Nine Kilo Nine Hour

It was raining while coming back from Dullu VDC situated in Dailekh District. The road was steep and slippery, still we manage our movement. While moving down to Pali, Far at the distance we saw a beautiful falls. I asked my driver, ‘where is that?’ He answered ‘on the way we will ride.’ I was excited to ride past that falls. We finally we got that but it was difficult to cross that falls. We dared the devils and passed through it. We were almost swallowed by that falls. After crossing it, we took some snaps on its background. Thereafter we moved on. We halted there in Tallodungeshor on the bank of Karnali River and the cross point of Karnali river and Lohore khola. Here in Dailekh there are two dungeshors- one is Tallo another is Mathillo.

After having lunch in Tallodungeshor, we moved towards Dailekh bazaar at 9 AM but someone told us to not go ahead since there was landslide nearby. We defied him and we moved. In no time, it turned out to be true there was a landslide, a slow landslide but we crossed it. After few minutes, there was a caravan of vehicles. We stopped by. We saw a large landslide and people were waiting for excavator to come. The raining was just stopped. The drivers were playing cards beside a truck. One pick-up jeep crossed that large but shallow landslide. We also tried and were able to cross it. We drove ahead. People coming from opposite side mentioned us there was a landslide and one tractor was stuck there. Despite their saying, we drove the vehicle. We found them true and there was one tractor stuck at the site of landslide. It was almost engulfed by the loads of the mud. There was big rock beside it. There was no way cross through. While we were observing the tractor someone said from behind that the tree was moving. We turned back, yeah there was tree sliding down along with land slide. This was next landslide spot. We ran back crossing this spot and waited to see the tree falling.

There was no way until excavator come, so, we returned towards Tallodungeshor. We came back to the same spot where there was a caravan of vehicles and drivers were playing cards. We heard the excavator is coming up. We see some hope to reach our destination Dailekhbazar. Finally the excavator came after 2 hours’ waiting. The excavator was moving ahead we were following it. It was clearing the obstacles and we were driving on the clear road. We again reached the same spot where tractor was stuck and the tree was moving down. The tree was already there fallen on the road and the tractor already escaped- it was unbelievable for tractor to escape from. The tree was broken and the accumulation of mud on the road was cleared and the rock moved aside. We followed the excavator and crossed the Rati khola,(a brook that is crook) and moved ahead. We saw the same tractor that was stuck in the landslide but escaped parked at the side of road. The driver was basking the west sun. There was another tractor stuck ascended up the landslide. The driver was so young we cannot imagine he could drive. It was pulled back by excavator. The piled up mud was cleared. We followed the excavator. While moving ahead we saw the caravan of vehicles coming from opposite sides. There was huge rock falling from top of the mountain. It was our bad luck after bad luck. Had it fallen down crossing the road, this would have not been the problem but it was stuck there. With much more difficulty, the excavator moved that rock aside the corner. The vehicles from both sides passed through. We took long breath and wished there would not be any more obstacles. By this time it was already 6 PM. We just crossed the Siyakot, the place between Mathillodungeshor and Tallodungeshor. The flooded muddy Lohore khola was already got the current of clean water.

While we were moving ahead, there was a vehicle coming from opposite side. The drive mentioned there was road block ahead due to land slide. So they were moving back and he advised us to follow him. My eye brows drew up, ‘Again landslide!’ we moved nearby the landslide. Two buses were parked there and people were on the road. We took some snacks in local hotel, the Bhatti. Almost all the people were making calls for the solution. Finally the excavator came and cleared it. We escaped to Dailekh Bazar, it was 7 PM by this time. The distance between Tallodungeshor and last blockade was just nine kilometer.

A Nagarkot Rendezvous

While surfing the facebook, there was a signal I found in inbox. I clicked there. It was message written by Naji for possibility of get-together. Achyut and I decided to have get-together party in Nagarkot. It was awesome idea that came to our mind. It’s been many years I had not been there in Nagarkot. I wondered how it has been now compared to one that I visited 9 years ago.

I wrote the message to have party on Friday, 14th October 2011, the very same day that Naji lands in Nepal. It was ambitious plan for us to involve him on the very same day. Despite that, we circulated the same message to other friends as well. We found Madi and he accepted it. I asked PT but he told he has night duty that day. Finally he was ready to involve in our rendezvous after he exchanged the duty with his companion. We asked Ganu with low expectation but he readily accepted. I called Gauri but he could not make it happen. Other friends were not available.

At around 11 o’clock, I started out for Nagarkot and asked Madi to come with Naji. He did accordingly. I met Achyut with Khem dai in County Villa Hotel in Nagarkot- it was outstanding but it was not hotel that was booked for us. The other hotel nearby was for us. I was little bit frustrated not getting room in Country Villa hotel. I was hungry so Khem dai gave me the company-took a one of glass beer with fish dish and other snacks as well. Thereafter I went out to my hotel called Unkai hotel (thought  ‘Unkai ’as ‘her/his ‘ hotel) but this  ‘ unkai ’ word is Japanese word meant for ‘ sea of clouds’. I took some rest and got fresh and went out to have some clicks. It was already dark. I walked with my oldie Ipod listening some of my favorite music. I got a call from Achyut to arrange dinner party nearby hotel. I went there and asked the hotel Didi to prepared some snacks and foods.

I returned to Unkai hotel and waited friends to come. Finally they came with hungry mood. Naji came with surprise with his wife. We arranged the special room for Naji’s Jodi and it was challenging though.

We started our party with ‘rum punch’ and some with wine outside the Didi’s hotel where we were bearing the chilling cold of wind. This wind pushed inside the hotel. PT was also enjoying the party though he did not take anything specialized for party. Actually enjoying food was not the important but the important was the get-together with buddies-that is what PT as well as we felt. After few time, Khem dai also came to us to celebrate junior bhaiz’ get-together. He ignited the environment by sharing romantic pieces of his life. We enjoyed a lot his presence and experiences. He is intelligent guy and jolly man as well.

After food time was over, we played cards for some time and went to bed for tomorrow’s sunrise. Ganu wake us up at 4:45AM, we were ready by 5:30AM but the cloud was there. We stayed at hotel to take tea and went towards viewpoint tower though sunrise view was not possible due to cloud. It was really fun to walk on the road. Puri was delicious that killed our hunger and helped us reach view point tower. We five people Achyut, Madi, Naji, PT and me ascended up the tower. Took some snaps putting on the Aeropostale T-shirts brought by Naji. Ganu and Roashani left there in the ground. While returning, Ganu opened his heart sharing his love story: when he saw his wife first time, he felt, ‘As if…he knew he loved her before he met her.’