Ozbus11 in Nepal - Part 1

Ozbus11 arrived at the Nepal border in what seemed like the dead of night. It was actually just gone 7pm and the stretch of road from where the bus dropped us to Immigration office was poorly lit and surprisingly insignificant compared to the Pakistan/India border. Apparently Nepal and India like each other whereas Pakistan and India don't. Thanks to good relations we were through in no time despite Charlie having to turn up without a Visa and hope that he go one at the border without photocopies of passports and any passport photos. We just love our Charlieboy we do. Anyhow we were on our bus and away, arriving at our hotel at 8.30pm in the border town of Lumbini.

We experienced a little bit of a blackout just before dinner at the hotel but at last I was able to eat decent, tasty food. As you know, I'm not a huge fan of the Spice (unless it's in the form of a girl band from the 90's) and I was greatful to eat proper meals again. It was only an overnight in Lumbini before we headed off in the morning to the birthplace of Buddha. This short visit sort of creapt up on me but as we parked and disembarked outside the gate of the sacred site I was quietly excited. Buddhism intrigues me like a rare wood intrigues a carpenter and I wanted to see if I could learn anything more of the belief from this cultural visit.

I ambled my way down to the official entance of the site, passing locals, tourists and pilgrims on the way. Before I saw any sign of Buddha I passed the usual 'buy this sort of crap' stalls. And then I found a temple with a single man chanting inside. It was dark in there and I couldn't see with my sunglasses on. I didn't dare go in, everything seemed calm and spirtiual and special. Outside the temple was decorated in wonderful images of flowers and amazing colours. The garden surrounding the temple was well kept, pristine and beautiful. Then onto the official site of Buddha to see his birthplace. It was marked by a stone near some other stones that made up some bigger stones. One wall was adorned in gold leaf. But outside was what I loved best. There, a service was being helf around a massive old tree. Buddists sat and listened, prayer flags moved in a slight wind amongst the branches. And I sat and listened. It was serene and reflective.

We arrived that evening at Hotel Parkside in Chitwan National Park. It was day 41 and for the first time Ozbus11 were in the countryside. It was a welcome relief and I felt like I had been waiting for this since leaving Europe. I'm a country girl at heart and too much of the concrete does my head in a little. As soon as our bags touched the hotel room floor we were immidiately served dinner of the most homecooked loveliness compared to India. Except I happened to have been locked in my room from the outside for that thanks to 'Lovely Linda'. She got ripped for that by the girls sure enough and she was incredibly embarressed. It was all rather funny. After dinner we headed to the river for our fist beer in weeks watching the sun go down. I finnally felt like I was on holiday and I was welcomed to Nepal with a smile on my face.

We were awake with another sunrise the next morning for a canoe trip to watch the local wildlife. We saw a rhino bathing – it was awesome. We disembarked at an Elephant sancturary where we were briefly introduced to the care and role of Elephants in Nepal. On the itinerary that day was an 'opportunity to wash the Elephants' described as needing a swimming costume, or bikini to take part. Along with an Elephant ride later, I wasn't sure how I would take to this, I needed to know more about the Elephants. We were taked to a bigger sanctuary with a very informatived one roomed museum on Elephant life in Nepal. It was a positive sign and along with the fact that the sanctuary had been blessed with a recent twin birth, one of only two in the world from Elephants in captivity, I felt the Elephants were being treated with the upmost care and respect.

Then it was time for 'Elephant Washing'. We were taken to the river where we had our sunset beer for this. It consisted of 20 or so people rushing into the water, five or so at a time to clmb onto the backs of three elephants being controlled by a man standing on it's back. I don't know who was meant to be washing who as the two/three passengers would be intermittently doused in water and plunged into the water on intructions from the man standing on it's back, shouting, stamping and poking it with his stick. It was less of Elephant washing and more of a ride for people who like that sort of thing. I don't. I don't believe animals in general are there for our entertainment. They may be cared for by us, controlled by us and involved in activities that we enjoy but they must have a purpose. Their involvement with out activity must have a justifyable purpose. I watched the entire thing and still don't know how the elephants are actually washed. Some say that's how they do it. Regardless, the elephants were being instructed to act on que for the human's benefit. Money was passed over and I put blind faith into the fact that it was going to a good place, whatever that entails.

The elephant ride later, after lunch back at the hotel, I partook in. There we saw another Rhino and Tiger trails. That evening was the last at Chitwan and it saw Hotel Parkside put on a surprisingly entertaining cultural show and outside dinner. We all laughed and danced and dreaded the morning departure. At least we could all take solice in the fact that it was not another early start.