Sleep in seeing as the ride today should be easier than average. Breakfast at the Staff hotel across from the main access gates of Aloo chat, chappatis and Halwa (a semolina or similar dense cake with fresh coconut pieces spread through.) Great food.
On the road just before twelve as when unlocking and loading the bikes noticed Soph's front tire was completely flat. On further investigation found that the extra heavy duty tube had failed at the valve. One complete right off of a tube.
On the road and though flat most of the road to the Bhairahawa junction and the Siddharth highway heading north was undergoing resurfacing, the whole surface having been stripped but not much resurfacing in evidence yet. More industries, less drying racks and more smoke stacks. We elect to head into Bhairahawa rather then take the deviation to see whether we can pick up a Nepal topographical map. Coming into town get caught up in a bike, truck and tractor jam. Large amounts of trading appear to be going on of rice and other sacked produce. In town we turn left to the North and out of town heading for Bhutwal. No success on the map front.
Finally out of the centre we pass satellite village after village as we cover the 22km surely but a little bored. The road remaining flat but sharing with lots of zooming buses and honking freight trucks, motorbikes and cars.
Into Bhutwal by three pm and it gives the definite impression of being a city. Quite a bit larger then Mahendranagar which was our last Nepalese city of note. People going in all directions and eyes required to be everywhere at once. We confirm directions to the Hotel Greenland via a helpful pharmacist who also draws a map identifying the Hotel as just off BP chowk.
My turn for inspection and so I confront the old aged Tibetan looking woman who has as many English words as I Nepalese. We attempt to communicate as inspecting the room, assisted by a maid and an unknown Nepalese guy. I need to learn the word for hot, it would save a lot of time in avoiding poor charades. The room is spotless as is the bathroom. The beds are comfy and appear very clean and success hot water and a good shower. Soph is stoked as she unplats and washes her hair, the water is steaming. Though load setting applies here as in the rest of Nepal that we have visited so far, the hotel has both solar and a generator.
Out onto the streets for a wander and we are confronted by a large Nepalese woman who takes a liking to Sophie which is not shared. Many attempts to shoo her away unsuccessful as we both increasingly become frustrated with the grabby lady. Hard position as in your face and trying to hold you but not responding to verbal discouragement, physical being out of the equation I resort finally to just telling her to f off. Though not a positive aspect and a no no in Nepal, her repeated attempts to hassle Soph pissing both of us off. Finally an older Nepalese guy ordered her to back off and we were able to disentangle ourselves long enough to move on and seek refuge in a dhaba for samosa and chai.
Resettling over chai we continued to the river where a suspension bridge lead to the old town on the western side of the city. Similar to the buildings in the Lalal bazaar in Almora, but possibly a little more run down we met and chatted with many young kids eager to try out their english. Along one alley we came across a dried fish market with sardine sized dried fish in sacks and a little on the woofy side. Unable to communicate effectively we were unable to confirm variety or source. A local grey tabby cat was floating around unsurprisingly.
The kids helped us locate a bakery prior to recrossing on dusk to the main city centre via a vehicle bridge over the Tinau river. The bed below leading back to a layered valley of hills and full of mammoth river stones and unfortunately pockets of garbage. Back in town light fading we explored the main streets of the city centered around the Chowk.
Light fading the rickshaws bells sounded more and more like numerous windup alarm clocks all going off at the same time as the occasional truck horn sounded like the Queen Mary setting sail. On one street the youth of Bhutwal appeared to be hanging out circled around Coffee carts selling nescafe special but all with espresso looking machines. Unfortunately none fitted with an espresso group head so still hanging out.
Tea at a Korean / Nepalese restaurant after buying a mixed small box of sweets from a sweet store. Mainly milk cake based but one a Kashmiri cake cut into white triangles that was delicious. Call it a day to a windy night. Power on at 5pm but lost again at 11.00pm. Generators next door kicked out at 11.30pm all nearly quiet on the streets of Bhutwal.