Monday 13.10. towards Amp Pipal Hospital and Pokhara

Trisuli river by the Pokhara road, where we went rafting later on

To make sure that we will return to Kathmandu in time, whatever happens on the road, we started our trip outside Kathmandu on the following day after arrival in Kathmandu. In principle you can travel with a very low cost by express bus to Pokhara and further, but as we wanted to visit our old home in Amp Pipal hospital (in Gorkha area, where the Gurkha soldiers originate) and still reach Pokhara on the same day, we had an AC van available that made the long trip rather comfortable. Even if the trip is hardly over 250 kilometres, we travelled almost around the clock, counting the visit to the hospital and short breaks to eat or buy a big bunch of bananas for snack, as well as drinking water that now comes in bottles. In (not so) good old days we always carried our own boiled water with us.

Bananas for sale by the road

We left Nepal some 28 years ago in 1986 and we made very similar trip 20 years ago with Hanna-Mari and my sister celebrating her birthday on LilLig mountain in Amp Pipal. I have made a few work-related trips to Nepal since then, the last one 13 years ago.

Many things have changed in 20 years. The most remarkable change in our route was that there is now road to the hospital, even if it is in not too good shape: you need a proper jeep to go there. Earlier we walked minimum 4 hours with 3 kids, in the rainy season 8-9 hours from the closest road to the hospital. There is a new bridge for vehicles in Dumre and Turture.

Dumre bazaar

Everyone has a mobile phone now and there is free wifi in all lodges. Even in long distance and Kathmandu city buses - that is more advanced than we have in Helsinki... I can't recall there was any service stations between Kathmandu and Pokhara (200 kms). Now there are numerous service stations, new restaurants and coffee shops etc and surprisingly Mugling is no more the place where all expresses stop for lunch, but new stopping places have appeared like swamps in rainy season. On the other hand probably most things in the countryside remain unchanged.

New bridge in Turture

Turture suspension bridge

Crossing the river in Dumre in1981, child in both baskets
pretty exciting...

During our time in Nepal I hardly saw any road making machines. Now there are quite a few of bulldozers to be seen, but unfortunately it does not seem to reflect in the quality of roads that are in desperate state in all places. I think Nepal would be wise to invest in infrastructure to save vehicles and make life of both locals and tourists more comfortable and safe.

Good memories with old friend Hira and is wife...

Netra, who used to carry our children

It was such an experience to meet many old friends in Amp Pipal during the short trip without any notice that we would be coming there. We knew Hira would still be running his teashop next to the hospital and some earlier employees were still working in the hospital.

Old brains remember old things:
I could recall Som Nath and Om Bahadur even by name straight away. The first man to meet near hospital was Netra who has so many times carried our children from the hospital to Dumre. It was so great for the 30+ old kids to meet this lovely man again!

Our children and the home gate

Hanna-Mari carried by Netra in 1983

Our home was not in too good shape: lawn was not cut, resulting in quite a few leeches around the house. And of course our sauna has disappeared long time ago... But kids could definitely remember the road to our home and the gate...

And Hanna-Mari loved the old water tap where she used to swim in the rainy season in self-made swimming pool...

Hanna-Mari and water tap

Returning the very narrow road, with steep drop down straight from the side of the road, we met another jeep, with no possibility to pass. So it had to back all the way to the "main" road. Surprisingly, the jeep was carrying a Swedish Doctor and Professor who is sending nurse students on short time apprenticeship in Nepal. Believe or not, he instantly asked me, if we met in the hospital during his visit some 30 years ago: "You were doing financial administration work?".

Evening bus to Pokhara

The day was long and evening dark when we drove back to Dumre by the main road and continued to Pokhara. The night traffic is quite unbelievable, but everyone is ready to stop at any time and somehow it works. We were happy to have Shyam Gurung as our driver. Driving night bus for 15 years he has seen much and was very skilful. We decided next time we come to Nepal we will bring lots of reflectors to be given for pedestrians... By the way, that would make a good business there...

It started raining, but we arrived safely to the Lakeside Retreat lodge by the Phewa Tal lake.

Puzze for you to solve: Can you see the pedestrians in the highway in front of our van?