General Class to Delhi

Today we crossed the border from Nepal to India. After waiting an extra day in Pokhara for a small refund on our trip we were finally able to leave. Pokhara was lovely, in a quiet, green lakeside sort of way. The main part of town was a pretty horrible tourist strip where you could buy anything from tacky souveneers to fresh bakery delights (the Nepalese have got their cinamon scrolls, choc crossaunts and apple strudle down pat... if only Australian bakeries did these things so well.) But it is still really quiet, and the 4 star place that we had at Raju's expense was very nice. We spent most of our time there, resting our tired bodies which have now made full recoveries.

The border crossing was easy, even if the combined bus rides from Pokhara to Gorokhpur on the Indian side took 12 hours in total. Crossing land borders is always interesting, for the instant change that is usually evident. This was no different, with the Indian side beeing much much busier, with many many more people thronging around.

As we crossed the border we had a taxi driver try to sell us a story that a bridge was broken, and the only way was in his expensive taxi. Sure budy. We smiled sweetly and said no thankyou. We got the bus... and in a poetic twist, the bridge was actually broken. Of course, the bus people had hired a jeep to negotiate that part of the trip and we arrived in stinky Gorokhpur on time.

At the train station we found that the only train to Delhi leaves at 11:30 tonight, and all of the seats offering some kind of comfort have been taken. Seeing as how J has to get to Delhi for his flight tomorrow -- and I WILL NOT wake up in this hole tomorrow on my birthday -- we have got ourselves cattle class for the 14 hour journey. That's right, we are mad.

Wish us luck, and try to send some comfortable thought waves our way... and also wish me happy birthday!