Nepal 2019 - Day 1 - Kathmandu to Shivalaya

Kathmandu

I checked into this budget hotel in Thamel called Khangar Hotel only to find out that they can't get me a room as a large group had their flight to Lukla cancelled due to inclement weather and will need another night at the hotel. These Lukla bound hikers were already proving to be a pain while I was in KTM! The hotel transferred me to a lodge next door and assured a room the next morning. I wasn't looking for any special amenities but a bed and a clean washroom at max, so it all worked out.

The first task the next day was to acquire bus tickets to Jiri and all important permits to Gaurishankar and Sagarmatha National Parks. Best part of staying in Thamel was the easy access to most offices, eateries, hotels and transport hubs.

Got the ticket to Jiri in an ''Express" bus at 05.40 the next day. Apparently, the one that left at 06.00 wasn't "express"enough! At the permit office, I was glad to see most hikers signing up for EBC rather than any other route. All that was left was a good night's sleep and not miss the early bus in the morning. I was very excited but slept quite well that night.

Kathmandu to Shivalaya

Got to the bus station on time, got a seat just behind the conductor and an aisle seat to boot, I was off to a great start. That's where the good times kind of ended for me. The bus got crammed full of people, some hanging on the side of the bus and the loudest Nepali music that one could ever hear. All of that is very common in India and didn't really bother me that much. What did get me is when people started to reach out for barf bags just 30 mins into the journey. One would would have thought that the locals would be used to the motion sickness but apparently not.

The bus journey was unlike any bus journey I have had in India. Usually, for longer journeys, you have dedicated seats and limited passengers on board and better infrastructure. This was a fee for all and probably the only mode of transport for the local people. The bus swayed precariously on the edge of the road from where you could see the banks of the Bhote Khosi river. The oncoming trucks/buses which came barrelling towards us only to veer aside at the very last moment only ensured I was wide awake during this 9 hour ordeal. Statistically, the bus from KTM-Jiri has a higher fatality rate than the more common, the more expensive, flight to Lukla.

The bus was due to reach Jiri at 2pm, however, as I was so used to the usual delay in the sub-continent, we reached leisurely at 15.30. The bus ride was hard, bumpy and not comfortable until it used to halt. This delay meant that I had no downtime at Jiri as my plan was to reach Shivalaya before sunset. As per the map, it was a 3 hour hike to Shivalaya and I was comfortable with it. Usually, you are a little faster than the average time you calculate in the maps. 

My body was a little stiff but the excitement of my first day of trekking really motivated me. Also, analyzing the physical map to figure directions was another challenge I was taking on for the first time. Thankfully, there were enough people on the route to guide me in the right directions. By the end of 30 mins, I figured that I had grossly underestimated the terrain and the time it got dark. The 10km walk was mostly pretty steep uphill and really took a toll on my already battered knees from the bus. The trail was fairly well marked going through small villages. What really took me by surprise was how quickly the sun set and how difficult the next 3-4 kms would be. Around 17.30, I ended up passing through a forest with my headlamp on hoping that I was sticking to a trail. Mules and farm animals gave me hope that I was not straying off course. But it was getting tougher with each step and pretty slippery on the mud. When you see your headlamp hitting a pair of eyes in the dark, no matter if it's a dog, you get scared and fear the worst. It took about 4-5 passes from those eyes to reassure myself of nothing malicious that would lurk in that forest. There was a tricky section next to a cliff with loose stones which really tested my fortitude and trekking ability in the dark. Once that was crossed, it was back to flatter trail leading up to a flatter trail leading up to some distant lights in the background.

That was a huge relief for me and surely I thought, that was Shivalaya. It had to be, I was walking for well over 3 hours. I quickly pulled up the map and didn't see anything else it could have been. I reached the river and breathed a huge sigh of relief as I saw the bridge leading to Shivalaya. The map pointed to a bridge before this village as well. I was feeling fresh again as I saw my destination just minutes away.

I took shelter in the first teahouse post crossing the bridge. Kalo Pathar, Shivalaya glittered in the moonlight and a huge sense of relief and accomplishment came over me. I was greeted by the owner and offered tea. I checked into a small room with basic amenities (bed, a light and a charging point) which cost me 200 NPR. I was quite happy with it as it was my first teahouse experience. I freshened up and came down to the kitchen to talk to the owner. He expressed a lot of surprise to find me on this trail as very few people attempted this route anymore. He also informed me that I was probably the only foreigner in the village as it had been a week since the last hiker passed through. We had a long conversation discussing my itinerary, he shared some tips and changes to it before dinner arrived. I have never enjoyed Dal Bhat the way I did that night after a gruelling first day hiking in Nepal.