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Flying over Nepal looked amazing all we could see was green and every so often little villages in the middle of nowhere. We hadnt done any real research into nepal so at the airport we stopped at the tourist information and booked a room. We stayed in an area called Thamel.
On the way to the hotel the taxi driver was telling us about the Diwali festival (festival of lights), how all of the houses are decorated with lights inside and outside. He then insisted on taking us to his house to show us and offered some food and a refreshing drink. Decorated all over his house and all of the others around were brightly coloured lights. At the front door were tea lights then a long black chalk line with the occasional lit tealight all the way from the front door up the stairs and to a shrine where they prayed. We met his wife and children and he also showed us pictures of his holiday that they had a few months earlier (this was a big thing as it was their first holiday). This was the start of the nice hospitality that we received whilst in Nepal.
We visited Swayambhumath temple which had amazing views, lots of monks visited there (from what looked like the ages of about 5-95) so there was lots walking round and also lots of monkeys. As it was Diwalli people were setting fireworks off all around which made the monkeys go crazy lol. We also visited Kapan Monastry where monks live. There was a very calm and relaxing atmosphere and it was very peaceful, until lunchtime when the bell rang and all of the child monks came running out of nowhere to the lunch hall. They had previously been in school lessons and practising there meditation
We also visited Pashupatinath which is by the gange river in nepal where people are cremated. We decided to hire a guide who was very good at explaining everything that was happening while a few cremations were taking place. Itfelt a little strange to be standing on the other side of the narrow river watching but also interesting to see what actually happens when someone dies in their culture. Our guide put us at ease though and explained that because the cremations happen in a public place it is ok to watch from a distance, there were actually more locals watching the cremations than foreigners. The guide explained when people die they have to be cremated within 2-3 hours of dying, if any family members cant get to the cremation in time then they have 14 days to pay their respects at the deceased persons house,after that it is to late. Depending on which area you are from women are not allowed to attend the cremation only men. There is a hospice by the side of the river and if you die there it is said to be good as you are dying in front of the temple. At the start of cremation they carry out a blessing of the person and pour water from the river onto the heads, the deceased are then wrapped in yellow, red and orange cloth for good luck then they start the cremation by placing burning material in the mouth. It was interesting to see the cremations taking place and that they are carried out in a public place.
We decided to get active and do a trek for a few days which our guide said was an easy trek....not so easy for someone who hasnt done any exercise for a long time! It took 7 hours of blood sweat and nearly tears to reach our first overnight destination. Just about every step along the way was an actual step and uneven ground. We did have plenty of rest stops along the way (to take in the views of course lol) and had lunch at a house which seemed like it popped up in the middle of nowhere.
The guesthouse was high up in the mountains which had amazing views all around but was sooooo cold. It was that cold we went to bed with the following on: pyjamas, clothes, hooded top,coat,thick socks, hat, scarve and and 3 thick blankets! It still took us ages to get warm. During the night I woke up a stomach bug. ..not a good thing when your meant to be completing a 7 hour trek the next day and have layers of clothes on. After a sleepless night I knew I would be unable to complete another 7 hours uphill trekking the following morning so asked what my options were. I could either pay about £100 for a car to come for me which would take roughly 3 hours or walk on flat surface for 4 hours and stay at a local house then the next day walk another 4 hours to the nearest local town for a bus back to kathmandu.
As I didnt want Anoushka to miss out on the trekking I decided to try the 4 hour walk. Surpisingly it seemed quite easy compared to the day before even though I felt ill! We stopped for a rest a few times and Robin our guide said at one spot it was his dream to have a house built there but he knows it will never have the money to do it. We arrived at the local house which literally was in the middle of nowhere, All you could see around you was fields. Unfortunatly the toilet and shower were outside and down a little slope in a little hut type of thing . The shower was a bucket and the toilet was hole in the ground, this would mean getting up during the night with a torch (and probably anoushka) going down some rickety stairs then outside for the toilet. Not what you need when your feeling unwell so we decided to walk to the next town (no cars or bikes had access to the local house as it was in the middle of nowhere)
Robin decided to take us via the shortcut......through local farmland all downhill with no path, needless to say i fell a few times as I was feeling weak and hadnt ate anything for 2 days. Robin was so kind to carry my bag for me for the whole 4 hours!!! This second part of the trek was the longest 4 hours of my life and also the hardest thing ive had to physically do. After walking for 8 hours that day by the end i felt like couldnt walk another step and was practically crawling on my knees by the end. At the moment im thinking why did i do it but im sure in a week i'll be pleased i done it.
The next day robin came to see how I was and invited us out for lunch. Because we didnt complete the full trek Robin offered to pay for our hotel, our lunch and taxi back to the airport. We declined the offer ofcourse.
The food is so nice in Nepal, I loved momos (a bit like chinese dumplings) and their version of chilly chips. There are so many nice things to buy here its definatley a place Id like to come back to. While in a restaurant we heard lots of commotion outside, there were children singing at the door of the restaurant for Diwalli (like carol singers at christmas) and lots of fireworks going off in the middle of the street. You could tell there was going to be a big celebration and a really good festival atmosphere.
So we said our goodbyes to Robin at the airport and head back to Delhi for a 15 hour train ride to Mumbai.
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