken by one of the Lodge’s own guides to show us a small part around the huge 360 square miles of tall grasslands and forestation whereby it’s home to an abundance of mammals and birdlife, some of which are endangered species.

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I can’t think of anything better than having men make breakfast, somewhere out there in the wilderness – just like nature intended – on the banks of two rivers meeting for us to enjoy watching its ebb and flow. And these guys doing some preparation for our yummy meal.

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Next day we’re all up early and off to the other side of the river for a walking trek through the forest. Here with Nina, Brownie, Tom and Lisa without our morning coffee fix,  but that’s all been taken care of when we return …

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Trekking through the forest which is one of Asia’s premier wildlife reserves, we’re taking in an early morning of fresh air and uninterrupted views of this delightful park’s surroundings.

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Heading back to our canoe with the resort shown in the distance, we’ll have our breakfast there ready for us.

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However, later in the day we had the privilege of canoeing on the Narayani-Rapti river system. Perfect scenery for quiet reflection and diversion of life’s everyday hustle and bustle.

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And with that, we’ll have some canapés and drinks on the river’s edge watching the sun set for another day in this superb location.

Next day we head onto Panauti after a flight back to Kathmandu. Could’ve stayed here much longer and absorbed the natural settings of a prized and protected national park. Simply delightful.

Kathmandu, Nepal – Part Two

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We’re travelling with Lisa Pagotto (left) who is the Aussie Founder and CEO of Crooked Compass which was launched back in May 2014. Lisa and her team are committed to sharing inspirational travel ideas and expert knowledge specialising in small group touring. Here with travel writer Nina Karnikowski who have both just met up with a local and, he’s obviously taken a liking to Lisa’s coconut body butter scent …

Little fellas like this one are seen frequently and are held in high regard due to religious beliefs of the Hindu faith – so no need to worry, he’s safe.

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There’s a plethora of temples, pagodas and monuments dating back from the 12th Century and are generally in close proximity to the most notable heritage-listed sites. Walking around Kathmandu is a sensory overture and one of which the camera doesn’t take a break in case you miss something.

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Looks very much like a door of wisdom which has seen much and thankfully after the devastation of the 2015 earthquake, there were many pieces salvaged and readied for repair at the Royal Palace.

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Carefully pieced together and tagged to ensure it be replaced in its original form and place.

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Not taking too many risks in having the structures become any more unstable, there’s a multitude of scaffolding around to maintain the support structures.

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While there are several Kumaris throughout Nepal and some cities having several; the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu. At the tender age of ten, she lives here in the Kumari Ghar which is a palace in the centre of the city.  Briefly materialising at this window in the Living Goddess Temple, she appears at the same time each day to visitors who marvel at her presence and then hasty retreat.

In Nepal, a Kumari is a pre-pubescent girl selected from the Shakya Caste or Bajracharya clan of the Nepalese Newari community and once menstruation begins, she is no longer a Goddess. The onerous selection process begins again for a young girl not yet aged four years to replace her.

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The Princess’s photo was shown to us by way of a postcard, otherwise photographs were not permitted to be taken by tourists – even if you could press the shutter in the brief time she emerged.

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Upon closer inspection, you can see the intricate workmanship of the wood used throughout the palace and this particular temple.

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Guards keep a watchful eye over visitors. You can be forgiven in thinking he was a wax model …

Here is where Raj told us the story about the Nepalese Royal Massacre which occurred on 1st June, 2001 at the house in the grounds of the Narayanhity Royal Palace. Ten members of the Royal family including the King and Queen who were killed during a monthly reunion dinner of the family.

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Walking around the buildings of the Royal Palace you can see the scale of the architecture and witness just how valuable its grand design and craftsmanship really is – and so worthy of restoration after the earthquake.

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All that walking around allows us an invitation into one of the small restaurants and gaze over Kathmandu’s skyline.

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Time for a snack and I know one of them is a kind of intestinal delicacy – but I’m not saying which one …

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After heading down to the Boudanath Stupor, we found ourselves admiring yet another incredible structure and place of ancient worship.

Built some time around the 14th century, the huge meditative monument is said to have been created just after the passing of the Buddha. The huge offering site quickly become a focal point of worship in the area. The structure of the building consists of a giant dome, whereby on the top sits a Buddhist pyramid tower.

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Some insight for those not familiar with the teachings.

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We climbed to the top of the building opposite with a bird’s-eye view of this magnificent complex – the massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical Stupas in Nepal.
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The influx of large populations of refugees from Tibet has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan Gompas (Monasteries) around Boudhanath. As of 1979, Boudhanath also became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Swayambhunath, it’s one of the most popular tourist sites in the Kathmandu area.

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You can also light candles and take some time out to reflect regardless of your faith or beliefs.

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Thereafter, our group was allowed to partake in a ceremony whereby as individuals, we were presented with our own recital by one of the monks who in their own way was a blessing.

We’re told that during the days surrounding full moons, the air is often thick with incense and mantras sung by monks,  the number of people visiting this Stupa increases significantly along with the intensity of their mantras and prayers.

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And, once finished saying our prayers and promising to be better people, we’re heading off for some retail therapy … Mandala Street Bazaar is a tourist hot spot and mecca for shopping.

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Here is where you’re going to find some great bargains, regardless of the fact it’s a touristy area, don’t forget when bargaining it’s not always big dollars you’re negotiating … Just do it and pay the money – stop haggling over 25 cents.

Next post we’re off to Chitwan National Park, probably need an elephant to help carry some of these goods around.