Day 19 – Kathmandu to Chitwan

Everyone wanted to get away from Kathmandu. Not much to see or do.

Our hotel “bubble” was a great protection from the real world here.

The route retraced the road in to the city so it was a repeat of the conditions. Early morning gave some respite but the reality sure hit home as soon as we hit the arterial route.

Pollution from anything that could pollute.

Some road surfaces were being upgraded after the earthquake though we had to drive around this work on just the dirt to the side. All the traffic had to do this so it was slow and arduous.

Once at the summit the air was cooler but the roads that were planned got worse. Winding and full of craters and missing tarmac. Roads that paraded as roads but we’re nothing but a facade.

All the way. When it looked like we could give it good speed, it just deteriorated again.

We are required to meet strict time constraints but also need to look after our girl. She’s our only means of getting safely from a to b.

On the regularity section we planned to get it right again. Meter set, counter ready, but we had to self start, meaning that we needed to get to the start point 7 kms away on time to begin. On public roads with children and busses and trucks all using this narrow unkempt road.

We were delayed at the start due to traffic and at the exact start line two lorries coming toward us prevented us from crossing a single lane bridge. It took more than a minute to move them  with heavy horn use, to no avail. This section had six speed changes and a secret timer, so it was already complicated, without the traffic issues and the like.

So that, being the final regularity of the rally, prevented any attempt to improve our points in the competition.

The roads before us remained as a very poor road standard. Restricting our speed, bearing in mind that there were still time checks to meet.

It sounds like a hard luck story, but the pressure is always there, to get to the finish of the day, on time and in one piece.

So to get to the MTC at the accommodation we raced over what seemed like a riverbed of round river rocks to beat the time required. Steve didn’t really let up on the accelerator except to miss the larger of the rocks.

We got in 12 minutes late but without the loss of points. Disappointing since we had met all previous time controls before allocated time set, at the Berahi Jungle Lodge Resort.

The accommodation was set out in the middle of what seemed like nowhere, and we were welcomed by five elephants and a troupe of drum and horn players.

Beautiful elephants that were ridden by their owners for control.

Then to our quarters. Set out so that hardly any building would impinge on another, with white stone driveways meandering the park like grounds, where one could walk or catch an electric Tuk Tuk.

The inside of each building was hand crafted the bathrooms individually designed and built, and hot showers!

Eating and sleeping are always top of mind so little time to experience this lovely venue.

Would have been nice to stay a little longer to see what it was all about.