Testimony of a Sri Lankan UMCDSRC in Nepal

Testimony Kathmandu, Nepal - 31st October 2012

The Dashain vacation of our college started on 20th of October. I was planning to go outside of Kathmandu valley, as my friends from India and Bhutan were planning to go back to their countries for holidays. I did not go to Sri Lanka because I have to travel a very long distance and the vacation was only for 10 days. During this festive season, Kathmandu is completely closed. I happened to hear that Pokhara is the center point of all the adventures in Nepal and it is a very beautiful tourist area. So I searched in the internet about this city and what can a student like me do there. I found out a lot of things which I can do in Pokhara, such as trekking, boating and so on.

As I had planned, I left Kathmandu on 24th, early in the morning. Nishchal Sir kindly arranged for my travels and stay in Pokhara. I travelled by a tourist bus and there are several of these in Nepal. The journey I had in between mountains was really awesome. After about 2-3 hours of drive we stopped at a place called Kurintar to have the lunch. The lunch was provided by the bus in Riverside Springs Resort. That was really a fascinating place, adjoining the river.

After taking lunch, again the bus started its journey to Pokhara with us. By 3.30 p.m the bus reached Pokhara and I went to the place where my accommodations were booked.

So as it was my first visit, first evening in Pokhara, I decided to have a walk along the lake side. The climate was really comfortable, neither hot nor cold. The Phewa Lake was the most interesting place for me for the two days I spent in Pokhara. I used to go there every evening. Sun rays on the water of the lake drew shining designs which could stick one’s eyes on them. No wonder that tourists are coming to Pokhara throughout the year.

On 22nd, I visited David’s falls, Guptheshwari cave, Seti river, Bindeshwari temple and Sarangkot. I really loved and enjoyed those places. Among them David’s falls, Seti river and Sarangkot could make me stay there a long time as they were very beautiful natural sceneries. For the first time in my life, I saw white mountains, I mean mountain tops with snow in Pokhara. It was a brand new experience for a person like me from a tropical country like Sri Lanka, where of course, it never snows. It looked like white cotton wool on mountain tops, a beautiful scene that I cannot express in words. What an experience to be here studying in Nepal during winter time!

23rd was the most adventurous day in the trip. 23rd was my last day of staying in Pokhara. So I decided to dedicate that whole day for trekking. I planned to go to World Peace Pagoda, a Buddhist pagoda on the top of a mountain. I found my own way to the starting point of the mountain. I cross the jungle for about 30 minutes and after that I couldn’t find the way through the jungle. I lost all my hopes and I was descending. I saw some tourist people coming to the starting point and I asked them whether I could join them. They welcomed me to their group and later on I came to know that they are from Germany. There was a Nepali guide as well. Me and that tourist guide was once bitten by the bees in the jungle. And all of us had to face leeches in the forest.

After about 2-3 hours walk we successfully reached the top of the mountain, World Peace Pagoda. We could see some mountain tops very far away from us. We spent about one hour there and returned. I had a boat ride in Phewa Lake as well. That was a fine and a tired evening when we were returning. I wished if I could spend more time on the mountain top, but people cautioned me that I would catch cold.

I enjoyed a lot in Pokhara. The whole experience in Nepal till today has been just amazing, while I am studying, I am also getting to know the Nepali culture, art, music and people. No words can thank the SAF scholarships that I received which has made all this possible.

Sahan Chathuranga