"Hello, hello - welcome to Nepal"

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... says one of a group of beaming children in this poor but tranquil farming area - their joy palpable, their enthusiasm infectious.

A simple greeting, but a complex flow of thoughts and emotions ensue. Their words carry not a hint of judgement of, nor expectation from, this person who has come so far, from a land and life they can hardly imagine, and almost certainly never visit.
I cannot know what I may have brought to their lives, more than a smile in kind - but they have given me something impossible to quantify: a ray of hope.

And ... Nepal IS an impossible land: an impossible richness of natural wonderment juxtaposed against the impossible chaos that is Kathmandu, with its impossibly overloaded busses and the impossible burdens carried on the backs of women (a few steps behind the unladen man), all making their way through an impossible density of dust and diesel - woven through by its impossibly polluted river harboring dwellings of impossible squalor.

For the teenage girls, in resplendent saris, sitting all day at a roadworks site, hammer in hand rendering rock into gravel: impossible cruelty. (Or, is this just a judgement filtered through my western value system? Just because it is my perception, must it be theirs? And with different perceptions, come different levels of tolerance.)

Soothe the senses with a cup of impossibly sweet lemon tea and contemplate an impossible history of spiritual development.

Through it all, how can these people carry themselves with impossible dignity amidst impossible poverty? Only with impossible courage borne of impossible optimism in the face of impossible adversity.

Namaste!

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Comments

[Arish]

Thank you for sharing. The whole time you were away I was conjuring up stories in my imagination. I am sure you have many to tell. Kiss

[Nikki]

I think the photos are a combination of good photography and visions of beauty- What a treat to have a break in the routine and explore these destinations- The people you encountered on your journey may have enriched your spirit as I am sure you did equally to theirs with your kindness, graciousness and interest. Though we will encourage your next trip, your absence was greatly noticed, especially amongst your little fans.

[nuno braula reis]

mouth watering images and a strong feeling of \"i want to do that too !\" the scale of the scenery smashes one\'s imagination.. awe must be a almost permanent state of mind when biking through those trails and the eye contact with those kids and those people must be something that lasts a long time even after being back great stuff Thank you

[Davidonabike]

Hey Nuno - love your way with words - who would know English is not your first language? ;-) Actually,part of your comment refers to some images from a future blog - coming soon. Thx