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First you have to get to [https://goo.gl/maps/axbvgkiX53MEsd5z5 Kalanki]. You can find buses from Ratna Park in the city centre for 25-30 NPR (Mar 2023). There are also buses going in circles along the ring road and Kalanki is on the southwestern section of it (25-30 NPR, Mar 2023). From Kalanki take a bus or microbus to Thankot for another 25 rupees and then walk for a few hundred metres to a [https://goo.gl/maps/tETYm5VqHTfhdo1SA police checkpoint]. There might be direct buses from Ratna Park to Thankot, ask around. You can hitch right after the police checkpoint. It's a good idea to at least greet the policemen and show them your sign, they might find you a lift. If you go to Birgunj and the Indian border make a sign Hetauda, if your destination is Pokhara write this name instead. Writing Free Lift above the name of the city is very helpful as most people understand it and taxi or bus drivers won't bother you so much.
Bear in mind that the shortest road to Hetauda, the Tribhuvan Highway - NH41 (on Google Maps shown as NH02 - show the old number- H02), is in terrible condition and only paid for jeeps and a few private cars use it. All trucks and buses go around via Mugling and Bharatpur, so if somebody is going to Pokhara and you're heading south jump on and get off in Mugling. Similarly if you go to Pokhara and the driver says he goes to Hetauda go for it, he'll drop you off in Mugling which is halfway through.
This hitching spot might not be working in the near future as a new bypass of Thankot in Chandragiri municipality is being built. The beginning of the bypass will be [https://www.google.com/maps/place/27%C2%B041'18.7%22N+85%C2%B014'09.5%22E/@27.688532,85.235968,767m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d27.688532!4d85.235968 here] and that could be the new spot for finding lifts heading west and south.
=== North East Northeast towards Melamchi ===
Take a bus from Ratna Park which will get you as far as Sankhu. From Sankhu make a sign for Shankharapur (शङ्खरापुर), and from there the road splits towards Melamchi. Make sure you don't take the Northern "Piplie" road, as when you get there you'll have a hard time getting out as there's very little traffic.
== Buying gear ==
Check around Ason market for good boots. Look for full leather with a stitched sole. Don't buy any boots where you can't see the stitches as they're likely cheap fakes which are glued together. Buy leather over synthetic. A good pair of boots should be available for around 2,500 - 3,000 NPR.
== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==