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Date of the journey:- January 2020
Distance travelled:- 436 miles
Our journey from Kathmandu to Ilam was an unmitigated disaster. There are no trains in Nepal and tourist buses only run between the tourist destinations of Kathmandu, Chitwan, and Pokhara. So the local bus network was the only option available.
Our accommodation in Kathmandu, The Life Story Guest House, advised that it wasn’t possible to book these bus tickets. They couldn’t find any information regarding the local buses online. They did however advise that the buses to Ilam depart from Gongabu bus park. With no further information, we decided to get a taxi to the bus park at 0800 hrs the following morning, to give us the best chance of catching a bus to Ilam.
It wasn’t a good start to the day, heavy rain, just what we wanted! After a 30 minute taxi journey to the bus park, we enquired as to the best way to get to Ilam. Discussing the options with the ticket office staff. We decided that we didn’t want to do the 12-hour bus journey in one hit as it was too long for us. Instead, we would break it with an overnight stop at Itahari and complete the remainder of the journey the following day.
The only bus of the day going in our direction was at 1300 hrs and was an 8 hr journey at a cost of 1800 each. A 4 hour wait. Storing our bags in the ticket office, we walked in the rain to find somewhere to wait. We ended up in the Burger house and crunchy fried chicken restaurant. Where we abused their hospitality and wifi usage for the 4 hours, before making our way back to the bus station for our 1300 hrs departure.
The long and short of it 😡
When the bus left the bus park we thought it a little odd that we were not heading down the most direct route to get us to Itahari. Not long after that, we passed the last possible chance of getting to the most direct road.
Guy showed Google maps to the drivers to check that the bus was going to Itahari. Which it was. Then he asked at what time the bus would reach Itahari, about 0330hrs was the response. OMG, this was a further 6 and a half hours longer than expected. The driver advised that the bus could not go the direct route as the road was not passable by the bus. The route we were taking was actually going via Chitwan, our previous destination.
We made a right commotion with which some of the passengers got involved. Agreeing with us that it was unacceptable. We had been sold tickets for the Itahari bus on the pretext it was an 8 hour direct bus. When there was no direct bus and the journey was 14 and a half hours. The driver didn’t care.
After a time discussing the options that were available to us, we reluctantly decided we had no other choice but to stay on the bus. We also made the decision that instead of staying overnight in Itahari, we may as well stay on the bus. A further 4 hours to our final destination of Ilam, well nearly. The driver wanted to charge us an additional fare if we stayed on. That soon got waived.
The next hour was a quiet one for us both (not an argument), with some self-reflection time for the events that had just taken place.
Our 12 hour journey to Ilam had turned into a 21 hour journey, with a bus change in Fikkal for the last 90 minutes. It was a grueling 21 hour bus journey in a recliner seat. The same driver all the way, playing very loud music throughout the night, presumably to keep himself awake. That was until Tania couldn’t take anymore and told him to turn it off four hours before we arrived.
Complimentary water was provided on this deluxe bus along with air conditioning. Consisting of the bus door being left wide open for the whole journey. Luggage was stored in the bus all through the aisle, people clambering over it every time we stopped. The night was an eventful one for other passengers as well as us. Bags being left behind, chopping and changing of seats, and people suffering from travel sickness.
We eventually arrived in Ilam at 1000 hrs the following morning. The bus stopped at the Ilam Bus Stop. Because of the previous day’s fiasco, we hadn’t booked any accommodation. Fortunately, we had carried out accommodation research previously and had a rough idea of where we wanted to stay. A short 5 minute tuk tuk ride to the Summit Hotel, a quick view of the room haggle on the price and we checked in.