Two Girls on a Weekend Getaway
Leisurely swims with luxury at hand, yoga to rejuvenate the soul, boat rides on a lake tranquil and shimmering with sunshine, music that compels the body to sway, and food that inspire as much as sustain, this is a weekend getaway that’s close to perfect!
Summer is long gone, and if you haven’t taken a break from work or your everyday schedule, life can get too monotonous. While the hubbub of Kathmandu city life can make you feel alive and in the moment, it can also make you stressful with dust and work. I had to take a break for at least a weekend. What better destination than Pokhara for the perfect weekend getaway was my first thought, and why not take your squad along with you? Sadly, or not, only one of my girls was available on the weekend, so the two of us did all our booking a week before and planned our weekend.
So, where did we stay?
We landed in Pokhara at 10:30 a.m. and checked in at the Temple Tree Resort. It is one of my favorite properties there. They have a bar by the poolside and a French bistro style seating beside it, perfect for an evening coffee. Their rooms are all garden-facing. We got a cozy room on the ground floor, which opened to the garden outside. Their staff was pleasant and courteous. We were fabulously relaxed by the end of our weekend.
And, what did we do?
Day 1: After freshening up from our flight, we changed into our swimming costumes and got our yoga mats out in the garden to do a forty-minute yoga session, after which we went to take a dip in the pool under the hot sun. Tired and hungry, we dressed up and went out for lunch to Byanjan Bar and Grill. We sat outside for the lakeside view. It didn’t take us long to decide what we wanted to get for lunch. Their Nepali thali was lip smacking. We wanted to come back here for lunch the next day!
After our scrumptious lunch, we took a boat ride to a hillside below the Peace Temple and trekked all the way up. It was not a difficult trek, but took us longer than expected, because of the wet mud due to the rains. It was beautiful, the sight. The view of the entire valley was breathtaking, and so was the Pagoda. We took a cab and came down to our hotel. We rested for an hour and then went for a swim. The hotel’s pool was something we took full advantage of. After all the food we’d been eating, this was our cardio.
We decided to get out a little late, as it was a Friday night. The only place we wanted to go to was the oh-so-famous Busy Bee. I had heard so much about this place from everyone who came back from Pokhara that I couldn’t miss it. We got inside to a very busy place with beautiful live music. Pokara’s fashion scene had me in awe. Girls as well as boys were so well-dressed and kept up with the latest fashion trends. Busy Bee is known for their pizza, so the two of us shared a pizza and had beer and had a great night. Their club music playlist was so on point that by the end of the night everyone was on the dance floor. We felt so safe in Pokhara that we walked back to our hotel late at night.
Day 2: We woke up next morning fresh from sleeping well. We did some stretching in the garden and then went for breakfast. They had a variety at their buffet, with different fruits, and both Indian and Western choices. After filling ourselves up, we decided to look around the valley. We walked to all the souvenir shops, did an hour’s boating at the Fewa Taal, and then we went to Krazy Gecko Bar and Restaurant for lunch. The ambience of this place was so different from elsewhere in Pokhara and Kathmandu that we ended up staying here until sunset. The music was groovy, the staff delightful, the food exceptionally good.
After spending a beautiful noon at the lakeside, we went back to our hotel to take a swim and relax with coffee and garlic toast. For dinner, we dressed up and went to Dunga Restro and Lounge Bar. It looked like a small little restaurant from down the street, but once inside, it’s got huge seating with a lakeside view. Their live music upgraded the ambience for the start of a fun Saturday night. Their menu was limited, and the bar menu had refreshing summer coolers. Their food was served in no time, and the bar keep was prompt. We stayed till the band played their last song and left for the hotel on foot.
Day 3: Fresh and up, we did some yoga and swimming. We skipped the breakfast at the hotel and went out for brunch instead. We had a noon flight, so after swimming, we packed our stuff and left for Or2k. I’ve been to their restaurant in Kathmandu, and love that place. The one in Pokhara did not feel any different, except its view. The interior was just the same, and so was the charm. We had a scrumptious brunch and left for the airport with our hearts in high spirit.
This break was such an awakening. To take a time off from your daily routine to get in touch with yourself is important. To give you time to get a clear head space is impactful. I realized I was even more productive and had better ideas when I came back to work on Monday. I had channeled all my negative energy into positive by taking a getaway when I really needed it. It still isn’t too late to go on your ‘staycation’! Do it this weekend or the next, because trust me, you won’t regret it.