Pokhara, Nepal
October is typically blue sky and dry in Nepal. We intentionally picked this month to travel— after the rainy season and before the cold. This year is different. As many places in the world are experiencing, weather patterns have become more unpredictable.
And so, the rains here continue. We hunkered down in Pokhara to wait out a deluge. 5 inches one day. Nearly as much the next. We were grateful to have known it was coming and planned our bus travel accordingly. Nepal is notorious for mudslides, making roads impassable. If we were going to get stuck somewhere we wanted to be stuck in Pokhara.
Pokhara is a bustling little city (“little” compared to Kathmandu) sprawling along shores of Phewa lake and beyond. Though it is second in population behind Kathmandu, its pocket neighborhoods tucked around Lakeside can give it a small town feel. Pokhara beckons travelers from around the world for shopping, dining and adventure sports such as paragliding, bungee jumping, river rafting excursions, and trekking expeditions.
Fishtail mountain, (Machapuchare in Nepali), is an iconic backdrop to the Pokhara region. It is a sacred mountain and as such the Nepali government does not issue permits for mountaineering.
This city is known as the gateway to the Annapurna mountains, the snowy range glittering majestically on the skyline.
That is, when it’s not raining.
We walked a lot in Pokhara, exploring surrounding neighborhoods despite the rain. We had some logistics to take care of such as securing trekking permits and arranging transportation to the start of our trek, the town of Nayapol.
The Lakeside area of the city caters to tourists, with Nepali gift shops, gear shops, traditional Nepali cuisine (Dahl bhat, momos and the like) mixed in with western restaurants. Jon had pizza twice in this town and they rivaled any pizza we’ve had anywhere. There is some comfort in familiar flavors and rubbing elbows with other travelers. though there is also a sense that we are in a Disneyland version of place. A little bit authentic, splashed with a large dose of veneer. But that’s okay by us for a few days of comfort food, souvenirs shopping and getting prepped for the next leg of our journey.
One of the highlights in Pokhara is the World Peace Pagoda. We climbed the seemingly endless Anadu hill in the drenching rain. We Removed muddy Sandals and leaches at the top, just beyond the “No Tik Tok video” signs. While we may not have been blessed with a view at the top, the Stupa itself shined brightly against the dark skies. This beautiful Buddhist monument was built to inspire people of all backgrounds and beliefs to unite in the vision of world peace.
Silence here is requested. Inner Reflection arises naturally.
For several days the glimmering Himalayas hid from us in the clouds, shrouded in secrecy. We were unable to enjoy the incredible views we knew were just behind the veil. Still, our time in Pokhara was just right-both restful and productive. And every once in a while the clouds would shift, giving a sneak peak of the Annapurna, beckoning us closer.
