Welcome to Kathmandu, officially the top of the world.
Flying into this childhood dream, we snatched a glimpse of the mother of all mountains and her snow covered sisters set against a delightfully perfect blue sky. The whole plane-load of people craned their necks as they looked out the starboard windows, we were sure that the aircraft would tip! We caught the view below as we banked towards the land we'll adventure through over the next five weeks.
Totally buzzing about the magical view, we felt thankful again that we're blessed with resource and time to explore this big beautiful planet. And grateful for the family and friends who've encouraged us to adventure far from home, and you're reading this now, still supporting us! Cheers!
The smiley porter above met us at Kathmandu Airport. He was a great introduction to Nepal ... Helpful, friendly, curious, yet at the end had a quiet sook until we gave him the $5USD he insisted upon, for meeting us at the airport, pushing a trolley 100m, and calling a taxi driver mate. That may seem reasonable, but given that Nepali Teachers earn an average of $200USD per month, he was pretty cheeky.
But we're here, we're stoked, and loving the start of phase two of this gallivant. Driving through the streets, the first thing that struck us were all the colourful saris, the little peaked hats the men wear, the inescapable dust that smothers every square inch, and the swarm of Suzuki Maruti taxis honking their way through the congested stony streets.
And then silently soaring above the mayhem and temporal bustle of this metropolis, the backdrop of the Himalayas majestically wait to be noticed. Those white peaks take your eyes hostage, they are magical. As we move about the city, I'm conscious that I'm moving in relation to the Himalayas, not to the compass points that usually orientate me. I've never encountered something so colossal, and we're still 160kms from the tallest peak.
Prayer flags line the street. Motorbikes jostle through brightly painted rickshaws that look more like relics than transport. Shops are of three varieties - outdoor gear (with The North Face or Marmot being the favoured brands), hippy style clothes, and jewellery shops selling overly-yellow gold.
Wish we could take a photo of the smell.
We stumbled across the stupa above, on a mini side alley and took a moment to watch some school boys play a rough chasing game around the sacred site. Later in a postcard shop, we discovered that the holy square is called Swayambhunath Stupa. The ornately decorated gate below is the entrance to a monastery off the square (maybe!). Chains of faded marigolds tell of a previous time when someone with much devotion jazzed up the entranceway. Not sure how long the flowers stay in place, but the dried flower look is acceptable on doorways, shops, and homes. Freshly cut marigolds are sold by saried women sitting cross legged on the street.
Through the air wafts a hint of patchouli and nag champa incense. The air is also filled with an ancientness that's unique ... Like there are stories that have been lived in this place for longer than time has existed. Spliced with the bustle of rickshaws, rickety bicycles and shop-keepers' constant chatter, there's so much to ingest just walking the street.
It's so lovely to be here! Hope you'll enjoy the ride with us too! We're heading off for a kayak on the Trishuli River, so catch you a in a few days x.
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