A Perfect Day in Pokhara

Phewa Lake with its vibrant canoes—the perfect day in Pokhara

Day 0: 7 Oct Tue - Second Day in Beautiful Pokhara

There are days when everything aligns. The weather cooperates. Friends arrive. You stumble into perfect moments you didn’t plan. October 7th in Pokhara was one of those days.

The Night Before

Renjith Baby had reached Hotel Dashain late the previous night, arriving from Kathmandu after I’d already gone to sleep. We exchanged the kind of grunted greetings that pass between exhausted travelers at midnight—acknowledgment rather than conversation. The real reunion would wait for morning.

Morning coffee with Renjith at Hotel Dashain—the day begins

Dawn at Phewa Lake

Over coffee and a good breakfast, we decided to explore early morning Pokhara. It was a short walk to the lakeside—close enough that we arrived while the morning light still held that soft, golden quality that photographers dream about.

Morning walk through Pokhara streets heading to the lakeside

Phewa Lake looked magnificent. The water was an emerald green that seemed almost unreal, dotted with colorful canoes that made the whole scene look like a postcard someone had photoshopped for maximum impact. Except this was real. This was just Pokhara on a Tuesday morning.

Emerald green Phewa Lake with colorful canoes in the soft morning light

The canoes looked inviting, so we rented one and set out to explore. What we thought would be an hour turned into two. The weather was absolutely fabulous—that perfect temperature where you’re comfortable just existing, neither too hot nor too cold.

The Art of Synchronized Rowing

It took us some time to get the hang of synchronized rowing. Let’s be honest—we’re engineers, not Olympic rowers. The first fifteen minutes involved more splashing than forward progress, the canoe moving in something closer to a sine wave than a straight line. But eventually, we found our rhythm. There’s something oddly satisfying about two people learning to move in sync, each stroke complementing the other.

Out on Phewa Lake—two engineers discovering the art of synchronized rowing

The real challenge came at the end—parking the boat back at the dock. Trial and error doesn’t quite capture the comedy of two grown men trying to maneuver a canoe into a tight space while maintaining dignity. But eventually, we managed to step out with smiles intact, which I count as a complete success.

Watching Life Go By

We walked around the lakeside after that, found a spot by the street, and just sat. Watched life go by. Tourists heading out for their own adventures. Locals setting up for the day. Dogs claiming their territories. There’s something deeply peaceful about being present without agenda.

Leisurely coffee and snacks at a lakeside cafe—the unhurried morning continues

Coordinating the Reunion

By then, George and Ann had reached Kathmandu. From our previous experience with domestic flights in Nepal, we knew the system was more fluid than scheduled. We called them with simple advice: don’t wait for your scheduled flight. Get to the airport and catch the earliest one out. They did.

We sat down at a lakeside restaurant for leisurely coffee and drinks, the kind of unhurried morning where time stretches out and you realize you’re exactly where you need to be.

Back at Hotel Dashain

When we reached back, we informed the reception to expect George and Ann early. Then we swam a few laps in the pool—the kind of exercise that feels more like play when you’re on vacation.

By noon, we found a Thakali restaurant and had a sumptuous meal. The pork was delicious—cooked in that way that only seems possible in small mountain restaurants where they’ve been perfecting the same recipes for decades.

Sumptuous Thakali lunch—authentic mountain cuisine at its finest

Back to the hotel. More swimming. By the time we finished showering and changing, George and Ann had reached Pokhara. We all met in the hotel lobby—the reunion complete, the team assembled.

The reunion at Hotel Dashain lobby—George and Ann arrive from Kathmandu

George and Ann were exhausted from travel. They retired early after an early dinner, which left Renjith and me to our own devices.

Full Moon Over Nepal

We went to Lakeview restaurant, where there was an evening cultural program—traditional Nepali folk songs and dance. It was a full moon night, and the performers moved through their routines with that practiced grace that comes from doing something you love a thousand times. The music wrapped around us, unfamiliar but somehow universal.

Full moon rising over Pokhara—a perfect ending to the day

Traditional Nepali folk dancers at Lakeview restaurant under the full moon

We sat there late into the evening, talking about nothing and everything. The kind of conversation that flows naturally when you’re comfortable with silence as much as words.

Reflections

Walking back to Hotel Dashain, I realized this was what I’d hoped for from this trip. Meeting friends. Exploring a new place. Being outdoors. Great conversations. Good local food. Amazing weather and clean air. All the elements that make a day memorable.

Tomorrow, the trek begins for real. But today? Today was perfect in its own right. Not a preparation day. Not a waiting day. Just a wonderfully complete day that happened to come before the adventure.

Sometimes the journey starts before you think it does.