Several weeks ago, I went with several other PCVs to Bardia, National Park. We spent 3 full days exploring the park, two nights camping. The experience is best relayed via some pictures I took on the trip.
There are three geographical regions in Nepal. The Himalayan region, or mountain region which borders China and Tibet. This is what you're thinking of when you imagine Nepal. The hill region, which is where all of the Peace Corps volunteers are placed. To be clear, what a Nepali considers a hill would be considered a mountain by most Americans, certainly all Minnesotans. Bardia is in the terrain region, which borders India. This area is largely characterized by Nepal's at times contentious relationship with India. After the Maoist civil war in Nepal, India assisted Nepal in negotiating a peace treaty in 2004. A plan was put in place to establish democracy in Nepal, create a secular country, and end the monarchy rule. India's involvement meant that it had, and continues to have, strong political and economic sway over its smaller neighbor. Now, as Nepal reforms its infant constitution, India feels it is not receiving its just recognition and accolades for assisting Nepal, and Madheshi people, those living at the border of Nepal and India, complain that their needs are not accounted for in the constitution. This is of course, an incredible simplification of a complex issue based in decades of political discord. I include it to bring you into the mind of Ali, as a I traversed the terrain region, my first departure from the hill region.
Nepal is a small country by North American standards, but these regions are so dramatically different that it feels as if you are going to a new country when you travel between them. The long 2 full day bus ride to Bardia was made tolerable by my excitement to take my first vacation in Nepal, and by my fascination with how different life in the terrai is to life in the hill region. It was surreal to see landscape like this, I've grown so used to my rolling hills and views of the Himalaya. From the road, the houses were different- closer together, pathways akin to sidewalks defining the layout of the "neighborhood" rather than where I live where the sloping uneven landscape defines where houses are, pathways created out of possibility rather than convenience. People were riding bikes- an impossibility where I live.
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| Traversing our first river on the first day |
In Bardia, we stayed at a hotel called Mr. B's place. For what it's worth, I recommend. We were greeted by Mr. B himself, who assured us that camping was the best option to get a feel for the park was to camp. Recently what I have been missing most in Nepal is the wilderness. You would think there would be a lot, between treks that are overrun by tourists, and forests that are harvested daily for firewood and greenery for water buffalos, I have not found the wilderness that I crave. Until Bardia.
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| Sunset on the way to first night's campsite |
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| No better way to wrap up a day of exploring than nepali tea |
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| Rhino sniffing out encroaching Americans |
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| Mama and baby |
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| NepALI sees an ALIgator. but it was a crocodile |
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| Ducks on route home |
