Back in Kathmandu and Civilisation. Hooray! Since my last post, I have been busy cramming in my last couple of weeks of Nepal, including excellent white water rafting with some nightmarish folk and finding The Perfect Hill Village (TM) which also now ranks as one of my top places in the world. But lest you switch off as I rant about my good fortune, I thought I would encourage my (slim) readership with a tale of transport woe and increase your gratitude to the...

This website is giving me serious trouble hence few updates. But now I will try to race through my progress before it turns its fickle back on me once more. Shortly after my last entry, I found myself at 5.30 in the morning in a filthy stony square, crawling with dodgy men, beggars, horns beeping, and food which looked like an advert for gangrene. At your typical Asian bus stop, in short, and I sighed; I felt completely at home. Since then I have been bussing...

Back from my trek to Annapurna Base Camp, and possibly the most simultaneously enjoyable and self-improving two weeks of my life! To avoid a wedge of "Day One: uphill through woodland with scintillating valley views" view of my trek, I will list a la Bridget Jones. Discovery of the year:I love trekking.I am a good trekker.I take to altitude like an eagle or suchlike. I have found my sport at last - if only Mrs Barclay and Miss Darley could see me no...

Things to like about Kathmandu: 1. Babies with kohl around their eyes. It's something Hindu, I think, but it makes them look like little rockers. Alice Cooper etc, eat your heart out. 2. Chocolate and Banana cake for 16 pence. No guilt. 3. Bodhnath, the tibetan buddhist area. Prayer flags, monks and stupas a-go-go. 4. The smell - a mixture of every city i've ever been to. Things not to like so much about Kathmandu: 1. Sadhus - fake holy men who try to...