Motorcycle Diary (Kathmandu-Manokamana-Damauli-Pokhara-Kathmandu)

Dear Diary

Finally ! We decided to leave Kathmandu on date of 2066/3/14, 28 jun 2009 Sunday. We (Sapan and Me) both excited about our highway Motor cycle trip and wondering to know what will be the next.

            My Plan is to first stay in Damauli the first night and try to get some Information about Chapdi Barahi Temple then I’ll take a bit of time to make plan of our next move.

Nepal is a land of unparalleled scenic beauty located with one of the most diverse diverse geographical areas on earth. Nestled high in the Himalayan between china and India, is has retained its essentially agrarian and medieval character. Its wondrous history and geography are still the defining aspects of every life.

Since Nepal first opened its frontiers to foreign visitors in the fifties, it has been the epicenter of Himalayan adventure activities. Climbing and trekking holiday in Nepal Himalaya has become highly sought after adventure sport throughout the world soon after the advent of tourism culture. Nepal has an unsurpassed range of environment, ranging from the lowland of Terai to the snowy summit of the highest mountain range on Earth. Traveling in Nepal not only offers an opportunity to submerge in Himalayan bliss but also a change to step back in time. Standing before the entire world as a vivid kaleidoscope of picturesque landscapes, exotic wildlife, arid high-altitude meadows, magnificent mountains, incredible travel destinations, unique culture, festivals, ancient heritage, pristine backwater, and exotic cuisine, Nepal is undoubtedly a traveler’s delight. Bike riding in Nepal is often referred to as riding through the Paradise on Earth.

Way to Manokamana Temple

Day 01.Riding in the Rain 2066/3/14

Riding in the rain. Being cold- Today is raining but we are riding on highway, riding with a helmet visor that needs repair, a jacket that is too warm, sweat running down my back-way do I choose to ride my own motorcycle on these days? For us, it has to be more than just that feeling of perfection, passion of our projects Documentary that comes while riding in ideal conditions. It’s the challenge of making it thought the bad morning, leaving in the rain and arriving in another city in the early evening with clear sky. But we can’t arrive early evening at Damauli cause 1 vehicle hit the man and he was dead so road is closed. So we went MANOKAMANA Temple.

Way to Manokamana Cable Car

MANOKAMANA TEMPLE We haven’t seen such a beautiful scene in my life. The moment is very likely and unforgettable for us. The weather is very changeable at the moment. We saw their fog…Yes FOG in the summer and you can feel the fog moving behind your face. Beautiful sunset-feel like we are on Heaven in Earth.

Sunsit view from Manokamana Temple

Foggy View From Manokamana temple

Day 02.Manokamana Temple to Damauli 2066-3-15

Today, temperature perfect, the weather perfect-blue skies, no clouds- I thought about just ideal the conditions were for motorcycling. Just perfect, I was comfortable, the motorcycle was behaving exactly as it should, and the most overwhelming sense of well-being came over me. But it was more than a sense of well-being. It was a feeling of complete awareness of the perfection of the moment.

Highway Riding

Sometimes we just can’t get where we are going by nice curvy country roads. We have to get from point to another point, We need to travel a distance on the highway, at high speeds to get where the real adventure motorcycle, when I first started riding, I was little bit worried. I felt as though the wind would blow me off the bike or the wind would blow the bike off the road. I lacked the confidence that I had total control of the motorcycle, and that I could outsmart and outrun the vehicles with whom I was sharing the highway. To me, seed, wind and distance were dangerous.

Way to Damauli

The Seti river offers two options, one easy the other a little harder.

Option 1 for Novices/ Clinics and family groups involves a bus ride to Damauli (Pokhara 2 hours, Kathmandu 5-6 hours) here you join the Mardi Khola which brings you very quickly to the Seti river. Early season you could get to the take-out in a day. A steady float would make it two.

Seti river....Kids having fun

Option 2 is a good self sufficient trip for kayakers. Starting with a bus ride to Dule Gouda (Phokara 1 hours) and a day of 4+ then class 3 rapids get steadily easier to class 2 at the Confluence of the Mardi Khola. A day or so from here in a kayak would bring you to the take-out.

Chapdi Barahi Temple

Day 03.Chapdi Barahi Temple-(Damauli) to Phokhara 2066/3/16

Breakfast at the Hotel (Hotel Navaratri) and ready for riding at 8:00 am. For Chapdi Barahi Temple. The temple is 20 minus far from Damauli bazaar with my Motorcycle. Some believable person trust that the main goddess fish have a golden remark in the middle of head but its shows on 15 Ashad month only.

Lunch at the Hotel at 11:00 am. We are ready for ride to the Pokhara. We booked Room at Stay Well Guest House. And went to look around at Lake side. After Boat ride in Phewa lake and visit Barahi temple I feel that “पोखरा मा तालै ताल but काठमाडौँ मा पानी को बेहाल”.

Barahi Temple

Bat Cave

 Day 04. Pokhara- Respect to the Danger-2066/3/17
Start riding early morning to the next adventure experience. We went to grab the thrill in Mahendra cave. This is a limestone cave named after King Mahendra . The Surrounding village is known as Batulechour. Professional minstrels known as Gaines live in this village. There is another cave known as Bat Cave in the nearby vicinity. In Bat Cave we have most unforgettable moment. We entered 2 times in this cave there are lots of bats and too bad smell. Next move on Devi’s fall:- Locally known as Patale change, Devi’s fall is the most famous water fall in Pokhara. It is 2 km southwest of downtown Phokhara. During summer and raining season, the waterfall takes its real form, with gushing water splashing and making its way through the rocks. There is a cave known as Gupteshower Ghupha on the other side of the road. The cave is popular of the different natural from limestone deposits. 

Phewa Lake

Our last visit on World peace pagoda (The Chinese gumba).

Chinese Gumba

Near the Kumari Cave Seti River

Sapan Shrestha Near the Kumari Cave

Day 05. Back Home from Pokhara 2066/3/18

Trip Ends….After breakfast we fill fuel full tank in my motorbike. Then we arrive to the Kathmandu. Time and experience changed my mind with respect to the danger involved, but we still don’t really think that highway riding is fun but it is fun but it is sometimes very necessary. If you want to get from east to west, and you are going to have to do some highway riding. You’re going to be doing some long distance motorcycle travel. So make the best of it. Look over at those people in cars and feel sorry from them. Cause you are on a Motorcycle !!

Way back Home Pokhara to Kathmandu

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