Hi, Bye Khatmandu!

Besisahar to Khatmandu

When Sunshine hit, there is that surreal feeling. Our Last Day in Nepal. Today, We were going to Khatmandu and that was it. We will say goodbye to the country. My notes would be, if you are in a pack and wonder about tipping for your guide and / porter calculate it based on day of the trip and give more to the guide as the guide holds bigger responsibility. Please separate the tip for each person and give it in the morning or at the start of the trip because people may went off earlier. That was what happened to our pack some went off before we reached Khatmandu. Hence, tipping at the end of the journey didn’t work. The same if you want to give some items / souvenir to them, the best time is to do it in the morning. Including picture like the one that we had here!

Once everything we good to go then off we go to Khatmandu. The road between Besisahar and Khatmandu was already in the modern road type so you don’t really need the 4 wheel drive as what we used the day before from Manang to Besisahar. It’s crucial to start early in the morning. We started at 8 AM and I must say it was a bit too late. The traffic was no JOKE. The road was jammed awfully until you could just turned off the car’s engine and you will be alright, in a sense you won’t go anywhere. It will be a good idea to pack some snacks and drinks and perhaps some book / games For me, I was tipsy due to the medicine so I was so drowsy and slept through the most part of the journey. We only stop by for a breakfast. We didn’t eat breakfast in the Hotel. Our guide said that we should go early and it’s better to have breakfast on the way. I still agreed with this decision.

Arriving in Khatmandu

We arrived in Khatmandu quite late. The traffic was so bad. It kind of made us shall rethink about our planning since our guide told us it will be impossible to continue with our original plan due to the place opening hour and our flight time. So we adjusted it to stay only Thamel, Boudhanath Stupa and afterwards directly go to the Airport to catch our flight back to Indonesia.

First thing first, our late lunch in Thamel. Thamel is a hustling place. There are many stores and restaurant in this areas. I would say the area is well suited for tourists and for those who is going to hike himalayas. You could get all of your staples in this area. For us this time, we would like to buy some souvenirs to bring back home. If you are looking for t-shirt, magnets, chai tea, coffee, himalayan salt, etc you could get all over here. remember that you could bargain the price. Just happened that in one of the store the keeper could speak Bahasa Melayu. Oh, how do i miss Kuala Lumpur. Anyway, you could see some pictures of our stroll in Thamel below.

Boudhanath

We couldn’t stay too long in Thamel, once we finished our meal and purchase, we directly went to Boudhanath. It’s structure is very unique with the eyes at the top as if you are being watching. It’s a beautiful view to see and enjoy but please do not forget that it’s also considered as a holly place for Buddhist. During our visit there was an event over there so it was quite pack and since we arrived nearly 6 PM we can’t enter the place further because the place was already closing down. Within the vicinity you could circle around and found many shops as well. For us, we were already too tired so we decided to just sit and enjoy Boudhanath view. Btw, Kathmandu during that time was very dusty. If you are quite sensitive or have allergy I think it will be better to wear mask at all times.

Nepal Airport At Last – Tribhuvan International Airport

We couldn’t really spend that much time in the Boudhanath area since we need to catch our flight. So here we were with a bit of heavy heart of a trip that was going to end soon. Thankfully the location wasn’t too far from the airport and it wasn’t jammed heavily.

When you get in the Airport the process was pretty standard. You need to check-in and drop your baggage afterwards you go for security clearance and immigration. The Airport was as busy as it could be. If you are not planning to bring back Nepali Rupees or if you have more than what you need you could exchange it around check in area after immigration I didn’t remember I see any so it’s better to do it before immigration clearance.

And that was it folks..! We finished our trip in Nepal. It was a long trip for me going from Indonesia ( Jakarta ) – Malaysia ( Kuala Lumpur ) – India ( Amritsar, New Delhi, Agra ) – Nepal ( Khatmandu, Besisahar, Chame, Pisang, Manang ). I was exhausted emotionally and physically but that’s about life. I wonder what is the empty feeling that started to creep out yet there is that serene and grateful feeling grows out. If you could do the trip around the world. Each trip gives out something that I would love to remember through life. The reason why I write it over here so that I could revisit it when I want to.

I wish we could go back and you could go together next time. Please stay safe, healthy, and happy! 🙂

Please look my whole series of Nepal over here

Cheers,

Triana Mustika Rukmi

Pisang to Besisahar by Car

Entering last part of Nepal trip. So by now, we have gone through most part of the trip. We have reached Manang, spent a night sleepover, and now It’s time to go down by car. We opted to use car for the benefit of time. It’s actually also possible if you would like to go on foot if you have the time. Our trip this time would be Manang – Besisahar. To leave Nepal we must go back to Khatmandu however It’s not recommended to go directly from Pisang to Khatmandu and based on my experience it’s indeed not recommended so please adjust your travel plan accordingly. For us, we have been informed that it may take around 6 – 8 hours drive from Manang to Besisahar by our guide. So there we were waking up in the morning, eating our breakfast, soaking the last Manang air, and loading all luggage to the car.

The road From Manang to Besisahar was like an off road. Again, I was just so amazed by the driving skills. We rode a 4 wheel drive ( for sure ) and it was a cloudy day. Basically, if we move a bit too far left or right, it was already a cliff. We were driving in a white haze. Yet, somehow I felt safe. LOL.. that kind of feeling like when you ride a plane. There is no going back once departed and you could only trust the pilot. It’s also worth noting that sometimes there will be roadblocks and land slides. Hence it’s important to calculate and put some ample time into your estimation. We were still able to get through this time but sometimes we can’t and need to get down, offload and load back our luggage to another car. Just like what we had in the beginning of the trip to chame .

Along the way, we have noticed that Manang – Upper Pisang ( that killer trail in day 2 ) was only about 2 hours drive away by car. hahaha.. my city girl kind of thought was intrigued, “why didn’t we just use car then?” anyway, it’s not that I regretted the experience – Just a thought that crossed my mind.

Our trip was rather quick. I think our driver was like either a respected person or very famous. He kept on getting a call and when there was another car passing many said hi to him. He seemed to know the road pretty well so yes it helped to fastened our trip. We stopped 2 times . One stop was short, there is an apple farm between Pisang and Besisahar, you could stop by over here and get a fresh farm products or getting a bit of a refreshment. Second stop was actually for our lunch. By this time, I don’t know how many momos or noodle that I’ve eaten. Food wise, I tend to go with a mild taste so I found that Dal Bhat is a bit too strong for my palate but my friends seemed to like it. The one in our last stop I could accept it. Worry not, Dal Bhat default type will be suitable for vegetarian. The meat if you want to is treated as an add on. Portion is very generous and you could ask for more rice with no additional cost, well.. for me, it seemed we could get more of everything (besides the meat add on ) with no additional cost. Definitely enough for us to carry on through until our destination in Besisahar.

We reached Besisahar so much faster that we originally planned. I think it was around 2 PM. What we did was we checked in to the logging and as usual we planned out dinner ahead of time and agreed to meet each other at dinner time. Taking a bit of a stroll in Besisahar somehow felt strange. Besisahar looked like a modern city with many vehicles passing by. It was a rather busy city. By this time, I didn’t remember to take pictures anymore. unfortunately. ;'(

For me, since I still felt a bit under the weather, I only took a bit of stroll around the city. trying to get some more surgical mask to fight the dust and so that my sore throat didn’t get worse. Thankfully there was a pharmacy nearby the hotel. The experience to buy things was a bit confusing because we didn’t use to the brand and what I found was that the medicines choices somehow went towards Herb or Ayuverdic medicine. I couldn’t really get the usual medicine that we have back in Indonesia. Well, my throat was killing me so i tried one. For Mask, they didn’t really have surgical mask, they have the usual mask though but it’s an ear loop so if you wear hijab just make sure you have the mask head loop add on. We went there before the pandemic so it was still uncommon but now it’s available in many places make sure you pack it too. Basically just that before I went back to the hotel and stay for the night getting into hot Shower, Electricity, Internet access, and food, usual items that I appreciated more after I went hiking.

I wish you were there with us drunk by the mountain trip with happiness in our heart.

Cheers!

Triana Mustika Rukmi

The Hike From Pisang to Manang ( Part 2 )

Morning! What a good day after such a long walk (see in part 1). We had just about enough rest to continue. Only after such bright morning we could really soaked in the place which we slept for the night. We were just so tireeeedddd… It was a good place with washing machine and water heater. wow.. it’s just wow. It’s not a fancy hotel but it felt like a bliss to have all of that after all that we have been through. So yup, it was great to have a rest.

After we unpacked our belongings and cleaned ourselves up, we went to have dinner. It was the first time i tried Yak meat. It was like a lamb but taste like beef? What i know is that it helps to heat yourself up. It was a good choice to go to at that time as i felt a bit under the weather. After dinner what’s left is only sleeping and you know.. unplugging yourself from the world. Oh, don’t forget to order your breakfast the night before and informed your plan for next day. Preparing food takes time.

Getting up in the morning, the sun shined nicely. We could see a bit of the icy / snowy mountain peak. 😉 we could enjoy the morning scenery better now that we had our rest. Haha.. yet after the breakfast ( notes : Nepali portion was really generous in carbohydrate ) we need to pack up and continue our journey. Here we go to Manang!

Coming out of the accommodation, our eyes were entertained a lot by the environment. You know when we were kids ( or at least for me ) there was this one kind of drawing template that we usually drew when we were asked to draw nature. The famous 2 mountains with sun in between and a river flows in the middle of rice field. Little did i know, years later in foreign land i saw that image right before my eyes. The colour and the view felt surreal. How could it be? do you agree with me?

We walked alongside the river and it was kind of calming. Made me remember my hometown though. Some people are working alongside the river crushing some stones, some tending the field, and some are climbing up / down the hill bringing some items with them, looked like a groceries for me. I was actually amazed with the Nepali. Their build is similar like Indonesian yet their strength is in a different level.

I think evolution play its role. In my head i think there are some characteristic that i’ve noticed. Eyes and skin are very well adjusted to the altitude where sky and sun feels near. Other than that, their lung and blood cells might have adjusted as well. For me, normal breathing felt like a sport at certain times…yet look at them moving like it’s nothing. haha.. my sedentary lifestyle might have affect my ability as well i guess. Training in the gym surely different with training in nature. At least, that much i know.

While i was busy thinking, i didn’t notice that we have finally arrived at the gate of Manang. Whaaattt….??? It turned out that our last stop wasn’t that far away from Manang. LOL.. that reality haven’t sunk for sometime. waw, we have finally arrived? really? It was quite a journey to reach this place. I could only see the surrounding and felt like.. waw.

Once you get into the gate, you could start to see the city of Manang. It was a good change after all the rocky hills felt like coming back to the civilization ( a bit hyperbolic i know ). The city is rather small but pretty in its own way. Our guide suggested us to have a bit of a break then continue to our destination. So there we were taking a bit of stroll around the city looking for the recommended Bakery – Tilicho Bakery. It’s a good cafe with choices of drinks. It felt a bit foreign at the beginning after walking a different path therefore it’s quite good change in sceneries or yet again it’s just the city girl in me that pushed through.

It was a good coffee break in the bakery but our journey was not over yet. We still needed to pack up our things and go to our last point of interest for the day – Gangapurna lake. The walk felt like a breeze. My suggestion would be to pack light, perhaps leaving your heavy luggage behind at your accommodation then take a walk to the Lake but still wear your jacket. Mountain wind could be harsh and the altitude is at 3,000m++ above sea level. The weather was so much different from Jakarta which only 8m above sea level. Haha.

To get to the lake you will need to take a walk along the pathways then there was an intersection and we need to take turn to the left and that’s the point where the nature will say hi to you in its own beautiful way. Honestly, we can’t really see the lake so we just followed our guide. First we went down a hill, crossed a bridge, then another elevation welcomed us not that steep but oh well… yet after that walked up the hill, there lies Gangpurna lake. You know that feeling of relief and serene. Seeing the water and just take a moment and pause to enjoy the moment. Soak everything into your memory.

To share it with you, personally, when I sat at the edge of the lake, some emptiness creeped out. There was that mix of emotion that I couldn’t really describe. The circuit that my pack and I chose might not be as challenging as the other circuit yet it’s not about comparison. I believe all of the circuits have their own things to offer. This one has been a very good one for me.

Once you feel like you had enough.. it was time to go and get some rest. Remember when I said the walk was like a breeze? I might have judged it too soon. The walk to go out of the Lake was alright but the way to go back to the city center was another story. The road was soooo steep. Oh dear my heart hang in there… I think if you see us you felt like you were watching a pack of turtles who walked really slow. LOL. Even in some points we made our stop. But Hey.. that’s totally alright. Everyone has their own pace. 🙂 Worry not though it was only some part of the journey, it was not like the killer trail that we had the day before. After you passed that part, a lovely stone walk will welcome you within the city.

Manang City itself is actually serve as a last stop before another circuit. Hence, over here you will be able to get good pitstop. There were many accommodations, restaurants, and they also have some stores selling staples and souvenirs which pretty good for us because Manang was our last stop before going down.

Alright, now it’s time to get off and get some rest. Have a look on some sneak peak of Manang city before. We didn’t take that much of a picture this time and maybe you won’t too if you go here. There are moments that were there to be enjoyed and kept in memories. It was like meeting good friend and have a long talk with nothing but happiness in our heart.

I wish you were there with us.

Cheers!

Triana Mustika Rukmi

The Hike from Pisang to Manang ( part 1 )

Morning comes and we need to get ourselves ready to continue our trip. Small reminder – order your breakfast after your dinner along with the timing when do you want to have your breakfast or else you have to wait for around 1 hour or so. Finishing our breakfast, packing up, we always check if we have enough water supply until the next stop. Along the way you will find some water sources which our guide said it’s common for local to drink but he’s worried that it might not suitable for us. Hence we decided to go with bottled water along our way. Funny part is the price raise around 50 – 100 rupees following the raise of elevation.

Once we are ready, we continued the journey from Pisang to Manang. We took the upper trail. If you google it you will find lower and upper. Upper trail will really blessed you with a great view but the trail is more challenging. Doable but tougher in which you will see how within this writing.

Started with a walk along the village where we stayed. We noticed that the structure was built by mailny by using rocks, woods, and something which looks like bushes but we weren’t really sure. At the gate where we went out of the village there is another spinning prayer wheels. You could see quite number of it within the trail. Well, don’t forget to pray for everyone’s health, safety, and happines!

Closer look of the prayer wheels – by Mondy

Once we were near and passed the gates, we could see many farm fields. This is where we learned from our guide, these farm fields were also the reason behind it’s named as Annapurna. Anna means grain/food and Purna means Full so basically the name itself saying that the place is full with grains/food. it’s very beautiful to see though it’s a bit sad to see some of them are abandoned. I think this phenomena happens anywhere in the world. The youngster left the village and go to the city so now the village population are consist with more elders and kids.

the first part of the journey was mainly within the edge of a cliff and rocks and slight inclination. All is well all is good. There are some parts within the trails where the sun kicks in and the clouds went away until we could see the tip of Annapurna Mountain and the look of lower trail.

Walking for a while, we finally meet another prayer walls. This time it’s bigger than the previous one and our guide told us to have a rest. We enjoyed the view and taking a look at our surrounding until we reached the end of the prayer wheels and see the next trail. That point of time, we are all asked ourselves with fainted laugh –> “Why did we do this to ourselves?”. The next trail was no joke. You literally crossing a valley going with a steeper inclination. Get your hiking stick ready. It comes handy.

get yourself ready for the trail to the clouds and beyond!

Here we go! First you will need to cross a bridge. By now i am quite used to it. Not to worry it’s safe though it may get shaky due to the wind and all the movement along the way. Once you crossed the bridge, the road starts to incline no need to be quick just go with your pace as this point of time if you are not used to it breathing itself may have become a sport. We are already above 3,000 m. Our heart and lungs work hard already so just adjust your pace wisely and stop where you need it. Here are some pictures out of that experience.

When i finished the trail, sitting there i looked at what i have just been through. wew… it was a long way down. Is it the end? LOL. Definitely no! not even half of the day yet felt so long already. there were a lot of people passing this trail too. It may be confusing without our guide. Left and right looking the same turned out that the trail could lead to different places. hufft… just let’s have a break for now. the wind was pretty strong and the sunshine strike through your eyes. Cover yourself accordingly. Good sunglasses is a must have. A polarized one with UV protection will be good for you.

We can’t stop for too long as it wasn’t even half of the journey. At the peak there are some small housing and village but off we go to the higher place. Overall, the view is about the same as the previous village where the building was made by using rocks and woods. It’s quite enjoyable to pass through the area.

Off from the village, here comes another journey of us. It is still going up and up and up. Rocks makes the road slightly hard to walk on the inclination is no help either. The view though.. Blue Sky, serene environment, and the sound of the wind. All that makes you concentrate on what is really lies before your eyes and to live in the moment. Things that we usually forget or take for granted. Over here every seconds really is felt by the whole body. Tired yes happy yes. Here we come Ngawal.

After that point around 3,700 m above sea level, we were going down to stay the night. This is something that i learned from the trip go hike to higher elevation is okay but stay in lower elevation. This is to avoid the AMS ( altitude mountain sickness ). That and also keep yourself hydrated, pacing ur walk accordingly, and perhaps some medication will do the trick if you need it. Some of us started to drink acetazolamide 2 days before the hike. There are some side effects that you needs to be aware off. It may cause you to feel thirsty yet at the same time push you to have a more frequent toilet visit which could be challenging at times but that spices up your journey, doesn’t it? 😛 Ok, from here off we go to get our late lunch. The trip was quite long this time it was already past 2 PM.

Continuing the journey of going down consist of flat surface, slight inclination due to the contour ( but manageable unlike morning hike ), and a steep slope in one part. This part is rather dusty. Wear your mask. Somehow the road started to have sands here and there and more trees this time. We took a break in between within the flat surface to enjoy the ridge and to check our health indicator. It was really is a long walk for the day and we haven’t finished yet. I recall when i sat down my brain feels empty. I was incapable of thinking as i used to. LOL. So.. my suggestion would be leave anything that you work on and things behind and just enjoy the moment. You have come a long way.

How could this cow go through that lane? – by Mondy

The Ice though…i was definitely not in Indonesia

When the pact is complete and ready to go on, we carried on the journey. Along the way, our guide keep on telling us that it was already near but well.. he has been telling us that since hours back and yet here we are still walking. Honestly, i was a bit worried because the sun is about to set and i know we haven’t reached Manang yet. However, our guide took a quick calculation and i think he has the whole map in his head. He planned ahead and we finally end our journey in other city than Manang. It was Mungji.

The stop in Mungji was something that out of our plan but necessary i would say. Remember, when you are in a pack you need to make sure the whole bunch could carry on and i think it’s better to stop since it’s going to be dark soon. I was amazed by how fast the new arrangement could come into place. New accommodation arrangement and stuffs and there we went to that day place to stay. too bad that there was no picture. Haha..we were all just too tired.

let me pause it over here, by bidding you all a good bye and to see you on the next post related with how we reach MANANG. FINALLY!

Wish you were there to hike the mountain and bring our luggages.. *oops 🙂

Cheers!

Triana Mustika Rukmi

The Hike From Chame to Pisang

Morning falls and here we are packing, preparing ourselves to take a long walk for the day. It was cloudy so we couldn’t really see the sun. Have i told you that the temperature was so cold? definitely no shower for me just a bit wash up is enough. 😛 we stayed in a tea house, a good one i must say since we could still have hot water ( though i can’t make it work ) and decent bungalow like room to sleep. Mone could accommodate 3 persons in a room. Oh, i also must tell you, within my journey, i realised that it took quite long to prepare your food beside dal bhat so ordered your breakfast after you finish your dinner if you plan to go off in the morning.

Once, we are ready we walked down the path. The road are still a solid path at the beginning. The same trail that a car could pass on. It was quite nice walk in a flat path with slight incline here and there. You could just enjoy the scenery from here.

River that you could pass along the way – by Mondy

Getting higher different angle – by Mondy

Continuing the journey you start to enter the forest with all the trees and apparently sheeps with their shepherd dogs. It’s very cute to me. 🙂 just after we passed on an apple farm. It was good to stop by and enjoy a bit of a fresh apple.

You will be rewarded with different view when you do your walk, sometimes it’s trees, sometimes it’s rocky, and sometimes it is a bit scary cause there are some angles whereby you can’t see what’s ahead of you until you get into that point so you need to be very cautious here. During the trip you may see some spinning prayer wheels. Nepal people use this to pray spinning it while you go. You spin the smaller piece once and bigger piece more ( my bad i didn’t really remember how many times should i spin ).

waterfalls and river from the edge of a cliff – by Mondy

Starting from this rocks, i was struck by a horrible headache. My allergy attacked me hard. it was suddenly felt so cold. I had to adjust my pace accordingly so that i didn’t faint. i started to wear my extra layers cause this is not even half way of that day. Here comes to the rescue my gloves, my second layered jacket, and face mask. It may look strange for some cause the weather was considered to be a very good weather. LOL. anyway, i will have to make it to the end of the day!

Crossing this bridge going to the walking trail inside the valley

Me and my Dizzy Stop under the sun – by Keisha

Off this walking trail, you will meet a road for cars. We followed that to grab our Lunch! Finally a stop by for me so that i could stabilise myself a bit. When you enter a place which looks like a housing complex ( perhaps ) there is a map which will give you some ideas where you are though they are not at scale. Similar like what i mentioned at the beginning, serving food really took sometime. Understandable, everything is cold so it will take sometime to heat it up moreover in such height.

Once we finished the lunch, here comes the second part of the trip another trail to walk on. I’ve gotta admit though this kind of walk is refreshing and my mind is just so clear. You don’t really think of anything leaving behind things for a while putting a stop to your usual. I must say my pack having a good time. Physically tired but happy.

a vast open space ( i miss it so much now ) – By Mondy

This flat contour doesn’t last long though afterwards we will need to hike a bit into a higher altitude so if you choose this trail enjoy it while you can. Right when we think this won’t stop we entered another housing complex and our guide told us that this where we stopped for the day! Huraaaayy…! I would like to highlight it’s important to choose your guide correctly since along the way the situation change quite a lot. I think our guide measured it just about right for the first day.

We tried to settle in but really we were taken by the view. It was mesmerizing. All you need to do is just to come out of your room and there Annapurna mountain ahead of you swaying you with its beauty.

The view just outside your window! – By Mondy

Looking back for the trip it was a good day. Everything just about right though it looks clear and bright, it was actually already near to the sunset time. I can’t really imagine if we continue or if we come a bit latter considering the path. All of us are considered as newbie who apparently crazy enough to choose Nepal as a first timer ( for me at least ). Darkness comes to us rather quickly and again the signals were gone sometimes after 6 PM. So off we go to rest so that we are ready for tomorrow.

Good night from us. Wish you were there to enjoy the scenery. 😉

See You! we’ve tried to take better picture but we settle with this. apparently too tired. 😛

ps. Allow me to pause over here and pray for everyone’s safety and well being in Nepal. Remembering the journey i can’t really imagine how COVID-19 pandemic affect this country tourism. This too shall pass and once again human will be ready to explore the nature.off the beaten path.

Cheers!

Triana Mustika Rukmi

Kathmandu to Besisahar to Chame

The story between Kathmandu and Besisahar

We have finally arrived in Kathmandu – the capital city of Nepal. Getting out of the airport, we were welcomed by our friend who will join us within this trip! The pack is now complete. Our eyes wandered wildly in the effort to soak the new environment and adapt and off we go the city center – Thamel.

Thamel is quite busy many people come here especially for tourist based on my observation. There are many shops, restaurants, and money exchange around this area. It seems to me that this is where you could purchase anything that you need for your trip, if you go to Nepal for outdoor activities. More about this on later post. While for us, this is to finish all administrations with our travel agent and to have lunch before we take off. Btw, the size of the food was massive with a lot of Rice. You will surely feel full.

The lunch time was a very good time for pacing. Personally, i felt so much has happened within that last couple of days. Nepal was the 4th Country just within days count with flights have been flown. It was good to be on the ground before we continue our journey to Besisahar. A road trip for another 7 – 8 hours.

What’s all this cable.. i thought Indonesia has been complicated enough.

The trip started off quite well, we used a van type since there were luggage and 8 persons to be carried over. while waiting, i’ve noticed that in Kathmandu people ride motor bike quite a lot. It’s similar like Jakarta but in a different type. The environment was dusty so it would be good to wear mask.

During the road trip, i couldn’t help but to compare the vegetation and the surrounding like in Java island. I read online before my trip that the road between Kathmandu and Besisahar is good with a high way. Along the way i had to ponder – was our understanding of a high way was different or did i use different road? all in all it’s an asphalt road with usual structure to go up and down on mountain area. Overall the trip was great with a bit impedance where our car vehicle stuck in a water stream.

When we reached Besisahar, it was already late at night. We tried to adapt ourselves with the new place. Cleaned ourselves and ate dinner ( My First dal baht! ) before we finally went to sleep. Writing this i can’t helped but reminisce that the pact was awakened at 3 or 4 AM in the morning because one of our fellow had a call with the family back in Jakarta. She was looking for her cat named “Belang” ( means “Stripes” in English ). It was loud. I love my friend to the bone but at that time i wanted to shoved my pillow at her. >_< Yet, all that was cleared out with the morning rise and the environment surround us. Wow… 🙂

The story between Besisahar and Chame

After finishing our breakfast, off we go to Chame. The next city. Another 6 – 8 hours drive. This time we had to change into Jeep. The road to go there is not suitable for camp. The road was more challenging. This is what a real off road looks like. It’s a trip with an inch away from the cliffs, narrow road only for one lane, and midst. Along the way, it got me thinking that Nepal people are high skill worker in the area. The driver could still drive with one hand. Oh my…

During the road trip you could see people who have already started their hike. Drive carefully around them and be nice. It’s common to say namaste when you meet other people here. What i really like about this roadtrip was it awarded us with a very nice view of the ridge and a very nice lunch place across waterfall. Our heart content! btw, don’t hope you will get good signal within the road. It was only available in certain places so it’s good to have your buddies around.

Continuing the journey, the weather getting a bit unfriendly with midst and rain. Yet, that wasn’t all. Our road was blocked. We had to cross a river and the bridge was still under development. There we were had to pack all the belongings crossing the unfinished bridge under drizzling weather. The new jeep were smaller so it was more packed for all of us. Thankfully we had pass half of the journey. Oh, notes for you! for every outdoor activities there are documents that you will need to administer so that you could get the permit. Ours was the permit for Annapurna. The documents will be checked couple of times depending on your journey track. Well, ours were prepared by the travel agent so i can’t really share the process.

When we finally reached Chame, it was already nearing sunset. The surrounding was foreign yet familiar at the same time. Many buildings were built by using woods and it looks like a good holiday home. Just with a thick mist and in high altitude. Chame is 2,650m above sea level. Ha! get ready dear low altitude creatures. Jakarta is less than 10 m above sea level. So.. yes, we came long way here.

We roamed around a little bit in Chame before the sun set. There are shops which sells trekking / hiking gears so you could still get something here. There are pharmacies as well if you need something. Taking a bit of walk in our surrounding then we came back to the lodging to get some warm environment and to eat dinner.

We ordered a noodle which taste like instant noodle with some local spices and tried the local bread. I don’t remember the name but the bread taste nice. Fresh and a bit sweet as well. Both were quite fulfilling. Playing some cards afterwards with the pack. Teaching our guide how to play ‘Boong’ which means ‘Lie’. He started with telling the truth all the time until he finally lied and we kept on trusting him. Good move! night comes and we had to end it, need to prepare ourselves for the hike.

The temperature was very cold for low altitude tropical creatures like us. So we need to sleep with jackets and stuffs. This is where all the notes that i read about “..you will regret that extra layer / stuffs that you don’t bring…” comes into my head. If only i had them with me. *Cry later that night, this time i could understand even better the need of a headlamp. The electricity somehow unstable so it will be good to have it just in case. Not only that, it’s useful when you have to go to the washroom / Bathroom. Enabling you to have the hands free experience. Until then, sleep tight. See you on our hike story!

Wish you were there spending hours on the road with us. 🙂

Cheers!

Triana Mustika Rukmi

See You India – Namaste Nepal

India trip was amazing, however, we need to move on to the next destination – Nepal. With heavy eyes, we woke up very early in the morning. Dear All, please, if i could tell you a story about any processing time in India, somehow anything was proceeded rather slow…please learn from our experience and spare much more time when you want to go somewhere.

First task, Checking out from the hotel. Okay, it took sometime. we could still enjoy a bit of the hotel lobby in the dark of course since it was early morning. Once we are good to go, i took the hotel bill and was amazed on Indian Taxation. Dear.. it’s complicated no wonder my colleagues who implement system related with it had many challenges in India.

Second task, going from the hotel to the airport, this is quick. Good. Third, entering the airport. Dear Lord, it took very long time. the queue wasn’t even have that much of people, but really it took us an hour just to enter the building only to find the check-in queue was about the same condition if not worse. 😦 Everything needs patience yet this is another level of long processing time i could ever imagine. Until, the officer had to call people out of the queue or else people will miss the flight – including ours.

After we had our baggage settled, we ran into the immigration. Oh my…my.. here comes a very long lines. Again, the process was quite slow. I wasn’t sure why and up until now still unsure. I was in a group of three and we decided to separate ourselves, whoever finish first must go to the gate so that our plane didn’t leave us behindbecause we were still in immigration line on our take off time with all the worst scenario has passed our mind. Finally, I finished first and i ran like crazy. I think i was pretty loud since people from afar giving me ways in advance. LOL.

Sweet truth though, As i came nearer to the Gate, people were still waiting to get into the boarding Room. Thanks God! having the experience of the processing time, i took sometime off to freshen up myself first and i was right. When i came back, the line was still there. 😀 Me and my group could finally had a breather walking on usual pace. welcoming our next flight from New Delhi to Khatmandu. This time we use Indigo for another experience flying and since it’s affordable. 🙂

once we were onboard and fly, here comes our hunger. all the plan to eat and enjoy the airport has been thrown away out of the window. here to the cup noodles and some confusion in counting the Indian Rupees.

The trip between New Delhi and Khatmandu was not that long. Perhaps it was due to our excitement it feels even shorter. In no time we have arrived in Khatmandu. – Tribuvhan International Airport. The airport was not big and just like that you enter the gate and you were already at the immigration line.

What i would like to share is that, if you haven’t submitted your VISA document then you could fill it up at the airport. They have machine ready for that. However, i will still suggest you to fill it and get it printed before you go to Nepal. ( read about it here ) Reason being – who knows what will happen at the airport. One of our friend who came a day earlier experienced electricity problem.

After you get your VISA submission ready, you need to go to the cashier to pay for your VOA ( visa on arrival ). just next to it there is a money changer. We found that the price that they offer over here is quite competitive compare to the other after the immigration so if you need a bit of cash you could exchange it here or maybe you could wait a bit until you get into the city. Once you get all set, here we go to the immigration lane to enter the country.

I was so excited and nervous at the same time. Wow.. me? really? i am going to go to hiking? I have million reasons not to yet there i was going to have my first hike ever in Nepal. Isn’t it dreamy? more about it later. For now, welcome to Nepal. Wish you were there with us!

Cheers!

Triana Mustika Rukmi

How to Apply for NEPAL VISA?

Don’t you want to see the beautiful mountains? I do. So here it goes the story of applying for NEPAL visa to see the mountains. As a tourist that comes from Indonesia or based on my searching for all tourist in general the way to get the VISA is through VOA ( visa on arrival ).

Step 1 : Fill VISA info

As the first step, we could fill the info prior to the departure online or fill all the info at the airport using the kiosk machine. My suggestion would be to fill the info online prior to your departure and get it printed. Reason being, one of my fellow arrived during the time when the airport electricity went out. By having this prior to your departure will help in reducing the hustle if such case happen to you as well. Hopefully not.

This is the website that you should refer to http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np/page/tourist-visa .In order to apply for the VISA , you will need the following info on hand : Passport and personal detail information, digital picture, accommodation info. Print the submission detail ( as per pic below ) and bring it to complete the VOA process at the airport. During the time of this writing, the online system will only keep the info for 15 days, so please count the dates. 🙂

Step 2 : Pay VISA Fee

When you are at Tribuvhan International Airport (TIA), you will find a place to pay your VISA. The Price is different depending on your intended length of stay. For me, i chose 15 days and in 2019 it cost me 30 USD. This fee is to be paid in cash. They will give you the payment receipt. Bring it to the immigration counter and keep it with you at all time you are in Nepal.

If it hasn’t changed, near to the payment kiosk there is a money changer before the immigration. At my time, it is cheaper than the one after immigration within the aiport. Perhaps you would like to exhange a little bit before you go for another money changer out in khatmandu. 😉

Step 3 : Complete VOA at The Airport

Now, the last step is to complete the whole proces at the Airport. After the payment, queue up at the immigration line while bringing :

Printed page of your VISA submission ( online / airport kiosk machine )
VISA Payment Proof.
Copied page of your passport : the personal info page + latest visa page of your passport.
printed photo size 1.5″x1.5″
Accommodation arrangement proof / Tour booking

The immigration officer will then check all the info above and stamp the visa on your passport page. They will throw some questions as part of the verification. After spending sometime, here i have it, officially having the permit to enter Nepal! Woooohooo…

I would say the process for Nepal Visa is clear enough. It could be because VOA is the main way to get the VISA so all the things has been developed to support it. Now, it made me wonder if i should revisit this country. 😀

Anyway, Wish you have your VISA soon.

Cheers! 😉

Triana Mustika Rukmi

Road to Nepal : 13 Cloth Items To Bring and Wear

I’ve talked about Nepal + India Trip a bit over here
and now would like to elaborate on the gear up part for Hiking in Nepal.
Please note, the gear will be different depend on your route and facilities choices.

For my group, we went with AC ( Annapurna Circuit )
up until around 3700m above sea level and staying overnight at tea house.
Not a hardcore camping..yet.. :”>

It was on September and for our altitude we won’t experience ice.
With a lot of readings mix with experience,
here are the things that i will recommend for your clothing. From top to bottom

Head Cover: Cap / beanies
Though the temperature might look friendly,
you are in high altitude and getting nearer to the sun.
In cold temperature this will keep you warm
while in hot day it will help in avoiding heat stroke.

notes : multi-function scarf. Bring this as it could be used for many things! to cover your head, neck, mask, etc.

Day – Cloth – 1st Layer
Go with Dri-Fit Materials. Not cotton. it’s light and drying fast
It would be very beneficial if you are planning to wash it.
I wore my gym cloth and it worked fine.
Night – Cloth
Wear warmer materials. Well, i wore heat-tech materials and loving it.
Day – Jacket – 2nd Layer
I suggest to bring something light and warm enough with hood.
Wind breaker will be good for warmer weather.
it will even be better with some water resistant / proof materials.
Inner materials, personally i wore polar type. helpful to fight mountain wind.
Night – Jacket
I brought my down jacket and bring something with hood.
I left the head cover part and regretted it.
Rain Coat
Bring it if it’s around wet season. make sure it covers your whole body.
Hand Glove ( may/may not needed )
Depends on your trail, if it’s not an ice kind of environment you may not need this.
However, i found this helpful. It was simply because i am allergic to cold
and this helped me to fight it. The wind and temperature made my hand feel like ice cold.
Pants – 1st Layer ( may / may not needed )
if it’s cold i would recommend to wear something warm as the inner.
Pants – Cargo Pants
Cargo pants that is water resistant will be good.
I’ve found that they are easy to clean. Choose the one with ‘sealable’ pocket.
This is to secure your things from dropping and to protect + keep it clean enough.
Shocks
I would suggest to bring 2 types for day and nite.
Day – something sweat absorbing.
Night – warmer type. I brought wool materials.
keeping your feet warm is one of the key to keep your body heat.
Flip Flops
It will be good for tired feet and when you are resting.
Shoes – Trail Run / Boots
I would say choose your type wisely.
In general, something waterproof will definitely better especially in a wetter condition. Really just based on my personal learning and experience :

Boots will be good for wet/ice environment, hard trail e.g. sandy/slippery,higher support for ankle.
Trail Run will be good for drier environment and a milder trail.
for me, i went with trail run shoes and it was sufficient.
Boots will be heavier with longer time needed to get your feet used to it.
and..honestly i don’t know when will i use it again.
On the other hand, i could imagine to use trail run more.
Invest in a good pair of shoes as your feet work very hard!
I chose North Face brand and it was no joke. Loving it.

Sunglasses
Woops! nearly forgotten this one.
Do Not forget it. I repeat : DO NOT FORGET IT.
I would suggest you to wear something within UV category 3 or 4 and polarised glass.
You will be in a high altitude, sun shines brighter somehow and it’s hard to open your eyes. As for the polarised type, it will help you to enjoy things as they are
since with higher light intensity colours tend to fade away. Be careful though UV category 3 /4 is quite dark and might not be suitable for daily use e.g. while driving.

and..that’s about it for those that you will need to put on your body. Most of them could be reused for other occasions so it might be good to invest on these items.
I will write about other gears on later part especially those that assist the hiking and what to keep on your bag. 🙂

Wish you were there during all of the ruckus to gear up!

Cheers!
Triana Mustika Rukmi

Road To Nepal – Where Did It Start and how?

2019 has passed and i’m proud to say that i hiked a mountain for the first time in forever that year! It was one crazy idea that my friends and i threw out around Ramadhan last year. We met up on this place named SRSLYCOFFEE talking a bit of here, there, and everywhere which then later came out with an itinerary of India and Nepal. Starting from Jakarta – Amritsar – New Delhi – Khatmandu – Jakarta.

It was one session full with laughter with lots of chat follow up. ‘Till finally we purchased the first ticket Jakarta – Amritsar (1 way ). Did you know that the ticket price for that one was only around 70USD?WOOT. Of course it’s with an LCC but still it was one long flight. Even this one with another drama where one of my friend gave a wrong info of the stated name in her passport. Careful guys!

After that first purchase the story continued, we still need 3 more flights : Amritsar – New Delhi, New Delhi – Khatmandu, Khatmandu – Jakarta. Among those 3 we chose to purchased the main one first which is Khatmandu – Jakarta and only decided the other 2 once we stitched around our itinerary details especially the trip in NEPAL. OMG Can’t Wait!

We tried to look around through websites and instagram. You will find plenty of it. Our trip revolved around many things and route. Only by that time we notice that Nepal is not only about Everest. Some main routes that come to our plate were EBC ( Everest Base Camp ), ABC ( Annapurna Base Camp) , and AC (Annapurna Circuit). I will take about it in more detail later, but finally decided to go with AC, one of the realistic route for us. We really didn’t want to aim hard realising that we are bunch of citylife-office-worker type. LOL. if i may share with you please consider some items when choosing your routes :

Trip Duration – we don’t have all the time in this world and oh dear on leave days number.
Cost – if you are not an adventurer kind of type, there are many equipment and gear to purchase / borrow. They ain’t cheap. >_<
Fitness level and experience. As a tropical and low level altitude creature, i’ve learned that the higher you go even breath itself is already an exercise. not to mention the temperature.

Once we choose the route and service provider in NEPAL. Btw, We decided to go with local service provider after much deliberation. Here goes other things to manage! The trip in India. There are hotels, transportation, and flights to book. Oh dear so many things. To share it with you, we chose Amritsar mainly because of it’s Golden Temple and location that is very near to Pakistan. As for New Delhi, actually, it’s only like a pass by before our destination in Agra – how can you not see Taj Mahal? 😉

After we had our itinerary taken care off, we still have to prepare ourselves for D-DAY! we know by heart that hiking a mountain is not a joke. So, we tried to make our own fitness regime that will work for all of us. To share it with you here is my portion :

Time for preparation : 2,5 Months
Food – Oh yes, indeed, i ate salad everyday a lot of greenies, complex carbs, less sugar, and other things which help your body to procedure red blood cells. Reason : You will need it to support your oxygen needs later. However, the simple carbs will be needed later when you start and during the hike. Lovely, eat all the chocolates and sugar yeay!
Exercise – Cardio is a must but don’t forget strength training. You will need your muscles and stamina to support items that you will bring along the way. My routine was ( these are the minimum ) :
- Running 2x/week 30 mins
- Running 1x/Week 1 hour
- Front & Back Lunges 20 reps
- Squat 20 reps
- Machine training 3 reps each which target legs, quadriceps, back, shoulder, Chest, triceps, and biceps.
- Note that i have knee condition so essentially running is challenging for me.

Apart from preparing your body, you will also need to prepare the right gear and equipment. Within those 2 months of preparation, i think we visited numerous shop countless time until it becomes a habit for quite sometime after the hike ended for me. I will go through it more later but let me emphasize this. Those items are not cheap and it’s not that easy to find it for my size.

Woops, need to go now, if i could say another thing is that you will also need to prepare your mentality. inner peace.. inner peace…control yourself better!

See you on the updates of the rest of the stories…wish you were there with us!

Cheers,

Triana Mustika Rukmi