I have spent some hot summers night in Australia, but this has to rate as one of the more uncomfortable. The room though nice, retained rather than released heat and when combined with the synthetic doona that we lay over the mattress to add depth (we are back to 3cm hardpack mattresses) we were basting in the heat. The power comes on at about 6pm so our fan is working overtime, but due to Load shedding disappears at about 11pm and doesn't reappear until 5am this morning. My appreciation of power increases.
Mosquitos were lapping the net assessing their attack but all the time talking about it, or so it could have been in my paranoid mind. The bed made for shorter nepalis is just 5cm too short so I can't straighten my legs and the option of extending past the mattress voids the defences of the mosquito net. A gecko last night was on the wall and we appreciated his speed as he snapped up one of our enemies, however the fresh meat sign with flickering lights must have been just outside. The last time we encountered a gecko in Nepal there was also a room full of the little buggers. Sorry to all those buddhists out there but I have to draw the line at mosquitoes.
You know mosquito nets always appeared romantic and exotic in the movies.
Road noise lightly resumes with the fans and so our attempts to regain some of our fan quality bed based time are eroded. Pack up and grab chiya and the start of days paani (water) supplies from next door. Though frustrating in the heat the lodge still rates well.
We correctly deviate this time to the left at the junction which still feels weird thanks to a lack of signage and our map showing the highway running straight through Dhalkebar.
The morning is blissfully semi warm, not yet baking and so we maximise as much as possible. Not feeling 100% though. Besides liquid just not satisfying my thirst, I don't feel hungry. Curries were great in the cold but for breakfast when hot, possibly every now and then, but not day after day. Further the lack of consistent refrigeration due to load shedding has irked my meat variable. In India there are a large range of vegetarian curries but in Nepal, commercially available, less so.
We stop frequently to consume our water. Then at one town grab soft drink where we are also invited to, once identified as Australian, come and participate in an inter town cricket match. We assure the guys we would drop in and so do so on the way out of town, if only to take a photo.
The landscape now increasing dry crops with the exception of the occasional rice paddy, obviously irrigated. We cross long concrete bridge after bridge over massively broad water courses, most empty of visual water. Sand and river rock crews working the resource. Muddy dams that have either children or ox in them and men at the wells cooling off. The road itself is predominantly flat, with occasional inclines on the approach of a bridge.
Villages have at least one peepal tree in town, generally with concrete or brick platform in the shade. They increasingly appear as refuges from the heat, which in addition to the circular bus shelters they are. Buddhist flags tied to road side installed twigs every now and again feels surprising given the predominantly hindu appearing populace. The indian state of Bihar is home to the Bodhi tree under which Siddhartha gained enlightenment, and it is just over the border south so maybe we are in the trees vicinity.
We stop for breakfast in a small sleepy town called Basepur and are immediately made to feel genuinely welcome. Some communication however is understood better though with our trip details arousing further questioning, but duplication in our food order. Chiya and cold water greatfully appreciated under the shade of a village central tree.
Back on the road feeling better, but it is not long before becoming unsettled in the saddle, failing to find a comfortable norm. Paani once again warmed is not satisfying. The breeze is pleasant but start to feel empty. Pull over at Chauraha and have to crash for half an hour, following a cold bottle of Miranda (fanta), under a peepal tree. Soph engages with our heat refuge company - a mix of children, mobile stall owner selling cold water, mother and baby and other shade dwellers.
Feeling at least settled we cycle on, this time maintaining a comfortable pace of just over 20km/hr and roll onto Lahan. The tar for the 25km nice and relaid smooth. Rural roadside views with automated chalf cutting of the wheat stalks as well as hand 'bashing' of wheat grain from the stalks by women along the way. Plenty of buffalo, pigs and goats along the way and a combination of thatched roof mud brick/packed houses and modern bricked houses, some barns and houses with new corrugated tin rooves. Straw and grass stacks a few metres in height are common next to the houses and barns. Some of the saris are incredibly bright combinations of reds and oranges that look beautiful against the dark skin. Women are often carrying brass containers on their heads and in the mornings aluminum milk jugs, we guess, back to their homes fresh from the morning milking.
Lahan is suprisingly large when we enter, not at all as reflected by our map. We spend time investigating the streets and again rehydrating before settling into the large yet slightly run down Hotel Vishal. Adjust Soph's handlebars as her arms are feeling stretched from trying to sit up straighter on the flat Terai cycling and then lock the bikes as the hotel boys had been for a test ride whilst we were cooling off in the shower.
Back onto the streets and it feels a little like eastern Uttrakhand where you sometimes felt like a new species - every now and again in various locations Soph starts singing a little song about we being the aliens from Mars. There are however many variables in town, from the guys who stare blankly at you if you are in vicinity (I even tested it this time with one guy, staring back, but my enthusiasm waned before his did) to those who just review you in their stride before moving on. Some nice moments of group curiosity also.
We are however back to putrid street side gutters or mini cess swamps which is disappointing. Duck is off the menus, even more so than it was before as these brave champions waddle through the filth picking at the odd green morsel. Hopefully they also take out some of the mosquito larvae nurseries as they make their way.
More rehydrating and I am still leaking with sweat.
Great meal at the hotel restaurant. More than on the streets but greater variety also. Soph effected by nose/chesty cough symptoms. A carry on from a sore throat in Bhaktapur. Hopefully it will settle before the morning.
Mosquitos were lapping the net assessing their attack but all the time talking about it, or so it could have been in my paranoid mind. The bed made for shorter nepalis is just 5cm too short so I can't straighten my legs and the option of extending past the mattress voids the defences of the mosquito net. A gecko last night was on the wall and we appreciated his speed as he snapped up one of our enemies, however the fresh meat sign with flickering lights must have been just outside. The last time we encountered a gecko in Nepal there was also a room full of the little buggers. Sorry to all those buddhists out there but I have to draw the line at mosquitoes.
You know mosquito nets always appeared romantic and exotic in the movies.
Road noise lightly resumes with the fans and so our attempts to regain some of our fan quality bed based time are eroded. Pack up and grab chiya and the start of days paani (water) supplies from next door. Though frustrating in the heat the lodge still rates well.
We correctly deviate this time to the left at the junction which still feels weird thanks to a lack of signage and our map showing the highway running straight through Dhalkebar.
The morning is blissfully semi warm, not yet baking and so we maximise as much as possible. Not feeling 100% though. Besides liquid just not satisfying my thirst, I don't feel hungry. Curries were great in the cold but for breakfast when hot, possibly every now and then, but not day after day. Further the lack of consistent refrigeration due to load shedding has irked my meat variable. In India there are a large range of vegetarian curries but in Nepal, commercially available, less so.
We stop frequently to consume our water. Then at one town grab soft drink where we are also invited to, once identified as Australian, come and participate in an inter town cricket match. We assure the guys we would drop in and so do so on the way out of town, if only to take a photo.
The landscape now increasing dry crops with the exception of the occasional rice paddy, obviously irrigated. We cross long concrete bridge after bridge over massively broad water courses, most empty of visual water. Sand and river rock crews working the resource. Muddy dams that have either children or ox in them and men at the wells cooling off. The road itself is predominantly flat, with occasional inclines on the approach of a bridge.
Villages have at least one peepal tree in town, generally with concrete or brick platform in the shade. They increasingly appear as refuges from the heat, which in addition to the circular bus shelters they are. Buddhist flags tied to road side installed twigs every now and again feels surprising given the predominantly hindu appearing populace. The indian state of Bihar is home to the Bodhi tree under which Siddhartha gained enlightenment, and it is just over the border south so maybe we are in the trees vicinity.
We stop for breakfast in a small sleepy town called Basepur and are immediately made to feel genuinely welcome. Some communication however is understood better though with our trip details arousing further questioning, but duplication in our food order. Chiya and cold water greatfully appreciated under the shade of a village central tree.
Back on the road feeling better, but it is not long before becoming unsettled in the saddle, failing to find a comfortable norm. Paani once again warmed is not satisfying. The breeze is pleasant but start to feel empty. Pull over at Chauraha and have to crash for half an hour, following a cold bottle of Miranda (fanta), under a peepal tree. Soph engages with our heat refuge company - a mix of children, mobile stall owner selling cold water, mother and baby and other shade dwellers.
Feeling at least settled we cycle on, this time maintaining a comfortable pace of just over 20km/hr and roll onto Lahan. The tar for the 25km nice and relaid smooth. Rural roadside views with automated chalf cutting of the wheat stalks as well as hand 'bashing' of wheat grain from the stalks by women along the way. Plenty of buffalo, pigs and goats along the way and a combination of thatched roof mud brick/packed houses and modern bricked houses, some barns and houses with new corrugated tin rooves. Straw and grass stacks a few metres in height are common next to the houses and barns. Some of the saris are incredibly bright combinations of reds and oranges that look beautiful against the dark skin. Women are often carrying brass containers on their heads and in the mornings aluminum milk jugs, we guess, back to their homes fresh from the morning milking.
Lahan is suprisingly large when we enter, not at all as reflected by our map. We spend time investigating the streets and again rehydrating before settling into the large yet slightly run down Hotel Vishal. Adjust Soph's handlebars as her arms are feeling stretched from trying to sit up straighter on the flat Terai cycling and then lock the bikes as the hotel boys had been for a test ride whilst we were cooling off in the shower.
Back onto the streets and it feels a little like eastern Uttrakhand where you sometimes felt like a new species - every now and again in various locations Soph starts singing a little song about we being the aliens from Mars. There are however many variables in town, from the guys who stare blankly at you if you are in vicinity (I even tested it this time with one guy, staring back, but my enthusiasm waned before his did) to those who just review you in their stride before moving on. Some nice moments of group curiosity also.
We are however back to putrid street side gutters or mini cess swamps which is disappointing. Duck is off the menus, even more so than it was before as these brave champions waddle through the filth picking at the odd green morsel. Hopefully they also take out some of the mosquito larvae nurseries as they make their way.
More rehydrating and I am still leaking with sweat.
Great meal at the hotel restaurant. More than on the streets but greater variety also. Soph effected by nose/chesty cough symptoms. A carry on from a sore throat in Bhaktapur. Hopefully it will settle before the morning.
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