It took me more than thirty years of my life to visit this beautiful place called Pokhara. One of the most visited places in Nepal which boasts of natural beauty also happens to be the gateway to Annapurna Himalaya range. It is the city of tourists which remains overcrowded by foreigners as well as domestic tourists throughout the year. Pokhara is in fact a city of majestic beauty.
Because of my own commitments, I had never ever thought of going to Pokhara but everything has exceptions. This was my time for some excuse and it was also an opportunity to go to the most visited and talked about town Pokhara. Initially I had planned to go there on motorcycle but things had to be adjusted. I took a bus and at sharp seven thirty in the morning I was heading towards Pokhara and uninhabited territory at least to me. Though its only some two hundred plus kilometres away from Kathmandu, it took almost seven hours to get there however the journey was slow and steady and pleasant at the same time
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Mugling used to be a transit for long tours in the olden days, but these days it’s just another bazaar along the highway. I had been there a number of times but taking right from there had never taken place in me. This time I was heading right from Mugling for the very first time in my entire life.
Just before reaching Pokhara, we came across Damauli and I already liked the place. New places are always likeable but Damauli had different kind of attachment developing in me. Finally I was in Pokhara. A guest house owner approached and took me to his guest house. Some four kilometres away from the place I got off from the bus was the guesthouse located at Lakeside. After checking in to my room I had to find a bus counter to book return ticket for the following morning. I did not want to hire a bike of take a taxi, instead I decided to walk on foot in this beautiful city. After some to and fro from one place to another, I finally got to the counter and booked my ticked and returned to the guest house.
I took a shower, had a cup of tea and set myself out to roam around Pokhara. It was a beautiful dusk and I just headed to explore the strange yet beautiful place. As I kept walking I could figure a glimpse of a lake but didn’t have any idea of reaching it. I then took to a small alley and luckily I was in front of that beautiful majestic lake which should obviously be Fewa. I stood by the side relishing the beauty, talking to myself and experiencing tranquility. Before it got dark I returned to the lodge, had supper and went to bed.
The following morning, the bus would leave at seven thirty in the morning. I did not know where the bus station was. However instead of taking a taxi I made up my mind to walk because I assumed Pokhara isn’t a very big city, I could easily reach the station and I had surplus of an hour before the bus would leave. With some guidance from the commoners I kept walking asking the way to bus stop on regular intervals I kept walking. After a few minutes of walk I saw a beautiful park where people were enjoying the early morning, stretching their body, boys were seen to be playing football while others jogged around the park. In the background was this big Fewa lake motionlessly stretched from side to the other. I stood along the park for a while and watched the football.
I might have taken some thirty or forty minutes before I reached the bus and it was already time for me to depart from this beautiful place.I look forward to be there and visit each and every nook and nosh of Pokhara in the near future.