The road is incredibly bumpy for 22 km, while climbing out of the valley. The views are incredible though, and the river simply begs for a kayak to be launched. Once back on a blacktop road, we come through a small village and then we climb again. This is what you see from the car while climbing:
As you can see, it is awesome! Little villages dot the hillsides and the landscape itself is shaped by these people through all their toils: Terracing, almost terraforming, the geography to suit their needs.
With the coniferous forests dominating at higher altitudes, the forests gain an airy almost cathedral-like feel. There is space here, yet human habitation is seldom far away. A small farmhouse can be nested almost anywhere in these hills, and in a few locations we can see grander buildings that are abandoned and slowly decaying. I look forward to hiking through these valleys during the stay here.
After passing Dulikhel, traffic jams up and the feeling of calm and tranquility quickly vanishes. Irritation and frustration rush in to fill the mental space, and it is only upon returning to the haven of home that peace again descends in the mind.
