In an effort to be affiliated to a new
project at the university, dealing with the in vitro
propagation of endangered plants from Nepal and other areas in the
foothills of Himalaya, I found it necessarily to make a expedition
to Bangladesh,
Bhutan and northern India as
well. While
literature lists
various characteristics
within the flower, they fail to list the growing conditions for
these plants. That is what I need to know, and
it seems like visiting the original habitat, is the only way gain
this information.
I will be able to observe, learn, measure and understand their preferred conditions in the wild. I will analyse light, humidity, pH and concentrations of nutrition along with other factors like ventilation and animal interaction. This is a very little studied subject, and with the array of species found in a relative little but climate diverse area, Nepal offers a perfect study. I hope to be able to visit nurseries, private growers and botanical gardens along the road. However, this present diary does not deal with those experiences; it merely describes the adventures I encored along with the studies, which took me pretty much all around this beautiful and friendly country. The scientific work will be published elsewhere, and used in my daily work. Some
facts about the country.
(Jump to diary) MONEY: The currency is Nepalese rupee (NPR) which are worth little.100 NPRs equals €0,80 and 6 DKK. As the rats reveals, it is not a rich country in money. GDP; US$240. In Denmark, it is US$58,894.
CLIMATE:
Nepal is commonly divided into three physiographic areas: Mountain,
Hill and Terai. The northern part of the country is dominated by a
mountain range, containing 240 majestic peaks above 6.000 meters. ANIMALS and PLANTS: Because of the variance in climate, from tropical to arctic, Nepal has a large variety of plants and animals. There are 181 mammal species. Here are everything from the Nepalese snow leopard, Asiatic rock python, elephants, tigers, Indian rhinoceros and wild yak to the Gangetic dolphin, which can - with loads of luck -be found in the wild. My friends did see them, but they somehow forgot me. Well, I was in Australia at that time... 900 bird species, quite some reptiles and
insects, and 5067-6500 species of plants from 200 families. 400 species of
the vascular plants are endemic to Nepal. The Rhododendron
arboreum is the national flower.
DIARY A late morning flight brings me to Istanbul, with three and a half hour to spend, before the last leg to Kathmandu during the night. Just before boarding, we are treated with yet three and a half hour more in Istanbul. Way too much time for a dull airport, in my humble opinion! Only two flights out of 60-70 are delayed - why mine? The bright side is; it was at least the second flight, which was delayed. Then, as a special treat, we get additionally an hour and a half at the runway. Quite eventless flight to Kathmandu, with some sleep and a good film, but only one serving: Breakfast right after take-off, around 2AM. Despite the clouds, the in-flight is amassing. High mountains and small villages on steep slopes. The landing strip cuts right through town, in-between the mountains.
14/12.
To treat my self, I have ordered an airport pick-up. Well, the hotel offered
it for free, and I kind of feel welcome, when someone awaits me with a big
sign, baring my name. It is a short ride, but very slow to the pre-booked
hotel: Kama
Traveller's Home. As no surprise, the manager tries eagerly to sell me a complete tour packet, but I convinces him: I am capable of going by my self, and I won't pay. A bit peckish, after twelve hours without any food or drink, I head out to find an ATM and a restaurant. Fried rice with vegetables and a fried egg, chased by a Nepalese tea: Real tasty, slightly spices tea with milk and a bit of sugar.
I am in the middle of a huge maze-shaped tourist area,
with endless shops of cloth, bags and useless souvenirs and a few
restaurants. The drizzle is persistent, and I find it hard to capture the
cosiness of the area. Due to my late arrival and the bad weather, I
postpones today's agenda for tomorrow.
My room is only 15C, and my fingers start to be too stiff to
write. At least, there is a duvet stored in
in a cabinet.
Unfortunately, I can't tell the difference between the cold
water and the alleged hot: 5 and 6C? I just realises: I don't need a shower!
Alternately, I head out in the city in a hunt for cake and hot
tea. The hot water has been turned on, and I manage to get warm, before heading to bed; 16.00 Danish time, 21.00 local. After some time, I figure the madras is way too cold: A layer of springs with a sheet on, does neither feel comfortable, nor warm! I fold the thick blanket, and sleep as a sausage in a hotdog. Considering I'm in the capital, rather central, it is surprisingly quite. No voices, no dogs, no horns, just a bit of rumble from a few passing vehicles. 15/12. Start the
day with a hunt for breakfast. Not much activity in the city
before eight - or nine for that matter. I find a classic English
Breakfast, on my way down south to the attractions. The weather
has not improved that much, but at least it is dry. The streets,
on the other hand, are so muddy. I can't imagine how they will be
during the rainy season! I make some photos despite the
greyness; they might actually work. Here are quite some butchers
with fresh meat on the street. Here are small temples with
praying people in many blocks. On small squares, bigger temples
are found. I reach the old city with wooden buildings and a lot
of electrical wires.
I have reach the end of my trail, and
returns, persisted to find the missing Itum Bahal temple square.
I have to ask quite a few times before I'm guided to a small
entrance, I have passed some time ago. If it is the right place,
it is not that impressing. The large square with playing
children, a large Bodhi tree and surrounded by rather tall
buildings, make a better motive. I walk back through the sights,
making additionally sunshine photos, and head back on New
Street. One thing that strikes me, is the lack of food stores and
mobile shops. Other Asian cities I have visited seems to contain
of 30% mobile shops! Many of the side
roads are dominated by one
kind of goods. Sowing machines in one, bikes in another and so
on.
I head into the city to find some sun, but
the only place I can find it, is on a rooftop. And the sun is
not powerful in any way. Back in the street, I find a spiced tea
with milk, to warm my fingers on, and then I track down the two
nurseries within the city. Nothing special, but many plants.
None are grown efficient, and none of the present people speak
much English. I find some buns for my breakfast, a bottle of
water, which only come in one litre, and half a litre Sprite -
just for the bottle. So fare, I have enjoyed the tour, despite it is significantly colder than I prefers. The capital seems so friendly, but at the same time kind of rural. I can only imagine how the countryside must be. Well, tomorrow will be the first taste of it, although I might get into serious tourist territory.
16/12. Heavy thunder, arctic cold and
the usual stress by an alarm clock, set way to early, prevents me
from getting much sleep. It is still pitch dark at six, but
lightens a bit half a hour later, when I'm walking to the "bus
central". It is called a tourist bus, and supposed to be
luxurious, but I just don't fit in. Further more, I'm told to
sit at the very back, in the rather empty bus. It slowly fills
with locals, and even two tourists, as we drive out of town,
through the rain and misery.
The roads follows the large Trisuli River downwards, but it is impossible to capture any of the else so
magnificent motives, lining the road. That is because of the
condition of the road: It is partly sealed, and it seems like
the sealed parts are the most bumpy! Time and time again, I find
my self in the air, just to meet the seat hard. Hard brakes
almost every time we meet another bus or lorry, and here are a
lot!
We pass through the rather large city of
Bharatpur, and the bus empties. The fare ends in the village of
Sauraba, the centre of Chitawan National Park expeditions. I'm
expected by the
Safari Club, and we drive on, to a rather luxurious lodge,
way above my usual standard. The usual price is $290, I pay
half. Here don't seem to be any "backpackers options" anyway.
The area is famous for the bird watching, and
I see quite a lot in the lodge's garden. Oriental Magpie Robin,
Russet Sparrows,
Asian Pied Starlings, Red-vented Bulbuls, Indian Jungle Crows - and others. The entire park use to be the
hot-spot, but due to the amount of tourists and general
development, the numbers of rhinos, elephants, tigers, leopards, gharial and mugger crocodiles, rock pythons, hog deer, gaurs,
wild dogs, jackals, sloth bears, spotted deer and giant
hornbills within this 250 square kilometre park, has gone down.
The new, recommended hot-spot is Bardiya, but it is a three day
bus-ride out of my trail, and when asked, they stated: It is
very cold here now!
At four, Damu takes me for a walk to the
local Tharu village. The sun has gone behind some dark clouds,
but the motives are here. Right next to the lodge, a happy
looking female elephant stand
between two huge stacks of rice-hay - maybe because she had a
visit last night, from a wild male elephant? He destroyed some of the banana-plants
nearby.
The power has returned. Both in Kathmandu and
here, there are what the South Africans call "brown-outs":
Planned power cuts. Here, it is ten hours during the day. Hotels
and shops have their own generators, feeding a single lamp in
each room, adding significantly to the air pollution.
Despite I still in the fantastic Shitwan NP, the diary continues in
Diary 2. |