Our Round-the-World adventure

[tacototheworld]

Nepal - Part 2

We made our way out to the road and opted for a shared jeep with a local family. Two hours later we were back in Pokhara at the airport. Since we were three hours early for our flight back to Kathmandu, they just smiled and put us on an earlier flight.

Repeatedly people asked us “what no guide?” but they were just curious. No one who checked our regional Annapurna hiking permits was concerned. It seems that the TIMS is still technically required but they are not currently issuing them or enforcing the requirement so you are free to trek on your own if you have your regional permit.

In general, the costs are reasonable. Guest houses ranged from free to $20 with the average being $7 for a night. For the two of us including the permits, jeep trips to and from trail heads, guest houses and 3 hot meals a day (breakfast always included with the accommodations) it cost $240 for four nights on the trail. The hike is a treasured memory for us.

We always said we would get to Nepal before we were unable to hike and we made it. Aging on the road is no joke, sometimes we feel it more than others. We are both facing a decline in physical fitness that comes with age and try to balance our desire for youthful adventure with pragmatism. Sometimes we realize we are in denial and have to turn back from a physical adventure, but this time it worked out for us!

So we returned to Kathmandu, ready to meet up with our son, Trevor who had been hiking in the Mt. Everest region and explore the city before crossing into Tibet.

One of the three Durbar squares in Kathmandu - filled with ancient temples

We did not do a good job cataloging each temple and site in Kathmandu. We visited all three medieval Durbar Squares and they were fascinating but they felt over touristed. Somehow for us the joy was in the wandering the neighborhood where people were living in ancient buildings, selling fruit from elaborately carved storefronts and appreciating the sense of history. We walked for miles with the soundtrack of Bob Seger’s 80’s soundtrack “Kathmandu” running through our heads - marveling at intricately carved doors, witnessing the people praying at temples, gasping in delight as we turned a corner and saw another ancient building tucked away in an intersection clogged with motorcycles.

Round any street corner you can come upon an ancient temple tucked in among the apartment buildings

The doors were amazing - always one of our favorites

Lovely couple we ran into on one of our evening strolls

Enjoying our Free Walking Tour with local guide Shiva

Old Silk Road market intersection, these days walkers compete with motorcycles and scooters

Everything is for sale in the street markets

Beautiful old building damaged in the 2015 earthquake

Climbing the steps to “Monkey Temple” (Swoyambhu Mahachaitya) overlooking Kathmandu

Beautiful Buddhist stupa

Still collecting masks around the world, Dawn purchased one of Ganesh

We could - and did - wander the tiny streets for hours, so many fascinating buildings and sights to see

Well that is our photographic journal of Kathmandu. Satiated with the city - for now - we loaded up our son, Trevor and started making our way to the border with Tibet where we were schedule to join a group of overlanders to cross with a guide (required).

Heading up to the border with Tibet

It was a seriously slow road

But of course beautiful too

Nepal was way too little and way too brief. We know we only scratched the surface and hope to return for more trekking (maybe after Dawn replaces her knees?) Thanks for reading, next up, another lifelong dream - Tibet.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

The Great Trip continues.....thanks so much for continuing to post. What an amazing place Nepal is ! I'm curious, you've mentioned a few times recently that the aging process is taking its toll, that Dawn needs new knees, so I'm wondering, how much longer do you guys see yourself on the road ? It's remarkable what you've accomplished so far.....just curious about your plans ?

 

[tacototheworld]

We're planning on spending a couple of more years on the road exploring Central and South America.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Thank you for sharing and being so candid, I look forward to seeing the Central and South America portions as well.

 

[tacototheworld]

Crossing Tibet and Yunnan in China - Part 1

Our second day in Tibet, heading for a mountain pass at almost 15,000’

Driving through Tibet was a lifelong dream for us. But the logistics were complicated and it was expensive so we ended up limiting our time there. The Chinese government requires foreign drivers to have a guide and there are strict regulations controlling your travel so overlanders usually team up and share the cost of a guide. Foreigners are only allowed to stay in specified hotels and there is no tent camping allowed in Tibet. Sleeping in your vehicle is a bit of a grey area, sometimes it is allowed if associated with a foreigner registered hotel.

As we planned for our trip we were aware of the conflicting tensions between our idealized image of a mountainous country steeped in Buddhist history with a unique culture and the realities of a Chinese controlled state. Tibet was annexed by China in 1951, in what is known in China as the “peaceful liberation.” However, Tibetans have experienced subjugation and an attempt to eradicate their traditions, language and remote, nomadic ways of life. Their cultural and religious leader, the Dalai Lama was forced to leave the country when China took over. The dream of being able to wander and deeply explore at our own pace could not be a reality.

Our route through Tibet and Yunnan provinces in China - 2300 miles

We knew of three agencies that specialized in getting overlanders across China: Drive China, Road Pioneer and China Roadtrips. We had used Drive China on our route from Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan thru western China and had a great experience working with Merry and Bing. They are highly experienced, professional and easy to work with. As we prepared to cross on this longer trip, we joined a Whatsapp forum of travelers sharing information on traveling from Nepal to Laos across China. One of our members who ended up putting the trip together for everyone (thank you Max!) negotiated with all three organizations and we ended up going with China Roadtrips, the newest kid on the block, which was offering steep discounts to their first travelers. In the end it was a good decision, we saved a chunk of money and Edward at China Roadtrips was responsive and organized. We joined four other vehicles, one bicyclist and two motorcyclists for a 15 day crossing of Tibet and the Yunnan province in China.

We say “crossing” on purpose because the days were long - 6-8 hours of driving over steep mountain passes. For the eight days in Tibet our average elevation was close to 12,000’ and everyday climbing at least one pass over 14,000’. This was not so much a relaxed tour but a group of people caravanning across a unique and wonderful land -probably going too fast but also intent on saving travel costs.

We had the added excitement that our son Trevor had decided to join us and ride along through Tibet. As an extra passenger in our vehicle he was only a $250 charge added on to the $1150 we were already paying for our share of the guides for two weeks.

Approaching the Chinese border with Nepal

Our intrepid group of overlanders and guides with our welcome scarves

You never know what is going to happen when a random group of strangers is collected to travel together. We tend to have faith that other overlanders are going to share somewhat similar philosophies and a relaxed attitude towards travel and the stresses that can come along with it. For the most part that was true. We had a lovely group as a whole, with lots of camaraderie, good cheer and evening beer. One couple separated themselves fairly early on.

Entry into China was complex and bureaucratic. Our three guides (Edward the owner of China Roadtrips met us at the border and eventually handed us off to our Tibetan guide Tashi, then later we traveled with Alex in Yunnan) took control of the paperwork and translation, which we were grateful for. We were asked questions by the guards about our views on China and were required to turn over our phones for them to scan through our pictures and social media. We were warned in advance not to have any sensitive material available, especially any pictures of the Dalai Lama. Books were also a concern and they confiscated our son’s used copy of “The Smartest Guys in the Room” about the Enron collapse.We assume it was because it was about capitalism (although not the positive side of it).

It was common to see government billboards in Chinese, we could translate them with our Googe translate - they feel a little spooky to us, like they were trying to tell us how to think

Very nationalistic messages

We spent our first night in the modern border town of Shigatse. Along the route were thousands of cameras, spooky

So happy to have Trevor along - we are lucky that all three of our kids have traveled along with us at different points - there are not many people we would want to share our tiny space with but they all qualify.

Mount Everest peaking out of the clouds

Warming up with some yack soup, with French motorcyclist Max and Swiss overlander Teo who sleeps in the back of his hatchback Dacia

Driving the “Roof of the World". Everyday we would cross over at least one or more passes exceeding 14,000’. Admiring the switchbacks. Although twisty and steep, in general the roads in Tibet were excellent and well paved.

French motorcyclist Max chats with a local vendor. A deep thinker, adventurer and natural leader, Max is traveling the world after serving in Afghanistan - his blog can be found here: Scrambling Nomad

Traditional Tibetan home. Yak dung, pressed into briquettes, drying on the wall

Ceremonial yak! (OK, really a yak dressed up for tourist photos)

Driving into the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, behind German motorcyclist Jacob and our guide car

Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lama before we was forced to leave Tibet and move to India

Appreciating the unique architecture

Entering the inner palace - no photos allowed inside

Following our visit to the palace, we made our way to old town Lhasa, a beautiful center with exquisitely carved homes and shops, filled with artisans, shrines and temples. The streets were filled with Tibetans in traditional clothing, Buddhist monks and Chinese tourists.

Locals out for a stroll

 

[tacototheworld]

Talk about good timing. Below is a photo of our truck just about to enter China from Nepal. Notice the bridge that we're on is seemingly solidly made with concrete.




A month later after some severe rains the bridge is gone



This is the only border crossing that foreigners are allowed to use between Nepal and China. It is estimated to be closed for 4 months.

Yikes! And then the only border between Pakistan and India that allows foreigners to cross is also closed due to the hostilities there. Then most Overlanders should strongly reconsider traveling across Russia or Iran due to their Kidnapping Diplomacy. And finally Thailand is absolutely refusing entry of any vehicle that they consider to be a "camping vehicle".

Overlanding Asia is not easy!

 

[ghostdancer]

That really sucks! I tried to find info in regards to that Thailand crossing and nothing really comes up In regards to bringing in a camping rig with a carnet.

 

[tacototheworld]

That really sucks! I tried to find info in regards to that Thailand crossing and nothing really comes up In regards to bringing in a camping rig with a carnet.

All foreign vehicles entering Thailand must get a foreign vehicle permit which usually costs between 200 to 600 USD. Thailand has had a law for several years not allowing foreign camper vehicles to get an FVP, which effectively bans them from entering. However, until this spring it has not been strictly enforced. There are several sites including Overlanding Asia Facebook and WhatsApp groups that provide up to date info. One organization (www.fvpthailand.com) somehow gets around the law and can provide an FVP for camper vehicles but it takes 45 days and $1,600. What defines a camper vehicle is fuzzy. Our vehicle was considered a camping vehicle but a Toyota land cruiser with a pop up tent was not and got a FVP in a week for $200.