The day started waking up at 5:30 AM and I must say, this was by far the best nights sleep I’ve had since leaving Alaska! How nice it is to be a sleep on that Ashley had the fan running the entire night, so ridiculously hot and unable to cover myself except maybe my legs with the sheet, sleeping with a mosquito net in relative peace is something to truly be appreciated! Apparently, since this is a National Park, the Nepalese travel bureau tourist canine ambience program is not permitted to operate within the confines of the National Park. Who knew???

The jungle safari jeep ride! Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Well, I should’ve known from doing these things before, it’s basically driving around on bumpy roads and trying to get really excited about seeing things like peacocks. Okay, it wasn’t that bad, we did see a rhinoceros, wild boar, a couple of huge bison, and numerous interesting birds. I know it sounds jaded, but having done a few of these before, I think I’m prepared to cross “jeep safari ride” off of my bucket list for good. Well, unless I make it to Africa… (Writing about this reminds me of the safari ride in Molokai many years ago where Rory got “attacked” by an ostrich.)

After the safari was over, and we crossed back over the river in a long dugout canoe, I hung out for hours along the river under a palapa. At the river seems to be the only place there is a breeze, going back to the room without electricity for fan or aircon would be senseless.

While I was sitting, a group of young boys stopped by and I was immediately suspicious as one of the other folks had left 60r on the table. I knew these kids would take it…and they did! I asked where did the money go, they all acted dumb; opening their empty pockets to show me; suddenly 60r appears on the ground! Magic!!! I asked them to take a hike after that…

The previous hour, an elephant and handler were here washing in the river. For the last hour, I’ve been watching several Nepali women do their family laundry in the river. Another showed up with about a 2yr old cute little kid, bare naked frolicking and bathing at the river’s edge. We forget about how simply elegant a simple life can be…

At breakfast prior to the Brit couple’s arrival, I had a brief but interesting conversation with Flavia (Swiss doctor NGO cyclist) about an essay she’s reading by a Korean philosopher about transparency. This would be the tendency of the Facebook generation (and many of us) to electronically post everything we’re doing; and ironically, just as I am now. The discussion is about how the constant revealing of often very meaningless and superficial information affects our culture; contrasted with the previous practice of more face-to-face communication; that is now often interrupted by buzzing and dinging of incoming messages from others that often are given priority over the face directly in front of you.

Reminds me that another part of the same conversation with Flavia about another topic by the same Korean guy about what she called the culture of tired busy-ness, or something like that. The idea that all the spaces in time within our lives should be filled with something. Some of us are worse than others, perhaps me thinking I “need” to take bike trips is an example. Many of us think our lives should be ever-spiraling upward to higher heights of adventure and “more” happiness, more interesting-ness. Another very interesting topic. I will get the name of the author, but she doubts he has been translated to English… No doubt other philosophers are plowing the same ground…

So today currently at 105F, with no electricity in town and therefore no mechanical cooling anywhere, I am filling my time space with nothing more than sitting under a shady shanty beside the river, traditional Nepalese music wafting from above, appreciating the light breeze as this day is blistering hot, even here…under a shanty, down by the river…

Aargh!… and I suppose I’m revealing by electronic posting possibly meaningless and superficial information about myself… I’m so confused now!!! Life is such a conundrum…

While walking back from the shanty along the river back to the Safari Lodge, I struck up a conversation with a guy mamed Krishna Nepal that was working on building a little beach bar in front of a hotel that was also being built. We talked for at least 30 minutes, about a wide range of things including families, about how little governments do for people these days due to the economics worldwide, and if governments spent less money on wars and such things there would be so much more money available for the people for education and other good things. In the family conversation, I asked if the government put any restrictions or preferences on the number of children families have; he said not really, except there was a small financial incentive to have not more than two. He went on to explain why Nepalese families want sons; because traditionally a son stays home to care for the parents in old age; daughters tend to move away to husband’s family. He is that son to his parents. I think this is a well-established tradition in Asian culture generally, much less so in the modern American culture.

Having conversations like that are the main reason I like to separate myself from the other bikers on trips, when you’re walking around in a crowd of westerners in any foreign country, you tend not to have those individual conversation opportunities. I find more frequent success by myself.

Back at the room for a brief rest up, then now back out by the riverside much closer to where we’re staying to watch the sunset for about the next hour. And have a nice big cool bottle water and shot of local scotch. The guide Ox asked me to go out with dinner with him and the other guide and driver later, I really like when they do that! I’ll have to find a way to make sure that the other clients don’t notice that. They’re so much more picky and complaining about things all the time it seems.

Tomorrow’s itinerary calls for 120K on the main road which is relatively flat with small hills, but all paved. (More opportunity to draft behind big trucks!) But in this heat, that’s really not a good idea at all. So the modified plan is that we will get on the bikes at 6:30 or 7 AM, and ride 50 or 60 K, probably just up until about 11 AM. Then van into Lumbini, which gives us a great opportunity to actually explore that place a little more than we normally would. Limbini amazingly is the birthplace of Lord Buddha in 632BC!

Just now heading out to dinner by myself, because Ox changed the invite at the last minute, and that’s just fine. He was with his buddies to go drink some whiskey. So I decided to go to a place called KC’s restaurant, which is a very nice outdoor place with a huge menu. Fortuitously, as I’m walking down the street from Safari Lodge, I see my friend Krishna Nepal again and he kindly invites me for a cup of tea and I of course accept! It’s dark by now, so we chat around a dark table at the hotel that he works at that I mentioned before. A very interesting conversation, me telling him a bit more about my life, job, and “pattern of manner”; him telling me about his family and his one (of two) son with leukemia diagnosed at age five. He had to take his son to India for treatment as there is no treatment available in Nepal apparently. This caused an enormous financial burden on the family, because it took about three years for treatment. Originally, he had a piece of land here in Chitwan National Park with plans to open a hotel in this World Heritage Site which would’ve been certainly a lucrative endeavor, but unfortunately he had to sell that land to pay for the treatment in India because there is no insurance or assistance in Nepal for treatments that are not available here. Actually, a very touching story, and as we all know, a single medical event be life-changing in so many ways; for the individual, for the family and loved ones, and impact a lifetime.

Cheers to you, Matt! A heartfelt wish for a speedy recovery!

The official day summary:

Fri 12th April: Chitwan National Park

Today is a welcome break after the exertion of the previous days of cycling. You may choose to rest and recuperate at the hotel or venture into the Chitwan National Park. The best place to start is the Visitor Centre at Sauraha which provides fascinating information on wildlife and conservation programmes. The park is a popular destination for ecotourists and activities (at an extra charge) include:

Canoeing: A journey down the river Rapti in a traditional Dugout Canoe offers the chance to quietly observe the exotic species of birds and animals that come to drink at the water’s edge.

Elephant safari: The opportunity to get a closer view of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros and possibly the elusive Bengal tiger from a safe vantage point.

Guided jungle walk or drive: Walk or drive deep into the jungle, accompanied by an experienced naturalist, to prime locations in search of rare animals.

Bird watching: An early morning walk through the bush and along the Rapti River, with an expert guide to view some of the 450 species of exotic birds including the Giant Hornbill, Lesser Florican and Paradise Flycatcher.

Observation tower: Climb the 22 foot high wooden tower built in a prime location within the park for a unique perspective on wildlife in the wilderness.