Kathmandu, Nepal

The journey from Varanasi in India to Kathmandu in Nepal was an uncomfortable one, fraught with a long delay in the night due to dangerous road conditions and a tricky border crossing when our newly acquired US dollar bills were not accepted as they were too crumpled. Thankfully a friendly border agent and a nearby currency exchange counter meant that we were able to cross into Nepal by exchanging all our leftover Indian rupees and our new Nepalese rupees too, we had to take a hit with the expensive fees. 25 hours after setting off by bus from Varanasi we arrived in a busy and dusty Kathmandu to start the final chapter of our journey which had reached 10 months. I wasn't sure what to expect of Nepal, the catastrophic earthquake of 2015 was mentioned countless times in the updated guidebook that we had. I wasn't sure if the city of Kathmandu was going to be one big pile of rubble. I was glad to see buildings still standing and life going on as it always seems to despite shattering disasters, there were piles of bricks and building materials abound but rather than focusing on the destruction it seemed to suggest rebuilding instead. 

Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

Our bus left us on the side of the road nearby a temple. We navigated crossing the insanely traffic laden road to get to an ATM so that we could afford a taxi as all our pre-prepared currency had gone on the visa fees. With money in hand and taxi's aplenty we made our way to Thamel, a popular tourist district where our hotel was based. The streets in Thamel were narrow, muddy and full of character. With a muddle of electricity wires hanging over our heads and colourful trinket shops on every corner I had flashbacks of our time in Vietnam on our first backpacking trip, despite the city being brand new to us there was something so familiar about it that I didn't feel as overwhelmed as I have in other cities on the first visit. We checked in, the hotel staff seemed very friendly. We had a cup of tea on the rooftop terrace and looked over the higgledy-piggledy buildings and streets before venturing out to find something to eat. Rather than brave some local cuisine we decided to treat ourselves with pizza at Fire and Ice; an Italian restaurant that wouldn't feel out of place at home. We decided that this would be where we'd have our last supper before flying home.

I Love The Colour Of These Doors - Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

Quieter Streets Than India - Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

Street Scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal

We woke up after a decent nights sleep which we were thankful for after our long journey. The room however seemed to be very damp, we weren't sure if it was the room itself or our damp trainers and clothes which we'd had to hang up as they were still soaked from the downpour in Varanasi. We moved rooms which was also a little damp proving that although our wet things didn't help they weren't entirely to blame. I'll be glad when we get to leave depressing hotel/hostel and guesthouse rooms behind us, we have certainly had our share of horrible accommodations on this trip. We got ourselves organised and booked our flight home for the 22nd July which gave us three weeks to explore Nepal. We then donned our heavy waterproof walking boots and headed out to see the city. We vaguely followed the Lonely Planet Old Kathmandu walking tour although we stopped short of going into Durbar Square, the city's most famous square due to its 1000 rupee entrance fee which worked out at half a days budget. We could see a lot of the temples from the outside and so we took a few photographs and then doubled back to check out some more of the streets, Kathmandu had a vibrancy to it that was captivating and I couldn't help but take dozens of photographs of the street scenes. We had some more places in Kathmandu that we wanted to visit but decided to save them for when we returned for our outbound flight, we were keen to see a more peaceful side to the country and hopefully catch a glimpse of some Himalayan mountains and countryside too.

Colourful Grains For Sale in Kathmandu, Nepal

Our next stop was to the quiet village of Bandipur, a few hours away by bus.

Have you been to Kathmandu? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments below. 

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Rishikesh, India

The bus stopped on the side of the road, outside it was dark and dusty, ramshackle buildings were illuminated only by car and moped headlights and despite the early hour, the roads were chaotic with traffic and people. We departed and grabbed our bags, although the sun had not yet risen the air felt humid and clammy and we weren't quite at our end destination of Rishikesh yet. The road was split down the middle by a corrugated iron fence, we found an opening in the face and crossed the road where we found a bus station. As the sun slowly rose the light transformed the area from something scary to something quite ordinary. With bleary eyes we waited hours for a bus, luckily we met a group of travellers on holiday from south India who were headed the same way. We boarded a bus, got told to get off and did the same again twice, my patience was wearing thin. Eventually, the right bus was ready and off we went. We arrived at another bus station which was really just a bus parking area in the middle of a field and caught a tuk tuk. From the tuk tuk we could see a procession of people scattering colourful petals around with naked men and a band playing instruments, I had to do a double take, naked men in the street?! There must have been a religious festival going on, we were right near the sacred river Ganges after all. 

The River Ganges And Footbridge in Rishikesh, India 

The Sacred River Ganges Framed By Trees in Rishikesh

The tuk tuk dropped us off at a footbridge which we walked across with men on mopeds, cows, you name it. The river was fast moving and brown in colour, groups whizzed down in dingy boats. We found a hotel to stay in and had a lovely lunch at a very modern café. Apart from a walk to a waterfall and a walk to another footbridge along the river, our time in Rishikesh comprised mostly of sitting in a café that we found that overlooked the river and footbridge. We became so familiar with the owner that we could help ourselves to drinks from the fridge and pay up at the end of the day. Our go-to treat was a refreshing chocolate milkshake and a dish known as 'a sizzler' a hot pot of vegetables including fried potatoes in a rich gravy with rice, it was pure carb heaven. 

Taking A Walk Along The Roads Of Rishikesh In India

We stayed in Rishikesh for eight days, longer than intended as we weren't able to get transport to our next destination. Though the town was nice enough we felt a little stuck and our adventurous spirit had dwindled, we could have found several more walks to do, had a go on the river rapids or enrolled in a yoga school but we just couldn't be bothered, which sounds really bad but is true. Travelling had taken it out of us, all those days trying to get from one place to the next had taken their toll and we were starting to feel exhausted. We knew that our two months in India were coming to a close and we were so glad with what we had done but we were ready to move on, either to Nepal or home. One memory I have is speaking to my mum on the phone while sat in the café on a cushioned floor with pillows strewn around and pink and purple fabrics draped across  the walls. The river was in sight, fast and rumbling and I was talking to her about the sacred cows, she asked me to send her a photograph of ones we'd spotted on our stroll. I felt so far from home, in a place so different culturally and the distance really hit me. 

A Painted Gate In Rishikesh, India 

🎥 India video:​

Have you been to Rishikesh? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

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Shimla, India

With our relaxed days in Tosh at an end we made our way back to civilisation. We hadn't had any internet for a week and so we hadn't researched how best to get to our next destination, the capital of Himachal Pradesh state; Shimla. We took a taxi along to the next village of Barshani and then waited with locals for a bus, when the bus arrived everybody crowded round and there was a bit of a scramble to get on. We trundled down the long winding road, past Kullu to Bhuntar, the bustling hub that we had stopped in briefly before. We left the bus not having a clue if and when there would be a bus to Shimla or even how long the journey would take. After wandering around the dusty market place chatting to locals we found out that the next bus was late that night or the following morning. We contemplated waiting around for the bus but it was so hectic that we decided to check into a hotel and wait till the morning. 

Views From Shimla, India 

Overlooking The Green Hills From Shimla, India 

The hotel we found was basic and a bit mouldy but for one night it would do. It didn't have wifi so we had to wander around in search of an old-school internet café, it felt like our first backpacking trip before we had iPhones and when barely anyone had wifi available; we'd sit for hours at a time in a dingy computer room talking to home via Skype and catching up on all the news we'd missed. We logged on to message home and left it at that, the connection was painfully slow. The next day we caught a minibus to Shimla, the journey was long and uncomfortable and we got stuck in a few traffic jams on the narrow roads thanks to local festivities. Eventually we got to Shimla, without any clue as to where we would be staying. The bus station was down a hill, we found a taxi to take us to 'the lift' which is an outdoor elevator that takes passengers to Shimla's traffic-free centre named The Mall. After queuing for ages we zipped up in the lift to a bustling scene, neon lights, shops, market stalls, men walking around selling bags of popcorn, restaurants and hotels all with 'no vacancy' written in the windows. Oh dear. 

Hydrangeas At Viceroy Lodge in Shimla, India 

Hydrangeas At Viceroy Lodge in Shimla, India

Craig had read that there is a YMCA in Shimla, we crossed our fingers that there would be space available and that it wouldn't be too expensive either. We climbed up the hill, bags in tow to the YMCA which overlooks Shimla and the surrounding landscape high on the hillside and luckily there was a room available and for a bargain price too! For a YMCA we were very impressed, the building was huge and historic and our room was big with a window looking out to the church and rooftops. 

A Mysterious Doorway In Shimla, India 

The next day after our free Indian breakfast we took a walk to Scandal Point, just minutes from the YMCA to see the yellow church and views. The surrounding landscape was blue in appearance due to the mist and low clouds. In years gone by, Shimla was the home of British India in summer, where dignitaries would spend their days in office to avoid the heat of Delhi. For this reason Shimla had a distinctly 'British' feel to it, the buildings were made from stone, signs were painted in a way that reminded me of times gone by in English towns and The Mall itself had a bit of a 'Edinburgh Royal Mile' feel to it. We found a cute café to retreat into where I found English Breakfast Tea which felt like a real treat. It was somebody's birthday so after singing happy birthday the café staff handed cake out to all the customers. We went for a stroll, there were packs of stray dogs slumbering in the streets and local families treating themselves to sweets and ice cream. Shimla was a bit of a tourist trap but still retained its quaint feel. 

The Monkey Statue in Shimla, India 

The following day we walked up a steep hill to the highest point in Shimla where there is a temple surrounded by monkeys and a huge monkey statue. The views as we walked higher were breathtaking and the walk with trees either side of us was a breath of fresh air too. The temple was small but the monkey statue was huge. The monkeys were sat at the base of it, chasing off any person who got too close. At one point we witnessed a monkey trying to steal a scarf from a mans neck, nearly strangling him in the process. It was a little bit intimidating, the monkeys were so aggressive it felt like you could be assaulted at any minute. In the evening after dinner we tried lots of varieties of Indian sweets that we had picked out, each were an acquired taste but we really loved the coconut flavoured ones, just like the inside of a Bounty chocolate bar. 

Yellow Flowers At Viceroy Lodge in Shimla, India

Potted Plants At Viceroy Lodge in Shimla, India

We booked a bus for the next day but it wasn't to leave until the evening so we decided to walk across town to The Rashtrapati Niwas also known as Viceregal Lodge which was the home and office of the British Viceroy. The walk was lovely and not too strenuous with beautiful views, we ran into the girl we had met in Manali too and spent the morning talking about our trips so far and what we had been up to since we last saw each other. The building was impressive, made from grey sandstone and built in a style reminiscent of a Scottish castle. We didn't have time to go inside the lodge as it was by guided tour only but the highlight for me was the spectacular gardens filled with wonderful colour. The hydrangeas were out in force accompanied by daisies, poppies and a myriad of wild flowers. On the walk back we noticed a child and toddler on a blanket on the side of the road, strapped to a piece of machinery. The mother was hard at work on a building site and had left her children to play while she got on. A reminder of how hard the women of India work in order to support their families and how different their lives are to ours at home. 

Daisies Viceroy Lodge in Shimla, India

Battered Old Converse and Fallen Leaves At Viceroy Lodge in Shimla, India 

We fetched our bags and caught the lift down to the road where we grabbed a taxi to the bus station. We waited at the bay we'd been pointed to, and waited and waited. Buses came and went and we got a bit anxious, where had our bus got to? There had been a bus a few bays over that left when ours should have, we'd asked and been told to wait where we were but I suddenly got a sinking feeling that we should actually have got on it. After asking around we found that we'd been mis-informed, it was indeed our bus! We ran to the office, a man called up the bus driver and ran with us to get a taxi, we threw our bags in and in a panic rushed after the bus. It was like a scene from a movie, our taxi driver weaved in and out of traffic, in the darkness, on blind corners, beeping and shouting while simultaneously talking with the driver of the bus on the phone. It was madness. After 15 minutes we caught up with the bus which had thankfully pulled over. The taxi driver had been a life saver and his fare was so reasonable too, I could have hugged him! With our bags stored below we ran on apologising profusely to our fellow passengers who were already tucked in for the overnight journey, the bus driver wasn't impressed and gave me a bit of an annoyed look as I passed. 

Only we could miss a bus that had been sat in front of us the whole time! But alls well that ends well and we were on our way to Rishikesh where we'd finally see the mighty Ganges river. 

🎥 India video:

Have you been to Shimla? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

[If you are receiving this via email firstly thank you for subscribing! Secondly please click 'read in browser' to leave a comment and click the heart if you would like to. If you're not subscribed and would like to be, head to the contact page and leave your email.]