We took a morning flight to Pokhara. Pokhara is a city nestled deep within the many folds of Himalaya. After paying an airport tax, we went through the security and waited in front of the two doors which were busy transporting numerous passengers to remote hill towns. In a hilly country, air-travel is the quickest and most effective means for moving around. As the we strained our ears to catch the bits and pieces of information we could glean out of the heavily accented announcements, a man came shouting for the passengers to our plane. Thinking we had nearly missed our plane, we ran for the gate. Fortunately for us, this was the usual procedure and I had to admit, this is the best method to ensure people get to the flight they need to board. As we (me and my fellow passengers) eagerly followed the man out of the building, we saw numerous planes standing side by side to be boarded. It will be very easy for any passenger to make a mistake and board the wrong flight. Imagine being stranded in an unknown Himalayan city, separated form civilisation by towering mountains. However, knowing the hospitality of the hill folks, you will not starve or freeze even in the most desolate corner of this beautiful mountain country.
As the plane took off, we were rewarded by the sight of beautiful mountains all around us.
Pokhara is a city nestled deep within the many folds of Himalaya. It is a bustling city spread around the lake Phewa.
Due to its proximity to the Annapurna range, the northern skies of the city boasts an excellent view of the snow capped mountains. If you are lucky, the northern sky in the morning with be partially hidded behing a solid wall of snow and black rocks running from left to right as far as your eyes can see. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I scanned the sky. But it was almost noon, and the mountains were hidden behind white clouds.
Pokhara airport is tiny but neat and organised, staffed by less than twenty people. As we were handed our luggage from across the counted, we were greeted by our guide from the hotel. We needed to take the car to the edge of the Phewa lake. From there we would be ferried across the lake to the hotel. We were booked in the Fishtail Lodge, named after Mt.Fishtail.
We had to wait at the jetty for the ferry to arrive, which is no more than a huge wodden platform pulled back and forth with the aid of rope. We were later informed that as the hotel was being built, all the heavy materials and machinery were ferried across the lake in this process.
When we reached the hotel, the beautiful setting took my breath away. If one wishes to spend a quiet peaceful holiday in the lap of the Himalayas, this was the place. The hotel does not have any two-storied structure. Each room is styled like a cottage. Everything is decorated and designed to meld in the natural setting. The beautiful gardens are a feast for the eyes.
After lunch we set out to explore. The road around the lake is lined by restaurants, hotels and shops displaying Tibetan art. You will also find plently of trekking agencies and tour operators on this road. The road was a busy one. We decided to leave the road and walk along the shores of the lake. Shortly, we came across a small coffee shop vertually perched on the lake. As we sat enjoying a hot cup of coffee and watch the play of light on the waters, some school girls arrived. The leader (not more than 10 yrs) smartly jumped on one of the moored boats and rest followed. After settling in, the two older girls started rowing and headed for the opposite shore. By the time we had finished the coffee, they had become a small speck on the lake.
We spent what was left of the day walking around the lake. As evening closed in, lights started appearing in ones and twos in the outer shores of the lake. The streets lit up like a festival night. Music filtered in from the restaurants lining the streets. The whole lake sides seemed to have come alive, just as stars started appearing on the sky above.
As the plane took off, we were rewarded by the sight of beautiful mountains all around us.
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| View from the Plane Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
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| A Lake near Pokhara Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
Pokhara airport is tiny but neat and organised, staffed by less than twenty people. As we were handed our luggage from across the counted, we were greeted by our guide from the hotel. We needed to take the car to the edge of the Phewa lake. From there we would be ferried across the lake to the hotel. We were booked in the Fishtail Lodge, named after Mt.Fishtail.
We had to wait at the jetty for the ferry to arrive, which is no more than a huge wodden platform pulled back and forth with the aid of rope. We were later informed that as the hotel was being built, all the heavy materials and machinery were ferried across the lake in this process.
The Ferry to our Hotel Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee
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| Garden at the Fishtail Lodge Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
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| Boat on Phewa Lake Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
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