9/22: Kathmandu, and what's next

Boudhanath stupa

Swayambhu stupa

Prayer wheel with "Om mani padme hum" on it

We are leaving for Nagarkot today, a village in the mountains three hours from Kathmandu. Kathmandu has been pretty busy. We have walked to the major sites – Pashupathinath, Boudhanath, and Swayambhu – all good walks on the edge of the city. The architecture of this city is amazing. There are little squares everywhere with temples, shrines and stupas. There are amazing old buildings with incredibly fine wood work.

Kathmandu rivals Calcutta as the most densely populated place we have been. It is built like a village and the narrow roads cannot hold all the foot traffic, bicycles, motorcycles, cars and trucks. Luckily it is much cleaner than the cities we have been to in India. There is not near the animal population, so not near the shit on the roads. The Nepalis do a better job than the Indians at cleaning up their streets each morning. But just like India, there are no trash cans, let alone recycling bins, so as the day wears on, the trash piles up in the streets. The worst places are the rivers, where much of the trash ends up. A lot of the trash is biodegradable - they make little bowls out of leaves, but there is so much plastic, and it clogs up the water ways, so not only are the rivers ugly with trash, but they stink as well.

The trekking season hasn't started yet, so there are so many guides looking for work. Some of the unemployed guides are fairly aggressive, and they use the same routine that we are familiar with from India, acting friendly, wanting to know where you are from, making small talk, and eventually coming around to their sales pitch. On the other hand, I have had some nice conversations with these people after I have made it clear that I don't want a guide. They genuinely love their country and are happy to share with you what they know. Also, the drug dealers and shop sales people are not near as aggressive as in India. I think also they are not near as desperate. I have not seen as many beggars. The standard of living, at least in this capitol city, seems much higher than what I observed in India.

I am really happy to go to the villages. I don't know how long we will stay in Nagarkot. It is located on the highest hill in the valley. Supposedly, there are incredible views of the Himalayas. We might stay a few days and do some day hikes, or do a short trek to other villages on the way back to Kathmandu. It will depend on what Noah is comfortable doing.

After our little village experience, we will head back to Kathmandu, then take a seven hour bus ride to Pokara, a small town on a beautiful lake to the west of Kathmandu. Once again, I don't know what we will do there or how long we will stay. If Noah likes the Kathmandu valley village experience, we may go on a small trek there as well.

Noah is still trying to decide what to do after Nepal. He may go back to India with me, and maybe do some small trip to Rajestan, or up to the Tibetan refugee capitol of Dharamsala in the northwest of India. Noah's other option is to head back to Southeast Asia for his last few months. He is now more confident to travel alone. I am excited for him to do that, but also a little nervous, as any father would be.

I will be starting my teacher consultant job in Delhi in November. I am looking forward to seeing what it is like to be in one place for a while. Hopefully it will work out that I have something to offer this school (the length of the stay of the job is open-ended), and I will be there for a while. We will see.

So that is the plan for now. I don't know what internet access there will be in the villages, so it might be a while before you hear from me again. Shalom.