21 December 2015 - we negotiated a 0930 departure with our driver as given the fuel shortage the normal 5 hour road journey was likely to be a bit quicker.
The Pokhara Road is a main East-West road and is busy winding it way out of Katmandu which seems to spread for miles. After 54 kms we stopped at the Hamlet Restaurant - although too early for lunch we did have pleasant of cup tea and a milky coffee !
The highlight of the journey was the lunchtime stop at the Manakamana temple which is reached by Nepal’s only Cable Car !!
Our arrival in Bandipur we were dropped at the entrance to the pedestrianised main street. The street is lined with Newrai houses some of which have been converted to hotels and restaurants although others are still lived in. Our destination was the Guan Ghar which has good write-ups on Tripadvisor.
The hotel itself is a converted house with low doorways. We were first offered a room at the front which had a rainy window and twin beds but as the temperature was already in single digits this did not seem a good idea. As we were the only guest we need up with a bigger room facing the mountains at the back. Unfortunately no heating although it did have an electric blanket of uncertain age and Chinese manufacture !
The village itself is actually quite charming although in the high season may well be over run with tourists. Along the main street were several restaurants but right at the end we found Sammy Baji (we later found out this meant cooked goat). The owner a jovial man gave a good sell so after wrapping up with several more layers we headed off for dinner.
We settled on the Nepali specialities of Thupha - the noodle soup and lentil pancakes - all home cooked to order by his wife.
We were also given directions for the hime to Romtok and the promise of a packed lunch. Cheers sandwiches, egg, juice and potato crisps.
The Pokhara Road is a main East-West road and is busy winding it way out of Katmandu which seems to spread for miles. After 54 kms we stopped at the Hamlet Restaurant - although too early for lunch we did have pleasant of cup tea and a milky coffee !
The highlight of the journey was the lunchtime stop at the Manakamana temple which is reached by Nepal’s only Cable Car !!
Our arrival in Bandipur we were dropped at the entrance to the pedestrianised main street. The street is lined with Newrai houses some of which have been converted to hotels and restaurants although others are still lived in. Our destination was the Guan Ghar which has good write-ups on Tripadvisor.
The hotel itself is a converted house with low doorways. We were first offered a room at the front which had a rainy window and twin beds but as the temperature was already in single digits this did not seem a good idea. As we were the only guest we need up with a bigger room facing the mountains at the back. Unfortunately no heating although it did have an electric blanket of uncertain age and Chinese manufacture !
The village itself is actually quite charming although in the high season may well be over run with tourists. Along the main street were several restaurants but right at the end we found Sammy Baji (we later found out this meant cooked goat). The owner a jovial man gave a good sell so after wrapping up with several more layers we headed off for dinner.
We settled on the Nepali specialities of Thupha - the noodle soup and lentil pancakes - all home cooked to order by his wife.
We were also given directions for the hime to Romtok and the promise of a packed lunch. Cheers sandwiches, egg, juice and potato crisps.