After descending from the Annapurna Circuit we hit the road again. It is mainly flat terrain in the Terai close to the Southern border to India. The Terai is part of the Indio-Gangetic plains and has abundance in water that is collected from the melting glaciers in the close-by Himalayas. The climate is subtropic and the humidity makes cycling regularly becoming a sweaty matter.

In fact there is plenty of jungle, palm trees and some farming in the open areas. In any case it is green everywhere.

The Gandak River system is one of three major surface water bodies in the terai drains into the Ganges coming the mountains in the North.

A large nature reserve has been established in the vast wetlands being home to a number funny animals including rhinos, warhogs, black bears and a few tigers.

We are told in case we come across a tiger, to always face it as they will never attack from behind. As the ultimate safety measure so to speak. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm the validity of this measure as we did not came across one. well, probably this was rather fortunate.

This is elephants and they are used for transportation in the soaked ground of the wetland jungle. In addition it gives some feeling of security in this untamed wilderness environment.

..and on the road again.

The obligatory security hints.

The contrast between the green green lowlands and the ice-covered mountains in the periphery are a permanent and rather impressive sight cycling in Nepal.

There is basically one principal road going East-West from Kathmandu though Bharatpur and Butwal to Mahendranagar at the border to India. And accordingly the traffic can be quite dense and first and foremost smelly.

Street kitchens became our regular ressort for chai and fried sweets breaks.

Physical education lesson. Weird pedagogics as it seems.

Again, similar problem.

We reached Mahendranagar..