December 31, 2017
300 rupees is enough to go by taxi for 10 minutes from Thamel to Kantipath Rd. If you want to walk, you need 20-25 minutes if no stray.
In my mind, bus would standby at Rainbow travel agent office. Not like that, all of buses from various travel agent lined up along Kantipath Road.
All buses were ready along Kantipath Rd
Do you want to breakfast …. backpacker budget?
The café open at Kantipath Rd left side
This is it … in the middle at buses queue.
My ticket was booked via email from Jakarta for 700 rupees but I would pay on the spot. The problem is….my seat was changed to other bus because the Rainbow bus seat was full (I think the agent catch the customer firstly and then if seat are full, they can move the passenger to other bus. It’s like usually there…. haha). The other great one is…. I just was gave the ticket then the agent ordered me to found the bus by myself along the buses queue at Kantipath Rd based to bus license plate. I confused actually….Nepali numeral is different with latin one. Half an hour to departure at 7 o’clock. Back again to rear queue to asked the bus coordinator …… well, he said to me….just looking for a green light bus number 3 from the front, He didn’t want accompany me….hahaha, back to front queue again! Okay … .The bus starts at 7 o’clock exactly. The journey would take 8.5 hours and I got 1 litre of free mineral water.
doubtful in the first time….wooow…..clean actually
Bus would stop four times
Break stop 1. 09:30 for toilet break 15 minutes and
Break stop 4. 14:30 for toilet break 15 minutes.
restaurant along Kathmandu-Pokhara
Break stop 2. 10:30 for breakfast and
Break stop 3. 13:30 for lunch. 20 minutes. Few or more you take a lunch, you should pay 400 rupees.
along the trip….scary but amazing
During the trip, you will be shown typical things in Nepal:
– Leaves of many trees are white because of dust
– Many large billboards were installed in the middle of rice fields
– Many suspension bridges connecting hills through cliff.
– pass Chandragiri cable car tour
– rafting along bus route
– many residents sunbathe to reduce the cold 5-11 °C by playing carom or surround fire.
During the bus trip, it will go up and down around mountains. On right side is cliffs if the bus from Kathmandu. Just relax, bus run slow and safe. Most cars, trucks and buses are produces by Tata Motors from India.
I thought, bus with tourist sign would not take passengers along trip, but I saw bus conductor took local people in the middle of the trip 2 times, but still comfort, no someone stand up in the bus. My trip was delayed because the tire deflated 15 minutes before Pokhara. The teenager conductor changed tires hardly, many local taxi driver helped him. During repairing, I was looking for 100 rupee a little plastic bag of oranges for 100 rupees. Finally, I was moved to other bus.
Tourist Bus Park….on arrival, many local taxi drivers will offering you their services
At Pokhara, bus will stop at Tourist Bus Park. Look the Himalaya background….very beautiful.
If you want to go to Kathmandu several days later, better you immediately search travel agent for bus ticket to Kathmandu near there. Agents will offer three types of prices from 600, 700 and 800 rupees. It depend on the quality of the bus. I took 600 rupees one. For me….. cheap is the best.