N A M A S T E
“I bow to the divine in you.”
In Nepal, no “Hello” or “Hi” or “Farewell” or “Goodbye”; always and only “Namaste”. I fell in love with the people first and then, the place. However, it was only AFTER I experienced the never-ending smiles of the Nepali people and AFTER the first siting of The Himalaya that I warmed up to this place. To be honest, I had a faulty image of Kathmandu in my head and I was culture shocked to say the least. It took a couple of days for me to navigate and assimilate into this massive city of chaos. Even though, over time, I developed a fondness for Kathmandu, I am still shocked by the dirty, dingy, dusty and smelly personna of this city. And, yet, it is exactly those things that make it the most exotic, colorful and captivating city I have visited thus far. It was my first time in Nepal and I have never been to India, so I found myself reeling, wretching and even a bit panicked in the face of the first 36 hours on the street. I had a headache from the moment I stepped off the airplane until we made it to the mountains four days later. The smog and lack of any air quality was overwhelming. Add the poverty, street beggars, smell, and grunge and it made for a pungent distaste of this famous, bohemian rich city . But, I don’t want to give Kathmandu a bad rap because, in the end, I did adapt. Stimulating and fascinating, the people changed my tune. This diverse mix of Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist pratitioners coexist in harmony. There is a respect and trust for each other and for everyone who visits their country that is inspiring and comforting. The Nepalese are known for their endless smiles and eager to please approach. They are truly lovely and I will remember that it was their disposition that changed my view of Kathmandu.
We traveled 8 hours on a tourist bus to Pokhara. The second the massive and majestic Himalayan mountains came into view… I knew WHY we had come to Nepal. WOW!!! Pokhara is a very low key lakeside (Fewa Lake) community that allowed us time to relax and take in the beauty and majesty of the Annapurna Range. We were just a hike away from the Peace Pagoda and many famous trekking trailheads in this region. We had a fantastic lake view and our hotel grounds were the landing spot for the paragliders as they sailed over the lake from a world renowned flying take off. We got to choose daily from paragliding, boating, hiking, mountain biking, motorcycling or just chillin’. It was the perfect place for us to wind down as we prepared to come home.
As usual, we didn’t waste any time day trippin’ from the Watefront Hotel in Lakeside. So much for chill-laxing. And THAT was the beginning of the end. Will is not going to be happy to discover that I could not finish this Nepal post in style. I am home, now and it has been two months and I just can’t find the motivation to finish the details on Nepal. I will end by saying that I was completely mesmerized by the stunning view of Everest from the airplane as we headed for home. The Himalaya was spectacular and I look forward to a return trip here. I would even go back to Kathmandu….for a day!!!
Day 1: Boat across the lake and hike up to The Peace Pagoda.
Day 2: Day hike from Kande to Phedi through Dampus.
Day 3: Overnight at the Himalayan Front Hotel. Hike up to Sarangkot.
Day 4/5: Rent a motorbike and explore; take a boat on the Lake Fewa.
Wrap up post of favorites to follow. And, the Thrill will write a compelling post of WHY everyone SHOULD and HOW they COULD embark on a similar journey. Stay tuned.
