Some time last year, my friends and I went to Nepal. It was just for ten days, but the whole trip was such an enriching experience. It was the first country i visited that was totally different from home, so it definitely left a mark. That was the time when my eyes were opened to the world. It was the trip that fueled my yearning to experience different cultures. After the earthquake that devastated the country early this year, looking at the pictures I took felt bittersweet. It’s sad that a lot of the places and structures I saw were totally destroyed. Yet i couldn’t help but smile as well, since the country had so much to offer, it will forever remain a beautiful memory.

Last year, I was still a newbie when it comes to travelling. So apart from staying at hotels, what do newbies do? Book packaged tours of course! Nepal is a backpacker friendly country, and there are so many hostels in the area. Backpacker routes are also clearly laid out online. We could have easily planned our own trip and skipped those places we didn’t like. But there’s no use crying over spilled milk. The tour we had was awesome overall. We booked a tour with Outshine Adventure. We got a bit worried at first since you had to wire transfer your deposit, and it took them a long time to reply after we sent our money. Turns out we had nothing to worry about. There are frequent power outages in Kathmandu so they couldn’t reply immediately. But rest assured, they are a reputable and trustworthy company. And the guides and porters assigned to us were incredibly helpful and friendly. In fact, we still keep in touch with them up to this day.

First impression of Nepal? Well, the airport was really dilapidated, so it wasn’t too good. LOL. It was really dirty in some places, restrooms stank, and there was no proper ventilation. I did expect it somehow, since the Tribhuvan International Airport is frequently included in those worst airports in the world lists, but i never though it would be that bad. LOL. But i didn’t really mind. We didn’t stay long in the airport anyway. At least their immigration department was efficient. We managed to secure our visas and get our bags with no delays. We stayed at a very basic hotel in the Thamel area, The Gaju Suite Hotel. Not much amenities, but it did have air conditioning. And the place seemed secure even if the bar upstairs was open to the public. After checking in, we decided to look for a place to eat— some place that served authentic Nepalese food. One place had a huge trip advisor seal of approval outside, so what the heck. We decided to check it out.

The food was kinda meh. It didn’t leave a good impression on me, but later on I would find out that Nepalese food isn’t all bad. We just picked the wrong place heh.

The next day, we started our tour of Kathmandu. One thing about this city- it has a very distinct local color. Thamel, where our hotel is located, is a very busy place. Lots of tourists, lots of shops, everywhere you go, it’s bustling with activity. It also seemed like a maze, with zigzagging narrow streets, I often wondered why it was even open to vehicles when it looked very much like a pedestrian only area. it also feels like you’ve traveled back in time. Most of the surrounding buildings seemed to have been built eons ago. You could spend a whole day in Thamel alone, interacting with locals and getting to know their culture.

Our first stop was the Swayambhunath Temple. There are lots of Rhesus monkeys here, so it’s also called the Monkey Temple. Climb up the stairs and you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view of the Kathmandu Valley.

On top of the hill you’ll see a large  Stupa. Buddhists go here to meditate. There’s piped in music coming from somewhere, and it really sets the mood. they were selling CDs with a recording of that music, and I was really tempted to buy. it’s that kind of music that makes you feel like you’re in a different area, hypnotic and tranquil at the same time.

There are a number of Hindu temples surrounding the Stupa. it seems a bit odd at first, with structures from two different religions in such close proximity to each other. but it makes sense once you find out that there are a lot of intermingling of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs in Nepal. This is definitely one of the must see places in Kathmandu.

We then proceeded to Kathmandu Durbar Square. There are also a lot of old structures in the area. Aspiring photographers would have  a field day. Here, you’ll find the Kumari. Basically, the Kumari is a pre- pubescent girl worshiped by the people. They believe that the Kumari is the incarnation of the goddess Taleju. There are a number of Kumaris in Nepal, but the most well known is the one in Kathmandu. She mostly remains inside the palace, and only goes out when there are special occasions. Once the girl reaches puberty, a new Kumari is selected and the old one returns to normal life. Really interesting stuff. Once we entered the palace, we had to wait a while in the small courtyard since it wasn’t time for her to show herself to the crowd. Once I saw her, i didn’t know how to react. There she was, a little girl all dolled up, but she also seemed really sad. i wasn’t able to take pictures since it was prohibited. But right outside the palace you can buy a picture of the Kumari if you want a memento. Typical.

The next stop was the Boudhanath, a massive Stupa. it’s one of the largest stupas in Nepal. There are lots of shops in the area. There’s nothing much to see here except for the Stupa, but we spent quite some time in the area because our tour guide kept bringing us to several stores by the side, selling pashminas, paintings, and other souvenirs. Obviously, these tour guides get a cut from every item sold, otherwise why would they keep insisting on bringing us to these places? This would also explain why the goods in this area are ridiculously overpriced, besides being next to a top tourist destination. They would try to justify the cost by saying they are selling products that are of higher quality, but i couldn’t tell the difference from the ones i bought a few days later— at about a third of the price. probably a load of BS. If they are telling the truth, the difference wasn’t significant enough for me to be able to tell the difference.

The last stop was the most memorable one— the Pashupatinath Temple. This place would be shocking to some people, especially to those who are not familiar with Hindu beliefs. it’s a sacred place, but it’s swarming with tourists, which kinda spoils the solemnity a bit. It’s a sprawling complex with a number of temples and shrines built along the banks of the Bagmati River.  Some areas are off limits to tourists, though the main ones are not. They do cremations here, and yes, tourists are allowed to watch. After the body is completely burned, the ashes are thrown to the river. No wonder the river is murky. i could see some trash in the river too, and I’ve read that sewage drains on this river. For a river that is considered holy, it is very polluted. I’m not sure I’d feel good throwing the ashes of my loved ones on a polluted river, but then again I’m not Hindu. The river must be very meaningful to them for them to ignore its present condition.

That was our last stop for the day. For dinner, why not try another Nepalese meal? Unlike the Thali we had the previous day, this one was delicious! I think i got about four servings! haha. That was one hearty meal, and I needed it for strength.. because the following day we would begin our long trek to Nagarkot.