April 17, 18th 1985: Pokhara, Nepal

 Taken from Back to the East, India, Nepal, Kashmir   

 

17^th April

We decided to going to laze around that day. When we went into the garden we saw that the cloudy haze had cleared and behind the mountains we had seen were massive snow- packed peaks, the Fishtail Mountain, Machapuchare.

But we were both feeling short of energy and did not want to do much but we had some good grass to help us relax.

As the Mind flies so the Bird walks to the mountain, OR Zen and the Art of Being Lazy

(a postcard from Kathmandu)

by Alun Buffry

Today, outside, the weather is hazy.

Stayed in all day, feeling quite lazy.

Where to go now, we often talk,

Then decide it's too far to walk.

Two hours there and two hours back,

"Let's stay here, and have a snack".

Just fifteen minutes up to Baba's.

And we know that there, food's better by far,

But here we eat, for our stomachs sake,

Whatever's available as it's no effort to make.

"Well", I say, "I guess that's what

A holiday's for on a day that's hot."

"We're free, we don't have to do anything.

We can fly like a bird with a broken wing."

"How can that be, such a bird can't fly?"

"We can't do much either and here is why-

Cos - cor it's hot outside today,

And wherever we go we have to pay",

Or "My leg's aching, stiff and weak,

And there's nothing in the bazaar we seek."

"Stomach queasy, or head aching?

Let's be another chillum a-making."

Then, "Let's go in a boat!"

"No, don't want to row!"

Or, "Let's climb that mountain, look at the snow!"

Oh, if only we could get up there and back,

Without having to walk on that mountain track.

If you close your eyes and lay on your bed,

You can go anywhere inside your head.

If you know how to master the Traveller's Trick,

You'll be there in an instant and come back so quick.

But later we did go to see the “Cultural After Sunset Dancing” at the Hotel Fishtail Lodge near the lake, original Nepalese dancing troupe. We went across the lake on a wooden raft pulled by a yellow rope. An hour of dancing plus transport cost us £6 each but beers were £8. It was fun anyway and afterwards we went to Baba’s eating house for grilled fish and chips.

Annapurna For Sale

The calm serenity of Annapurna
Sweeps lazily over the town Pokhara;
People here have more time to smile,
Occasionally to come chat a while.
"Namaste, hello, good morning" they say
Then to business or change money.
Still, at least themselves they try to keep,
Yet their starting price is steep
"American, French, where you from?"
Like the opening line of a Nepalese song,
Which they teach in their local schools,
To say to tourists who like fools,
Are parted from their cash to soon,
As "Better prices before afternoon,
Or "First business I make today with you,
"So if you like one, why not buy two?"
Whether beggars or hasslers or honest men,
Want dollars, pounds or even yen.
As much as mountains beautiful
We all need a living our stomachs to fill.
"Here we are, no problem way of life,
"Is she your friend or is she wife?
"You want charas or marid-u-are-na,
"Opium, mushroom or brown sugar?"
"What you want buy?", so often heard,
As if just looking is absurd.
It would be good to walk one day,
Without these offers filling our way,
To absorb life's energy so obviously close,
But then that's part of it, I suppose. 

 

18^th April

We did nothing that day but eat, smoke and relax.