Went cycling again yesterday and we decided to stop and look at some caves (= error 1)... Jeyran managed to negotiate knock down bargain basement entrance fee and we chose our route (not the shortest option = error 2)...
So we set off with guide and head torches... I don't think we really appreciated what the caves would be like... I certainly didn't imagine a tunnel only marginally wider than me which I would have to drag myself through on my knees and occasionally my stomach... it was also very slippery and at one point I felt like Augustus Gloop in the chocolate tube in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' as we had to kind of ascend vertically up a fairly slimy muddy hole... it was dark apart from our torches and we also saw some bats... in saying this it was quite comedy in a sort of what on earth am I doing, will I ever get out of here sort of way... needless to say I am not planning taking up pot-holing or mining any time soon.
So we set off with guide and head torches... I don't think we really appreciated what the caves would be like... I certainly didn't imagine a tunnel only marginally wider than me which I would have to drag myself through on my knees and occasionally my stomach... it was also very slippery and at one point I felt like Augustus Gloop in the chocolate tube in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' as we had to kind of ascend vertically up a fairly slimy muddy hole... it was dark apart from our torches and we also saw some bats... in saying this it was quite comedy in a sort of what on earth am I doing, will I ever get out of here sort of way... needless to say I am not planning taking up pot-holing or mining any time soon.
Jeyran emerges from a small hole into a slightly bigger one
Part of the Augustus Gloop tunnel
Callum crawling out of a hole...
Bat!
I was glad when we escaped into fresh air after about 30/40min... my ever overactive imagination (fed on BBC world news reports) had been dreaming up all sorts of scenarios such being trapped like those miners in Utah or squished by an earthquake like the one in Peru...
Once outside we realised that we looked like we had been rolling around in a mud bath... and for the rest of the day people seemed to assume we had been involved in some sort of serious off road biking mud fest... actually the photo doesn't do the mud justice... the stains on the back of my shorts aren't ever coming out!
Once outside we realised that we looked like we had been rolling around in a mud bath... and for the rest of the day people seemed to assume we had been involved in some sort of serious off road biking mud fest... actually the photo doesn't do the mud justice... the stains on the back of my shorts aren't ever coming out!
After the cave experience we looked round a Ganesh temple where the ladies were at puja
Then over the bridge made in Aberdeen Scotland at Chobar gorge... it looks like this will be replaced by something much wider soon...
At the bridge we were accosted by people trying to sell us all sorts of junk... small bags, wallets, singing bowls from Tibet and of course an illustrated guide to the Karma Sutra... just what one wants to read on a Saturday morning bike ride... the man selling seemed to be affronted non of us wanted such a wonder, his final retort as we got on our bikes being something along the lines of us all obviously being perfect and hence not needing the guide... comedy...
We rode on to Bungamati a nice little Newari village in the valley... here wandered around and abouts... saw wood carving, more chillies and various other things (more photos on flickr - link on right hand side). We were also followed by a small tribe of children fascinated by our bikes, and just desperate to have a ride (answer: NO), and play with the bells, gears, bike computers etc (answer: hard to stop them).
We also found the temple where Machendranath (god of rain?) resides when he is not being dragged around in his precarious Chariot... Lennie I know you will be excited to see the photo below of his "home"... I didn't actually get a look at Machandranath as I don't look particularly Hindu and there were rather a lot of people chanting, and clambering up the steps to the front of the shrine... and so I thought it wise not to attempt such a feat...
On leaving the village we saw this random sign... I think advertising a cafe, however it brings to mind some sort of NGO (charity) that rushes around distributing picnics (in Harrods hampers darling?) to the poor and needy...
We also saw various different children doing various different activities which amused me because in the UK they would probably be locked inside watching TV, playing on their PS2 and never allowed to put themselves in such danger...Small child enjoys playing with rusty oil barrel used to burn rubbish... at one point she even gave it a good lick... nice
Another small child makes fiery offerings at the temple
This small child, although admittedly not in any apparent immediate danger, does look like she is about to go out on the razzel dazzel with all that eye make up on... i should probably enquire as to why so many babies wear such black eye make up, i am sure there is a logical (?) explanation...
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