Well, that journey explains why so few of the Pokhorites that we met had actually left their city!

The road south snaked violently back and forth along high ridges that overlooked plunging drops into rocky canyons below. At times, the tarmac disappeared leaving a rutted path of sand and loose stone.

Our bus driver did his best to push the vehicle to its limits in both speed and  structural integrity. G-force would pull us to the sides of the bus as he did his best to bully every other vehicle out of the way with nothing more than thirty tonnes of steel and an insane grin plastered across his face.

Adding to the atmosphere was the way in which the Nepalese aboard would cross themselves when we approached a particularly tricky bend, and throw loose change from the windows as we crossed the canyon bridges, all the while praying loudly.

Well, we arrived safely in Lumbini. The good news is that we don’t need to take that road, or that driver again!