http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32303 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32303 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29883 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29883 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28751 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28751 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27058 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27058 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26642 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26642 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26026
You can do it in a day, it's without a shadow of a doubt one of my favourite parts of a five month motorbike adventure across North India

I arrived in style in Pokhara on my Royal Enfield Bullet, with its head-gasket blowing, and being towed by my Spanish Comrade's older 1972 Enfield! It was raining I had resorted to 'monsoon surfing'- this is the practice of being chased by a vengeful monsoon - and it was dark by the time we found a hostel. We awoke to a balcony with stunning views over the mountain peaks, (ok I lie, it was monsoon, so there was a massive cloud, but it really is perfect the rest of the year.)

Five days of near peace and perfection in Pokhara, both bikes sorted and 100 dollars poorer, we followed the scent of Raju the mechanic to Katmandu, about 200km west and one of the craziest cities in Asia.

Rock music, nightclubs and coffee and a great, friendly atmosphere. However, after five days on my shoe-string budget it proved to be a little too indulgent and expensive for me.

I headed south taking me through Chitwan to Lumbini, the sacred birth site Buddha.

I spent just shy of £2000 over five months, however you could spend this on a holiday, rent a good Enfield from the Hearts & Tears club, eat well and sleep in luxury. Stay at Chitwan nature reserve, climb some mountains, it's all beautiful.

Tip: Spare fuel! Ran out of fuel a few times, Spanish comrade ran out more times than me, biggest bonus was during the fuel strikes.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26026 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25084 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25084 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21994 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21994 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20965 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20965 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18666 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18666 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18665 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18665 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17465 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17465 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13817
The staff are friendly, and the large garden is a lovely place to relax and drink tea, to which Suraj likes to add lemon grass from the flower beds. They can recommend great guides if you are going trekking.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13817 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12231
An ox cart from the bus station to a hostel - if you have absolutely all the time in the world to kill - was a once in a lifetime experience (you don't want to do it twice).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12231 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11579 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11579 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10622 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10622 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10505 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10505 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10460
I recommend this trip simply because of their excellent service arrangements right from our arrivals, hotel check in/check out, offering us a very good quality luxury vehicle, knowledgeable guiding in the cities. We enjoyed the trip so much that we did not wish to fly back home after the trip. We were always treated like the Rajas & Maharajas of olden days.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10460 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10414 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10414