Aug 24 – Internal Peace and Outer Chaos
Dog barking middle of night, hammering in morning. Rise 9am. Make cafe usual w stove. Pay old woman 660r for last night. 11a grab new nearby small place chk khana 320r solid. Handstand clean freestanding after 5 attempts-trick is to know how hard to kick. Follow push WO-reg pushups 2x40 pretty tough.. right shoulder still not fully recovered from motorbike in thailand.. chair dips 18, 20, 21 ez ex. Tri exc on stairs 2x9. 5/10 WO. Shoulder mobility on terrace, windy day. Head to Lumbini Heritage Site last time, walk around Ashoka Circle, pay 700r for entrance into Asoka Temple, security following me around, can't take pics inside-annoying. Meditate outside temple beside tree 30min, full lotus 41 breaths tot (21+5+15) right ankle tight-insight: internal peace creates outer harmony. Half lotus way easier, old women asking for money on way out. 330 grab lun reg spot chk curry w nan 385r. Hostel shwr, rest tired, guy talking on balcony. Chill bit on terrace and room, chat w GPT. 8p grab food, small place closed, back to reg spot chk khana + rotti 380r. Chill in room and terrace, less moskies from neighbors incense.
Aug 25 – Failed Ascent and ATM Friction
Finally good night rest, quiet, no dogs or construction or moskies. Make reg cafe. 11 eat at small spot chk khana 320r. Checkout Tagatha HS 12pm, real good for price, old woman pretty sweet. Watch local bus pass, wait at main intersection 20min for local bus to Siddarth packed 80r. Catch local bus right away back to Butwal, better bus 70r. Arrive Butwal 2pm, walk around other side of hwy, find nice hotel for 6000r, girls bit pressuring. Bus station on OrgMaps not there. Walk back to Fortune Hotel, pay 1600r for AC room, diff room. Walk north to Nabil bank, withdraw 35k NPR w 850r fee, cost 370 CAD-bit worse than last time. Walk around find stairs up to hill park, find food sparse get momos 140r, samosa next door 50r. Organize stuff, roll another. Hike to new trail Baje Bajai Temple, hike up steep water stream, no ppl, rough trail, couldn't reach 500m peak, so hike back down-real sticky and humid, shirt soaked and shoes soiled again. Pullup at temple area 15, L monkey grip 10 tuff. Clean up shwr, wash shoes again same hotel. Rest good. 830 grab same spot as lunch chk set + roti 320r solid for price.
Aug 26 – The Roughest Ride and The Jungle Approach
Sleep ok, comfy room. Rise 9am. Buy water downstairs to make cafe 50r, awkward kettle. 11am eat again same spot 3rd time chk set w roti 320r. Checkout Fortune noon gud place. Walk across hwy to bus park, local bus leaving right away to Bharatpur 400r, keep picking and dropping off ppl, very rough ride, long stretches of unpaved rd, dust and shaking hard -roughest ride so far in Asia. Arrive in Bharatpur 510pm, walk around for hotel 600-2000r, city kinda ugly tho, grab momos 130r. Walk to river festival, eat 3 chk lollipops 120r. Catch small pickup 50r to Ratnanagar. Grab another pickup to Sauraha 40r, arrive at 730 main st. Walk to Bhupusanik, book online only 660r fan room pretty bare. Shwr hard, rest. 840 walk out for din, grab nearby spot chk thalii 400r, feed bones to dog, got xtra chk. Walk around to river, view cheapest place Crocodile Safari Lodge 450r, seems like everyone is a guide. Chill outside, book a different lodge for tmr, chat w GPT 5 less interesting.
Aug 27 – Rhinos, Elephants, and Hard Bargaining
No moskies luckily. Rise 820, ppl talking loud outside. Get hot water from host, make instacafe, chill at roundtable only 1 table in GH. 1030 walk around to main st, find place w weird chapati, peanuts and cereal 100r crunchy. Hotel checkout at 1140, chill at table, leave Bhupukanik at 1235. Walk to Tiger Inn ez checkin double room w attached toilet only 575r paid. Handstand prac on balcony deck beside room confined space got freestanding after about 10 tries. Walk to Chitwan National Park, see 2 black rhinos and 2 Asian elephants, find nice observ tower, do lite leg hygiene maintenance air sq 135 bounce, pistols 1xx21. Leg raises / adv kossack, hundle rotations fix left hip grinding. Try Garden Restaurant chk set 395r, pretty solid 450r w water n tip. Wildlife Museum 200r, reptiles preserved w taxidermy and chemicals. Walk to main corner find jeep for 1000r 2hrs 25km seems cheap. Find gym w sq rack and LP for 200r. Hotel owner said jeep for 900r-seem to be hurtin for tourists here. Chill on balcony, old guy trying to talk n sell me jeep tour, weather cooled, more energy, chat w GPT. Shwr, rest, meditate bit. 830 try small local spot w guy chk curry w rotis 400r bit overpriced but got pic of wild black rhino on st. Walk along main st, snacks n cafe. Chill on balcony, not mosquitos, buffalo jerky not good-poor night for food.
Aug 28 – Jungle Workout and Slow Service
Sleep ok, no mosquitos amazingly. Rise 10am. Make cafe in kitchen, nice woman pretty quick. 12p walk around food by rhino statue main intersec momos 270r almost double Pokhara price. Pay guy 600r another night, not as good as online credit pmt like previous hostels. Rain hard short, lucky timing. Lose on Lichess. Handstand prac got it after 5 attempts. 230p Conan Gym 5min walk away in drizzle leg WO high bar sq 80kg x18, 90x15, 95kg x12. BE shoulder sore up to 60kg x10 smooth like a newb. 1LDL 40, 60, 70kg xx7. Adv kossack w dbell 20kg, 25, 30kg xx7. Leave 200r on counter. Chill bit on balcony. Walk back to Garden Restaurant from yday chk set 395r w brocoli, waited over 40min no other customers, still left tip 450r w water good size meal. Chill on balcony only me, chat w GPT, debate whether to walk out for sunset. Shwr, rest, try to meditate in lieu of site work. 830 book another lodge for tmr, 3usd private room. No bano. Walk to place from first night chk thali set 400r, another tour guide talking to me. Power outage, streets dark on way back but somehow WiFi still on-a strange disconnect. Chill on balcony awhile, chat w GPT and Gemini in dark.
Aug 29 – Jeef Safari
Dog barking but stopped late, sleep ok. Rise 920. Make cafe in kitchen again. Chill morn, checkout Tiger Corner 1130, decent stay in mediocre place. Grab momo on park st 200r. Arrive Crocodile Camp 1210, pay only 420r for double room no bano cheapest yet in Nepal. Clean n org, brushing teeth bit challenging bare outdoor sink. Handstand prac small porch area w enough height got 2 clean then fail couplex. Walk to riverbank, another guide said need pass to walk thru dangerous animals. Grab chowmein nicer corner spot w good view 375r decent chk. Jeep guy said 800 for ride to farther park, no 2k entrance fee. Walk back to guesthouse. 350pm back to corner for jeep safari, said not enough ppl yet, walk around check back at 430, use diff company at 440, pay 800r, jeep leave right away, connect with other jeep, drive around free park saw deer, peacocks, macaques, boar apparently, back around 640 for sunset. Everyone trying to sell tours. Chill bit, chat w GPT about Southern Africa travel. Grab food near corner small spot buf khana set 350r, not khana, gave dehydrated rice (kaja), order another rice charged 100r-NG, no refills either, ripped off. Walk around get cafe 60r, try fancy lounge spot smoothie n fried momos 540r splurgy day still under 25 CAD cuz of cheap room. GH locked doors and gates late, can't get out.
Aug 30 – Transit to Bandipur: Minor Logistical Challenge
Sleep ok, no moskies. Rise earlier 830, make cafe, guy gave 1 cup hot water. 10a grab new spot chk hana 380r poor serv. Checkout Crocodile Safari 11am, pay 120r, guy seemed disappointed I was leaving. Walk to main st, no tiny vans, walk to tourist bus station, tuks want 200-300 lift to highway. Walk to other main st east of town, catch tiny van to hwy 50r, catch mini chk bus right away to Bharadur 50. Wait for bus to Dumre over 30min, Nepal not too organized, no schedule or tickets, similar to Guatemala. Pay 200r good deal. Stop 15-20min for noodles 100r. Nicer bus, seat recline, nap bit. Arrive Dumre 315, find bus to Bandipur right away packed, decide to stay for momos 150r chk momos. Next chk bus leaving at 430, walk around town, find bus to Besisehar for 400npr. 430 bus left right on time, nice scenic ride to Bandipur 100r. Walk around several GHs 800-1500, choose Bandipur Kaushi Inn 1000r double room w balcony and water, no windows. Walk around town, really small. Hike up to Sunset VP, nice view, perfect sunset timing. Shwr, rest, pretty comfy double bed no desk. 820 try corner spot chk khana 400r slow but solid set, main town st pretty dead, almost no tourist. Chill bit on lobby, kids talking loud, feel tired.