Other than metaphysical discoveries during the trip, our ride to Pokhara from Kathmandu was everything you’d expect from a local bus in the subcontinent:

  • Departs 15 minutes earlier than scheduled
  • As a result, had to be flagged down by 2 American travelers running as fast as they could
  • Twisting and turning roads along the mountain
  • Overturned trucks on the side of the road
  • Traffic jams along a mountain
  • Burnt out wreckages of buses down the hills below
  • Cramped seating
  • Crazy driving
  • Regular breakdowns
  • Open windows as our A/C

We start from Kathmandu:

CDS_8541

CDS_8542

CDS_8543


We ended up at Kathmandu Bus Station, which is a standard “how the hell do you navigate this place” South Asian bus station. All you gotta know is that if you want Pokhara, ask for counter #25.

CDS_8548


As soon as I bought my ticket at 1:15pm, the ticket guy said that my 1:30pm bus was not meant for tourists and that it was leaving now (i.e. 15 minutes earlier than scheduled…so typical). I shrugged…but then I ran. I caught it just as it was pulling out of the bus station. Thank you, legs.

But the celebration was short-lived as about an hour later we were stuck in a major mountainside traffic jam:

 

CDS_8550

CDS_8559

CDS_8561

CDS_8562

CDS_8563

CDS_8564


An hour later, the bus breaks down. Naturally the seat I rested my bags on happens to be the location of the toolbox:

 

CDS_8566


And after the bus got fixed, it got cramped:


CDS_8569


This was to repeat in succession over the course of the next 5-6 hours. After 8 hours on the road, and finishing an entire 326 page, 100 chapter novel, I finally ended up in a Pokhara cab whose driver has an unnatural obsession with Justin Bieber:

 

CDS_8577

 

At least I made it. Pokhara, here we are!

Loading

 

- At time of posting in Pokhara, it was 26 °C - Humidity: 79% | Wind Speed: n/a | Cloud Cover: light rain

 

Where Are We Now?

Click to open a larger map

Where Are We Next?

Click to open a larger map

Post Categories

Calendar of Posts

June 2011
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930