China shuts the front door (temporarily!)

Day two in the truck went about as well as day one.  No problems with fuel and Calypso negotiated the narrow roads, scarred from landslides, perfectly up the hill to Kodari, the Nepal/China border town.  Ahead on the hillside we could see Zhangmu, our goal for the day and just a short distance away. 

Zhangmu in the distance, our goal for the day

Exiting Nepal was simple and fast, squeezing the truck past all the other waiting vehicles took a little longer, with no more than an inch to spare each side.  Passports stamped out, there was no turning back.  On best behavior we duly followed instruction and lined up in order of the group visa and crossed the red line in the middle of the bridge that marks the boundary between the countries.  We then met our local guide who will join us on our journey through China, Mr. Zhao, better known as Rambo. 

After an hour or so wait Hels was delivered the horrifying news that there was still a problem with our permit further up the chain in Lhasa and the truck would not be able to cross until this was in place.  Rogs was still in the driving seat of the truck behind the ominous red line, which we were now no longer allowed to pass back across.  With no means of communication except a helpful Nepali called Karki who could pass freely across the bridge Hels had the brainwave to write a postcard that we’d been given at the camp the night before and use Karki as the postman.  “Greetings from the China border!” it began.  Then went into a brief summary of what she’d just been told.  The Chinese border officials began to relax a little as the hours went by and Rogan was allowed across the red line to join us and we were all allowed to cross back to the truck to refresh our water bottles and get books and snacks much to Rambo’s dismay.  He appeared on the other side of the line with a panic stricken face and said “what are you doing?!”.  Please don’t cross the line again.  Right’o Rambo.

Linc hanging out in Kodari

Waiting for news in the Nepal border town

Hels back to the border by the quickest means

The hours went on, lunch came and went and then we were told we would have to go back to Nepal, not even Rambo could save the day or Mindy & Dave’s offer of a whip round to grease some palms.  So near but yet so far.  With our tails between our legs we retreated from whence we came. 

Departure from Nepal officially cancelled

We decided to stay close to the border for the next two nights as news filtered through there was a chance we could cross imminently.  Finding a delightful hotel after discounting the option with shared bathroom and interior rooms  for only a few dollars more we secured the best in town, the Himalayan Eco-Resort.  We gazed at the steep forested cliff of China directly across the river, looming over us.  We were waited on by Nawaraj, so petite he had to stand on a chair to put money in the tips box.  Once he’d got over the fact we wouldn’t all want to eat the same thing at the same time and the odd extra cup of tea could be thrown in at breakfast for no extra cost, they looked after us wonderfully.  

Himalayan Eco-Resort

Nawaraj, our host

Game playing commences with a big game of UNO

Mark gets fed up waiting

Friendship viewpoint waterfall

Tan, Bree & Linc

Landslides enroute

No GPS, that's not funny. Only 11kms.

A couple of kilometers down the road were the Tatopani hot springs and baths so we walked, hitched, motor-biked and bussed down there and back for our hot showers in the absence of hot water at the hotel.  What a luxury to be able to shower in steaming hot water without the concern of it running out.

Bree, Vicky & Linc on the bus back from the hot springs

Mark & Rich

Our permits hit a further obstacle in the form of mooncakes.  What are mooncakes you ask!  Well, they are small Chinese pastries traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn festival, the festival we now found ourselves in, meaning work would cease for three full days and our permits would once again have to wait, not so much a celebration for us but plenty of time for lunar worship and moon watching. 

We retreated further, back down to the Last Resort who thankfully squeezed us back into the safari tents meaning we’d stay dry from the daily monsoon downpours.  A few days here and time for those that didn’t bungee last time to beat themselves up and try but fail to ignore the taunts and temptation, Rogan eventually relented and leapt from the bridge and Linc completed the combo with a canyon swing. 

Vicky & Mark settling back into the luxury tents

Plunge pool

Rogs takes a man-up pill

Linc swinging

Our ascent to altitude postponed we allowed ourselves a beer or three, the game playing commenced to wile away the time, along with the banter and coining of nicknames.  Randy Rae, Philly Willy, One Poke Rich and Sticky Vicky are all hoping their names don’t in fact stick.  A mass game of Jenga and very rowdy “eat the box” resulted in some sore ham strings the next morning as well as heads, with even the less youthful and bendy of the group having a go, some getting impressively far!  A strip being cut from the box each time until a small square of cardboard remained, flush with the floor. 

Tan "shut the front door" jenga

Hels teetering on the edge jenga

Jenga cocktail

All those precautions we take to try not to get sick when abroad, eating carefully, avoiding ice and salads, and then we go and lick the floor.  Numerous times.  Desperate to get that bit of cardboard between our teeth and be victorious.  In the end 5 of us shared the crown, the memories however are too hazy to remember exactly who these five were.  How we were not all sitting on the loo the next day I don’t know.  Must be toughening up for the next stage of the adventure. 

 

 Bruce B eating the box

Phill gets down with safety hands all round

Dr Bruce spreads his legs

Rich pulls a hammy

Rich & Tan do a team Haka

Movie night at the Last Resort

Linc found a handy “How to speak New Zillund” guide on the internet so we can all understand each other a bit better now.

It’s not all been sitting around game playing, many have ventured out hiking in the heat, exploring nearby villages and schools, meeting locals and enjoying the spectacular scenery and usually returning with bleeding toes having been leached.  The little buggers squeeze through the tiniest holes in trainers, the victim unaware until he’s had his fill and dropped off leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Mindy, Barb, Bruce, Lisa, Judy & Robbie off hiking

Local school visit

Lisa, the most intrepid hiker

Dr Bruce relaxing

Water powered flour mill

We’re hoping for no more bloodshed, rested and relaxed we’ll be heading up the hill once again in the morning carrying four leaf clovers, rabbits feet, wishbones, horseshoes with everything crossed that can be, ready to do battle at the border.

The dreaded mooncake

Off to a smooth start...

Following on from our last post, a little while ago now, we were just a short hop away from Kathmandu.  Even still it took 12 hours to eventually roll in under cover of darkness, having inched our way up the winding roads in single file, sometimes stopping for up to 2 hours at a time.  Playing board games and I Spy in the cab to keep us entertained.

Kathmandu at last

The last two weeks in Kathmandu, for the crew at least, have involved a lot of hard work.  Each day negotiating and then bumping and weaving along in little Maruti Suzuki taxis, often laden to the axles with shopping and equipment, through the narrow streets, our sightseeing satisfied, apart from a quick trip to the monkey temple, by glimpses of Patan’s Durbar Square out of the window. 

Swayambhunath, the "Monkey Temple"

Steps down from the Monkey Temple

Washing in Thamel, Kathmandu

Street shrine

We scrubbed and cleaned, hunted for leaks, sealed every little gap and crack we could find, installed a new stereo, the back locker was sprayed silver for extra sparkle and the front bull bar smart matt black.  All the wheels came off and brakes serviced.  A new piece of glass was cut to size and fixed on.  Last but not least, a hoover (thanks to our generous hotel) and good scrub and polish, windows so clean people later asked whether truck security had been breached and they had been left open.  Calypso was ready to go.

All the wheels off

Front left

Leak busting

Preparing for a new front window

Get those nuts tight!

Some very dodgy home electrics

Rogs loves vacuuming

Hels loves copper slip

Scrubbing & cleaning

We were delighted to finally meet the group, having only had passport copies to go from on what to expect and who to look out for, we’re pleased to confirm they’re a much better looking bunch in reality.  

Interesting pre-trip mug shots...

Judging from the level of chatter on the first evening everyone was settling in nicely and getting to know each other.  We are made up of 9 Aussies, 7 Brits, 2 Americans and 5 Kiwis, we have people new to overlanding, Extreme Overlanders (who have done another Odyssey Overland trip before) and even Bruce B & Judy who overlanded in 1975 from Kathmandu to London, we do have 2 Bruce’s, Dr. Bruce and Bruce B as well as a Sue and a Suzie.

We were due to leave Kathmandu on Friday 13^th, a dubious date, however due to some delays with permits for China we spent an extra night there.  So in the end we spent the best part of a week in Kathmandu, we think it’s safe to say everyone saw the monkey temple, a lot had their first glimpse of the Himalayas up at Nagarkot, everyone did some shopping on the streets of Thamel and it seems most also spent a night sitting on the loo or on the porcelain telephone to God.  Good to get those bugs out the way early!

On the morning of our departure, Saturday 14^th, a road block and diversion leaving the city messed us up slightly, in trying to re-join the main road we made an unintentional visit into the centre of Bhaktapur and back out again the way we came, in reverse, around tight corners and under an arch. 

The group ready to go

That's better!

This looks perilous...

Jobs up, ready to go

Sue giving us the royal wave boarding the truck

Streets of Kathmandu

Thamel traffic

Leaving Kathmandu

Monastery outside Kathmandu

Calypso on the move

Reversing back out of Bhaktapur

When asking locals directions is definitely worth remembering not to put words in their mouths.  “Kodari, this way?” They respond “Yes!”.  If you put your arms up and say “Kodari, which way?”  They will more likely have to put some more thought into their response.  A couple of hours later, having only travelled 31km so far (the journey to Istanbul could take some time), we suddenly felt a loss of power in the engine, conveniently next to a fuel station.  A hasty tilting of the cab and changing a dirty fuel filter, we thought we were back on our way with full power again.  Only for it to happen again a few minutes later. 

Dave, Phill & Adrian scratching their heads

That filter looks a bit dirty

A charity Nepali runner stops for a chat - with Dave, Bruce, Judy & Mindy

Still on the run when we passed him later

More investigation and deciding the whole tank of fuel must be bad we found a friendly fuel station who were happy to suck the diesel out of the tank and siphon it into a barrel. 

Locals sucking diesel

Bye bye diesel

Sam making friends with the locals

Steamed momos for lunch

Another clear out of the fuel filter and once again we went for a drive.  To our dismay we lost power a third time.  Time to make a plan.  A local bus was scrambled to take us the additional two hours up to our destination, bags on the roof and we were finally on the move again, leaving Rogs behind with Calypso, driving up a stunning road, sheer drops each side, to just short of the China border. 

Mixed reactions to our alternative transport

Not quite the day one on the road we had hoped for and planned but morale was not dampened as Rogs arrived with a healthy Calypso only a few hours later.  After moving half a ton of stone tiles to clear the already tight parking area in the dark, at last, cold beer in hand, we could toast the day.  A pesky piece of plastic had found its way into the fuel system and was intermittently blocking a pipe.

Hmmm... we need to get the truck in there

Sunday morning back home would normally involve a lazy start.  Not on the road when days of the week become quickly irrelevant.  We were all up early from our safari style tents at the hillside retreat, The Last Resort, for a great breakfast spread and then to spectate Linc do the bungy from the suspension bridge over the gorge.  With two Go Pro’s attached and the morning after a heavy night, he probably didn’t know where he was or what he was doing, he swan dived without hesitation.  Spurring Rich and Mark on to also take the plunge, being weighed in and jumping equally gracefully before all heading off to attack the white water in rafts for the rest of the day.  Extra respect to Mark for bungee’ing on a dodgy stomach, very, very brave and to late entry Lisa for an afternoon canyon swing and the longest, loudest scream!

Suspension bridge over to Last Resort

Stunning gorge

Last Resort accommodation

Suzie sweeping out her tent

Rich swan diving

Lisa mid-swing

Linc, Mark & Rich the bungy brave

The crew chose tent number 13 at the Last Resort in an attempt reverse our luck.  Judging from the steep hillside we are perched on and number of landslides along the way there is a chance one will sweep us all away down river, back to Kathmandu, and we’ll have to set off all over again!

Squeezed in amongst the rubble

Our very own security chicken

And now to China!  Our permits have come through and we are off!