Foremans' Travel: Day 19 - Monday - Kathmandu to Bharatpur

Day 19 Monday - March 11 - Nepal Temple Tiger Green Lodge

Today we take a domestic flight from Kathmandu to Bharatpur near the Chitwan National Park. On the way to the airport we see a long line of motor bikers and learn from our guide, Kiran, about the Nepal fuel crisis. With the holidays, fuel deliveries from India are delayed meaning no gas for vehicles or the power generators for the country. We drive on the same road that was packed with throngs just last night and go by the newly designated World Heritage site of the Shiva Temple. Acres of houses were removed recently in order to qualify the temple for the designation. They're also building an extravagant looking electric cremation center to help clear the air. None too soon.

In the small airport I see a Nepalese woman with many gold earrings. Kiran explained that the banks are not trusted, so women wear their extra money in their ears. Pondering that. She seemed pleased to let me take her picture. The mom and baby too. So cute. We squeezed into the 18 passenger Buddha Air plane and had nice glimpses of the Himalayans.

We squeeze again into a small car for another hour and a half drive from Bharatpur to the Lodge. We see a nasty looking wreak of a tipped bus. Maybe top heavy? The number of people riding on top and leaning out the doors and windows could add to the hazard. By the way, Kiran says they all pay the same rate no matter what "seat" they take.

The Nepal government decided in November that the Temple Tiger Lodge in Chitwan National Park must move out… no longer operate in the reserve where they've hosted eco-tourists for 20 years. So, they bought property right next to a village of native Tharu people and in less than 6 months built all that we see.

Our cabins are not bad but we missed having hot water one afternoon when we really needed showers. The solar water heating system had sprung a leak. We were also told the electricity for the entire country of Nepal is rationed for 12 hours each day so Sue might not have the pleasure of sleeping with her CPAP machine. However, the Temple Tiger manager said he would arrange a special system so we would have power all night. Imagine that. Considering their challenges, they did a marvelous job. Considering the accommodations we've enjoyed so far, these are very rustic.

We don't care… we had marvelous elephant rides and saw the Greater One Horned Rhinos… even had one mama charge us on the way out the last day. That's the picture that looks like the driver put it in gear and got out of there fast — just as Steve clicked the shutter. This variety of rhino has a most interesting rump with folds of skin and lumps. There are only 503 in the park and maybe that is all in the wild anywhere. We also saw mongoose (geese?), Spotted deer, and lots of French Birders with maximum sighting equipment. The Nepalese naturalist gave an evening talk about the park and dinner was very campy and Nepalese (less spicy).