This eighth day started out with my indecision. The normal scheduled day was to be 120k. It has been only getting hotter, so Ox suggested a modified version; about 60k before it got too hot. Flavia had already decided to skip the day’s ride entirely, hiring a car to take her to Lumbini saying she wanted no part of cycling in this now 108F heat with a light breze. That sounded like a great idea so I had invited myself along last night with sharing the cost of the car. At the last minute, I changed my mind (those of you that know me well would not be surprised by that) and decided to ride; primary because in all 11 cycling trips, I have never failed to ride EFI (Every F’n Inch!) and today didn’t feel like the proper time for an exception. (Note: the only exception to my EFI standard was when I crashed in Burma; I don’t count that against the record…) So off we went into the hot hazy yonder!!!

60k as promised? No, 80k and certainly every bit of 105F heat by the end. The haze limits visibility to about one mile. Riding as it continued to heat up, finally the Brits threw in the towel and I was more than happy to be done for the day. I did manage to stay in front the entire day, I might add! Saw two large monkeys along the way… Also a motorbike vs bus wreck; not sure if the guy was already hauled off or if ejected into the bus through the windshield and still in there… Kinda not good…

All the bikes up on or in the van, and next was perhaps the best lunch I’ve ever had. Rice, curry veg, chicken bits, cucumber, spinach, potato chip things, and a spicy chili sauce that was amazing! Mix all that stuff together for a great lunch. Photo below. After lunch, then it was in the van for about 80k to Lumbini.

Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, is a UN World Heritage Site, and has nice roads, and some nice hotels. And ours is one of them!!! The Buddha Maya Gardens Hotel is a nice place! And it has power!!!! Aircon is in this heat is SUCH A LUXURY!!! Very happy about this as its the first aircon we’ve seen since Khatmandu!

We had a while to shower and do laundry; then grouped up again to visit the sacred site if Buddha’s birth. Think of this as the Buddhist equivalent of Bethlehem. Here there were some old ruins of the monastery some 2300 years ago.

What was more interesting was my conversation with the guide; another engaging talk with a Nepali that resulted in email address exchange. Most interesting was his offer that if I sent him the names of my daughters, he would meditate on good things for them so that they grow and prosper, and would even send them a personal meditation they could use to enhance their success in life. A very interesting guy; has lived in Lumbini all of his 70-ish years. His name is Binda.

After, back to hotel for buffet dinner (good, but predictably bland!) After din, laid down briefly… So sleepy… And no 3G or wifi here, so cannot load pictures now…

Clarification of previous post: “How nice it is to be a sleep on that Ashley…” was a typo. Really!!! Just saw that now. Funny!

The official:

Sat 13 th April : Chitwan National Park –Butwal – Lumbini

We leave the park and spend the whole day cycling through the western Terai. Today’s ride offers a real glimpse into local life in this part of Nepal. We pass through picturesque thatched villages where farming methods have changed little in centuries. Cycling is the ideal way to discover this beautiful area and to meet friendly villagers living a traditional and simple life. We finish cycling for the day at Butwal and transfer by vehicle to the sacred town of Lumbini our destination for the day. Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha (623BC). The town and surrounding area have the remains of many ancient stupas and monasteries which were built up to the 9th century. Buddhism declined in the area after the arrival of Islam and later Hinduism and the garden of Buddha’s birth was lost for 1000 years until it was re-discovered by a German archaeologist in 1895. Lumbini was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Today it is mainly visited by Buddhist pilgrims from Japan, Thailand and Tibet retracing Buddha’s footsteps through the stations of his life. We overnight at a hotel in this tranquil pilgrimage town.