Banepa must be one of the filthiest highway towns I have been to, लाहान र लमही जस्तै। It just smelt "uric" as the bus stopped. There was a wide open drain beside the road where some pigs were doing लडिबुडि", and nearby was a huge pile of trash. Small children were selling food to the passengers. One of them started yelling "ल फराइ फुल् फराइ फुल फराइ फुल।" येसो त्यसको भाँडोमा हेरेको, it looked like boiled eggs that were fried and then marinated in spices. They looked interesting but I was a bit scared to try them due to the roadside conditions. अनि कोहि सेलरोटी कोहि चहिं bakery products such as cakes, cream roll, doughnuts आदि बेच्दै थिए। एकै छिनमा बनेपा छोडियो र got back to the beautiful country side. धुलिखेलसम्म ठाडो उकालो लागेर बिस्तारै घुमाउरो बाटोमा खावा र केराघारी हुँदै तिनपिप्ले झरियो। बादल नलागेको भए हिमाली द्रिष्य देखिन्थ्यो तर I was not lucky that day. After descending for 10 km (and traveling 40 km from Kathmandu), came the tropical valley of पाँचखाल। It must also be the transition point between tropical and sub-tropical vegetation, marked by the presence of sal and mango as well as pine trees. अनि चाक खोला (really that's what the stream is called) को छेउ छेउ गएपछि दोलालघाट आइपुगियो। For those who have not been to Dolalghat, let me give you a brief introduction of that place. It is located at the halfway point between Kathmandu and the border at Kodari, (57 km from both places) at the confluence of the Indrawati and Sunkosi rivers. At Dolalghat, the highway crosses the Indrawati and circles a ridge to follow the Sunkosi to Barabise and then the Bhotekosi to the border. The dobhan is just about a 3 to 5 minute walk from the bridge, depending on the volume of water. After unboarding the bus, I walked across the bridge and turned right to the गल्ली which seemed to be dominated by Newars (heard quite a few people speaking Newari) and carried a strong smell of local alcohol. After passing a few houses, I was on the cliff over the इन्द्रावती। Soon I was on the बगर right before the दोभान। I washed my hands on the इन्द्रावती, then walked to the actual tip of the दोभान, washed my hands again, and then washed again on the सुनकोशी side. At the same time I had collected some small pebbles which are still on my desk as I am writing these lines. क्रमश: