Today is the day to travel back to Kathmandu.
Trying to book a Bolero (Jeep) to take us back to Benighat the day before was fun. In the Raleigh budget I'd been given 3000R to pay the driver, however this is Festival season and none of the drivers were willing to make the 2.5 hour trip to Benighat for less than 7000R. Many phone calls and negotiations later, the price had come down to a firm 5000R and Raleigh agreed I could pay.
Bolero booked for 6.30am to get to Benighat for 9am. Bolero arrived at 7.30am and we arrived in Benighat just after 10am. Some of the other teams had been there since 7am, having had to set off early as that was when their Bolero wanted to leave!
Quick bit of breakfast then into the van for a ride back to Kathmandu. Roads heavy with traffic, no one really sticking to their side of the road, our driver overtaking round blind corners which was nice!
Followed a Bus that had overturned that day, the wreaked Bus still driving down the Highway, assumed it was going back to be repaired. The strapline on the back of the Bus read 'We make Travel More Fun'....maybe slightly too much fun for the poor passengers who were on board at the time.
Other notable sight was the poor goats tied onto the roof rack of a Van that was rammed with people. The goats had just been tied to the roof rack by their head tether, still able to stand. Any animal cruelty makes me cross and sick, this was a level that I have never witnessed before. The goats were being brought back to Kathmandu to either sell for sacrifice or to sacrifice by the owners. Nearing Kathmandu I passed a stretch of the Highway with row upon row of goats for sale in preparation for Dashain.
Trying to book a Bolero (Jeep) to take us back to Benighat the day before was fun. In the Raleigh budget I'd been given 3000R to pay the driver, however this is Festival season and none of the drivers were willing to make the 2.5 hour trip to Benighat for less than 7000R. Many phone calls and negotiations later, the price had come down to a firm 5000R and Raleigh agreed I could pay.
Bolero booked for 6.30am to get to Benighat for 9am. Bolero arrived at 7.30am and we arrived in Benighat just after 10am. Some of the other teams had been there since 7am, having had to set off early as that was when their Bolero wanted to leave!
Quick bit of breakfast then into the van for a ride back to Kathmandu. Roads heavy with traffic, no one really sticking to their side of the road, our driver overtaking round blind corners which was nice!
Followed a Bus that had overturned that day, the wreaked Bus still driving down the Highway, assumed it was going back to be repaired. The strapline on the back of the Bus read 'We make Travel More Fun'....maybe slightly too much fun for the poor passengers who were on board at the time.
Other notable sight was the poor goats tied onto the roof rack of a Van that was rammed with people. The goats had just been tied to the roof rack by their head tether, still able to stand. Any animal cruelty makes me cross and sick, this was a level that I have never witnessed before. The goats were being brought back to Kathmandu to either sell for sacrifice or to sacrifice by the owners. Nearing Kathmandu I passed a stretch of the Highway with row upon row of goats for sale in preparation for Dashain.
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