What is Life (Closed): Lumbini (2005.1.17.)

Some photos from Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha.

Lumbini is only about 30km away from Sunauli, the Nepal-India border. There should be public buses running from the border to Lumbini if it was just a normal day. Unfortunately it was not, as there was a strike, like many other days that time. Thus we always had to check out whether there will be a strike or not. If they call a strike, it's impossible to move - all public transportation stops, and even taxis are not available.
So what could we do in that situation? Staying at the border? Yes, there are hotels in Bhairawa, the border town, but I would not recommend to stay overnight in that sleepy town unless you arrive late at night and have no choice but waiting until the next day.
So what?
Walking? 30km? Under the burning sun?
Probably you'll sink down on your way before you reach the nearest town.
The only transportation available was - a rickshaw.
Not very convenient, not at all. Neither fast nor cheap. But that was the only way we had that time. (Guess how long it took to cover the 30km from the border to Lumbini.)
I felt really sorry for the old man pedaling his way with two adults and all the backpacks on his rickshaw.

Cycling? Isn't it one of the easiest thing in the world? You may think so, but it's a very tough job to keep balance and make this heavy bike to go forward. If you lose your balance for a moment, the rickshaw gets out of the pass and you'll find yourself terribly injured somewhere in the field. (And that kind of accidents are not few and far between.)

The evening sun in Lumbini was so beautiful. Too bad that my photos are not enough to show you that glorious moment.
(I found out that the sun looks much bigger and clearer in the plain than in the mountains. Did you know that?)