Rishikesh to Nepal, best route?

[Anogenic]

Hi
I'm in Rishikesh at the moment and want to head towards Nepal (Pokhara in particular). I'm wondering if I should go through the western border but I've heard this is a very long trip through the mountains. So I would like to know if it's worth it? I mean if it's full of beautiful scenery and nice towns to spend stopover nights I will do it. Going this way would also save me going and coming back the same way I guess, as after Nepal I will head to Varanasi.
And if I went through the southern border where should I head to from Rishikesh?
Many thanks!

[Oli]

The crossing point on Nepal western border is at Mehendranagar, then across the Terai (low & flat) to Butwal then up through the foothills to Pokhara. (map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nepal&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=78.108462,113.90625&ie=UTF8&ll=28.99613,80.171356&spn=0.699068,1.411743&t=h&z=10)) Coming from the south, the border crossing is at Sunauli (near Lumbini) then straight up to Pokhara. (map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nepal&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=78.108462,113.90625&ie=UTF8&ll=27.47477,83.462448&spn=0.354555,0.705872&t=h&z=11)) I've not done either route so this is mostly guesswork but... if you'd like to travel mostly by train then you'll have to stay in India and cross at Sunauli, but perhaps by bus the direct route is via western Nepal. I have no idea which is "best", but I wish you bon voyage, or ramro sangha januhos - as they say in Nepal ;)

Fancy map with lines (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&ie=UTF8&t=h&msa=0&ll=28.777289,82.935791&spn=5.602803,7.119141&z=7&msid=104707394906464320762.00045ae2acf657a0a6812) :)

ps Yay! for Google Maps