CHITWIN. In a day
Happy to be leaving Kathmandu, certainly not my favourite place. Tony worked hard yesterday getting the car ship shape with the help of Andy and Tony. Andy suggested we had too much weight so we tried to get someone to take some luggage early this morning. Some of the officials had already left and some were already carrying too much so we stuck our bag back in the car and at the prescribed time we headed out and down the hill again of Kathmandu. We have four new tires. A plastic bottle and duck tape for a headlight and Tony managed to take the skid plate off and look under it . He was checking the oil level in the shock absorber power pump and he adjusted the two from brakes, two half turns for the front and three half turns for the rear. He tried to get the tires balance but to no avail. Filled up with petrol. Then finally reinstalled the skid plate which was a real challenge . He was hot and sweaty. Overheated and worn out by days end.
We were then to go to a dinner put on by ERA at a local Kathmandu restaurant and show. We were a bit skeptic. The meal was pretty bad and then a number of people succumb to the terrible belly issue. Tony who is so susceptible once again was up most of the night. He is coughing pretty bad too.
The day was long and the times were hard to reach. We were strong through the early morning and on time the Regulatory was difficult as the speed changed every KM and there was secret timing going on. We met a bus then another unloading children
Smallville Napal
Havinging a swinging time!!
Then a tractor then two trucks.
Afterwards we headed on to the heights so we could see Everest. We climbed to 2488 metres for what should have been a panoramic view. Except clouds rolled in and we saw nothing.
So after a quick rest we headed out, next PC 42km was over roads that could swallow whole cars. We bounced we jostled for another one and half hours. The PC was across a suspension bridge so finally I got to run across a bridge. Wanted to do that. It bounces if you try to run.
Ride’m Lee…!
On we went we are headed to a jungle resort. So I am guessing we will go over more horrible roads in our final attempt to get there. Well time started flying by. What we thought was early was now turning into a very late last run. On the road we went others knew we needed to get in so they moved aside. Part of our issue was stopping for gas and finding only diesel at the first few stations. Driving is amazing, how do they live with such pollution. We talk about saving a bag or two or walking more to save the planet. It’s hard to know where to begin
The grit from the road is in every pore of our bodies. We notice at night showering then taking a towel to dry the towels are still black. It scary what we are breathing, it’s scary seeing the black billowy smoke coming out of the trucks. Diesel trucks and buses are everywhere.
Finally we arrived minutes late but so were many others
At the entry we were greeted by elephants and a staff that tried to take care of our every whim
Exhausted we took a shower and trundled off to dinner. Where there was some entertainment. I went for a brief swim
Then headed for bed as day 20 started at 5
Border crossing.
