Edward, my traveling companion, and I soon found Nepal, was indeed a place of great beauty and set off in search of some adventure. Due to the early onset of monsoon we opted not to go trekking, but look for other alternatives that might afford a different experience that was less taxing.
So, we booked a two day trip to go white water rafting on the Trishuli River. We were told we were joining a group of about ten people and we excited to mingle with some other travelers. Unfortunately, our traveling partners on this trip were not what we expected. Instead of being joined by a group of rugged, international backpackers, as we might have hoped for, as we arrived at the river back, we were meet by a group of pimply-faced adolescent Indian students on an "outward bound" program. Nonetheless, the rafting experience was great. The actual rafting part was less exciting than expected with the recent rains, the water level was high. Still, the views of the hillsides as we drifted down the river were incredible. Lush and green and beautiful. My only regret was that we had to pack our cameras away for protection from the water.
After five hours of rafting, though, Edward and I were ready to relax. Spending the evening with this motley crew of children didn’t seem like the best way to enjoy the surroundings. We made a decision not to continue on with the rafting tour and instead continued on to the riverside town of Pokhara for a few days of rest and relaxation. Our traveling spirit carried us away from one adventure to the next. One lesson gained from this particular excursion was to always trust your instincts. We were thrilled with our decision and arrived to the quaint area in time for a yummy dinner.
The next day, we rented a boat and crossed the river and hiked up to this hillside Buddhist temple. Here we spent some time just reflecting and enjoying the view of the river and the town below.
Our peace and quiet, however, was interrupted by the beginning of monsoon rains and we decided to try and get down the mountain as quick as we could to row back to our side of the river. Unfortunately, the down pouring rain made the rocks scattering the trail down very slick, and lo, one hasty step and I slipped on a rock and broke my fall with my hand - landing on a very jagged rock. Further to my dismay, the cut on my hand was deeper than first thought. As I reached the bottom of the mountain, Edward looked over and saw my now very bloody hand.
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