Everyone has been asking us if we are going to Pokhara. So we went to Pokhara. West of Kathmandu, 2 hours by car, 30 minutes by plane + 1.5 hours waiting in the airport.
Pokhara has a lakeside district where the tourists are ghettoed. It is quieter and more scenic that Kathmandu, although still plenty of ways for tourists to spend their money.
But there is the view.
From the town one can see the peaks of Annapurna poking over a northern ridge. Today we took a taxi to the top of that ridge, then hiked up another 40 minutes to the heights of Sarangkot, the location of an ancient fort. Spectacular views, which my camera does not do justice to.
Then, crazy as we are, we decided to hike the 2000' (600 meter) descent back to Pokhara.
We had a map, but got lost nonetheless. Fortunately we mostly just had to follow roads and paths downhill, helped by local villagers used to pointing the way for ignorant bidesiharu (foreigners) such as ourselves.
We finally made back to town, tired but happy.
Tomorrow we return to Kathmandu, for 2 more days before we return home.
