Sept 28 – Exploring the Trails & Hot Springs: The Near Miss
Best rest in a while, possibly thanks to three soothing hot spring soaks. Rise at 9 AM. Stayed another night in a free room. Ordered regular black tea and made instant coffee at the hotel. Breakfast: dal bhat (800r). Bought 4 samosas for 200r and started the hike to Lumjang Base Camp at 10:30 AM. Ate samosas on the way. Reached Lamjung BC around 1:45 PM. Marked BC on the map.
Hike down, hit a cliff, and realized I lost the trail. It was a rough time, pretty scary. Hiked down to a sheer cliff, climbed back up. It was a tough, bushwhacking experience with no machete—pure struggle. Twilight was looming as I reached Tibet Hostel at 6 PM. Late for a chat with son at 5:45 PM. We chatted for 35 minutes—he likes pickup trucks and McLarens. Soaked in the hot spring. Had chicken curry for dinner at 7 PM. Ordered egg noodles—grateful to be alive after the tough hike. Another relaxing soak in the hot spring before bed. The warm water chased the cold fear away.
Sept 29 – A Day of Recovery: Re-entry to Logistics
Slept well but was tired. Rise at 8:40 AM. Made black tea and ordered egg chowmein for breakfast. Paid the tab: 4000r for 2 nights, 5 meals, and teas—such a steal! Checked out of Tibet Hostel at 10:45 AM. Tried to catch a jeep by the bridge, but the next one wasn’t until 12:30 PM. Walked back to the hot springs, soaked for about an hour (6th soak), and washed my shoes. Finally caught a jeep at 12:10 PM, paying 2500r, and left at 12:50 PM. Stopped for lunch next to a waterfall—dalbat for 650r. The road was rough, jarring and constant motion, but the high price was justified. Arrived in Besi Sahar at 4:30 PM, down to my last 1100 NPR. Walked to the Nabil ATM to withdraw 35k NPR (charged 850r; now 365 CAD). Walked back north and got a basic hotel at Om Shreya for 600r (no bathroom). Grabbed food next door—chicken momos for 150r. Walked around and stocked up on supplies. Chilled in the hotel, worked on the laptop with good WiFi, despite the rough ride and power outage—the grid is unstable. Grabbed more food at the same spot—chicken chowmein for 220r. Snacked in the hotel lobby on chips, walnuts, and chocolate.
Sept 30 – A Quiet Day in Pokhara: The Heat and the Drizzle
The weather was much hotter than in the mountains, and the blanket was a bit itchy, a small, continuous discomfort. Rise at 8 AM. Ordered a small coffee pot for 200r (weak), added instant coffee. Walked south for 5 minutes and grabbed chicken chowmein for 140r. Checked out of Om Hotel at 10:45 AM. Walked north toward the bus park, caught a bus to Pokhara for 600r (negotiated). The bus stopped frequently—a slow, grating crawl. Passed Dumre around 2 PM and stopped for lunch before Bengas Tal—momos, samosas, and eggs for 300r. Some cop with a dog checked the bus. Arrived at the Pokhara bus park at 3:30 PM. Walked to Computer Street, but only found Tech Inn, which was closed due to a Nepalese holiday—logistical roadblock. Walked toward the lake and checked into Nana Hotel on Booking for 4.1 USD, paying 580r—a decent deal. Walked around looking for a laundry place and found the first one in Nepal by Om Sweet Home. Dropped off my laundry (450r). It started to drizzle, so I walked back to the hotel, showered, and stretched. Walked to a cheap spot for dinner: momo soup (150r), chicken drums (200r). Disagreed with Alex Champ about convenience stores, then grabbed snacks for 350r. Comfy room, booked another night with breakfast for the same price. Stability secured.
Oct 1 – Productive Day in Pokhara: Mechanical and Physical Wins
Slept well and comfortably. Rise at 7 AM. Made instant coffee using bottled water and had the attached washroom for more convenience. At 9 AM, went out for food and to fix my old ripped Gap jacket. Found an old guy who fixed it for 100r. A shoe cobbler walking around offered to fix my Asics shoes for 200r, so I got both shoes sewn for 300r. Grabbed chicken chowmein at a new place, across from Me N U Café (150r)—rocked the noodles. Picked up my jacket, which was nicely fixed. It was a lucky morning, small victories compounding. Took a good nap. At 12 PM, tried to do handstands on the terrace but failed 8 times due to dirt. Moved to the rooftop with no sand, managed a 1/2 straddle and tried to shift weight between hands. Did neck bridges in the room, cramped with 2 beds: 2x21 back neck bridges, 2x20 front bridges. Walked to the lakeshore to look for a comp store/hotels, but didn’t find anything. Found a nice gym that wanted 500/day. Had chicken curry rice on main lake street for 250r, and a chicken pastry for 150r. Walked up to the Lamarka VP to find a single chin-up bar and did 1 set of pull-ups (10 reps). Also did front lever pull-ups (6 reps) and 1 set of LPU (10 reps). Hiked up the Shanti Space Trail to Sedi Bagar. Walked along the lake path and had a nosebleed, which had been recurring for the past few days—the body under strain. Paid 600r for the hotel. Showered and rested. At 6 PM, grabbed my laundry (450r). By 7 PM, grabbed food at a small, cheap spot again (chowmein and momos for 200r). Walked to the lake main street, where there was a party vibe. Tried a new spot on Harbor Street for skewer and thupka (310r). Solid meal! Walked along the lake, not too busy.
Oct 2 – Lazy Day and Festival Vibes: The Lingering Threat
Slept well again in a comfy room. Rise at 9 AM. Made coffee using hot water from downstairs. Took the free hotel breakfast—eggs with soggy pancakes. Rested a while and felt okay. Paid 600r for another night with breakfast—still a steal! Walked to Baidam Road to look for a comp shop, but couldn’t find anything. Found a mini-mart with decent deals that accepted cards. Walked back to the hotel, south to Lake Road—most stores were closed for the festival, the city is paused. Tried a new spot by Lake Road for chicken khana with chapati (420r). The service was poor. Walked back to the hotel and completed the WS transfer. Afterward, I took a nap, feeling good. At 7 PM, walked south for food, grabbed momos and fried rice at Me N U Café for 400r. Walked to the lake area, which was pretty busy. Walked back to the hotel as the drizzle started again—the weather is closing in.
Oct 3 – Another Productive Day in Pokhara: Routine Established
Slept well again. Rise at 8:30 AM. Made regular coffee using hot water from the kitchen. Signed up for the WS visa waitlist and decided to skip the hotel breakfast, which wasn’t great. Walked around for fruit, bought oranges and bananas for 150r. Had chowmein and momos at a small, cheap spot for 200r. Got bored at the hotel, so I booked another night. Did 1 set of free handstand holds on the roof. Showered, rested, and paid 1220r for 2 nights, including water. Walked to the lake, had lunch at a small place in Pokhara (buff fried rice for 200r), and walked along the lake. It was a nice day. Grabbed snacks and got a haircut (350r). Showered, napped, and felt like I was recovering well in Pokhara—the temporary safety is holding. At 7 PM, dropped off outerwear laundry at my old spot in Pokhara. Walked down to Lake Harbor Street and tried a new spot for pork skewer with chicken thupka and tea (370r). Walked along the lake as the drizzle started again, ducking into the first small spot for chicken fried rice (200r). Snacked on bars and almonds.
Oct 4 – A Quiet Day of Rest: The Persistent Glitches
Finally, a quiet and restful sleep. Rise at 8:20 AM. Made regular coffee in the room with hot water from the kitchen. Tried to enroll in WS drip using an emulator, but the computer couldn’t run Android emulators—technical roadblocks persist. At 10 AM, grabbed chowmein and momos at the same spot as yesterday (200r). Walked back in the rain, showered, and napped hard until 3 PM—deep exhaustion. Got up and vegetated a bit in the room. Grabbed lunch at Happy New Year 2026 place on the highway—chicken curry with roti (350r), but it wasn’t great. Walked down to pick up snacks from a bigger store by Kuti Gym that takes cards. Grabbed my laundry, still damp from the rain. Rested and chilled some more. At 8 PM, walked down to the lake via the highway for dinner and used the Nabil ATM. Grabbed my second beer in Nepal (225r), walked along Lake Road, and tried a place for chicken dalbat (350r). Used the Nabil ATM to withdraw 35k NPR, costing 365 CAD. Grabbing tea by the lake with a fire (100r) completed the night. Found a glass pipe on Lake Street for 200r. This was a moderately productive five-day stint in Pokhara. The calm before the next storm.