K-k-k-k-k-k-kathmandu!

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I think it's really where I'm goin to..... Ring a bell? Couldn't help but hum a little Bob Seger as we cruised through this free feelin' Asian country. We entered Nepal via the Friendship bridge. What a hoot! Nepalis lined up to carry our baggage down the muddy road and hillside to the bridge. Fortunate for us since we had a hard enough time just carrying ourselves over this trail like terrain. Lush, green, tropical, oxygen plentiful - all these things come to mind as we transferred ourselves out of the austere Tibetan environment into anything goes Nepal. Ty says, "This is where I want my senior trip to be! Kirsten went to Paris, I want to go to Nepal and go bungee jumping and whitewater rafting!" Then he did his best to persuade us to allow him to freefall bungee jump into a gorge from the 2nd highest bungee sight in the world. Leaving the bungee bridge (and Ty's dreams) behind, we next encounter "highway robbers" - not 1 but 8 times - holding ropes across the "road" to stop passersby and demand money. They say the money will be used for anything from a new school, a kidney transplant, a new ambulance, to social reform. Yeah, our guide says, the social reform is in the form of alcohol.....

O'k, we're in for some fun, and proceed to be amazed at the beauty of the Himalayas from the other side and by the bustling culture. Hindu dominance here. We notice the cows are fatter and shinier. The people don't flinch at foreigners passing by. Still, we don't want to advertise we're American. Only 8% of their tourism is from Americans. Seems one of their political parties (Maoists) think our government is anti communist or something. Ty asks if the 8 political parties in Nepal are concensual. Our guide matter of factly states that if they have any disagreements, they go out on the streets and throw stones at each other. We quickly decide it best to avoid anything even remotely resembling a political disturbance. While in Nepal, we stay in the mountains for a night and gaze at the amazing show of stars, waking in the morning to an awe inspiring sunrise over the Himalayas. Next, we head into the Kathmandu valley to tour ancient market streets and do a little shopping. Enough words, check out our photos and enjoy a taste of a culture unlike anyplace else - not quite Indian and definately not Chinese.

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Photos

You call this a road?
As we travelled into Nepal, the road often felt more like a mountain trail than a verified road. It was so muddy that all the cars would stop under this waterfall for a bath, creating a long line-up of vehicles (all 4WD of course) waiting to proceed. Oh yes, as we waited, worth noting, the terrain was soooooo rugged, that poor Jessie had to hang her head out the window and hurl her upset stomach contents onto the road. Poor kid, but she says she'd love to do the trip again!

Beauty, pity, respect
Our senses heightened as we exit to Nepal, we are amaed at the colorful line-up of people vying for a chance to haul our luggage into the country. The job is not an easy one either - rugged terrain, heavy loads and footwear that made my arches cringe at the thought of the daily wear and tear. We find it strange that vehicles can't transfer across the bridge, so everyone has to portage their luggage approximately a 15 minute walk from one guide car to the next.

Portering into Nepal
Laughing as we briskly walked along, we just can't believe this is what we have to do to cross into Nepal. This muddy, slippery hillside was bustling with porters carrying luggage and hiking boot clad tourists carrying their backpacks.

Bridge to Nepal
That's it - the bridge we walked across to gain entry into Nepal. This place was an international mix of adventure travelors. We even encountered a British climbing expedition - complete with Sherpas. So interesting to be jammed together with people from all walks of life. Some with heavy bandages on their hands - blackened frostbit fingers protruding - and limping on bandaged feet as well. These are the real deal climbers returning from the Himalayas - Everest, Shisipangma - the worlds biggest. I felt like a wimpy tourist, but still amazed to be in the throngs of it all.

Lush Nepal
We just can't get over the contrast. Our bodies are loving the excess oxygen and the moist, lush, earthy smelling air.

Jess
Here she stands on the bungee bridge, 160m over the river below. For a mere $75 we could have sent Ty flying over the edge! No worries, they have bamboo poles to pull him back up........

Squeezing through
Typical road travel. Just when you think there's no possible way to get through this, wait long enough and a crack opens up to continue on our travel.

Highway robbers
Now this a community event. Men, women, kids, dogs, everyone gets into this "charity" drive for community improvement funds. Yes, this is illegal. No, it's not enforced. Yes, they will whack a board with nails onto your tires should you try to neglect your community responsibility to provide donations. Yes, it is a humorous event. Even Ty gets into the act by offering them .50 cents worth of Chinese currency - which they gladly accept. Our guide was whaling in laughter in the back after that!

Himalayan lunch
Great food. Unbelievable view. Ahhhhhh......

Himalayas
This view in the morning from our Nagarkot villa above the Khatmandu valley left me in awe. Quiet, except for the birds, and warm and lush. After having been at Everest Base Camp, it was like watching a drama from afar. We knew what it was like at the base of those mountains, and yet here we could comfortably really enjoy their majesty.

Pottery square
Life in the Khatmandu valley seems a world away from the Himalayas. Here in Bhaktapur, an 8th century city, people mostly survive on farming. A few, like this pottery merchant, survive on tourism.

Artistry in wood
This typical carving from "S.A.L." wood adorning a building in Khatmandu is both symbolic and beautiful, as well as 100's of years old. Many, many carvings such as this were all over the city.

Market goods
Here, leaves from the "SAL" tree are sold alongside some pottery. These leaves can be used as "plates" for meals.

Goat head anyone?
More market goods. This tasty morsel was snatched up nearly as fast as the merchant put it up for sale. Now I wonder how much someone pays for that??? Wonder what they do with it??

Bungamati
Corn dries on the side of the buildings in the lovely village of Bungamati. Once dried it can provide popcorn, animal feed, and "mash".

Fertile valley
This valley near the village of Bungamati hosts the farming of rice and corn for the nearly 2000 people who live in Bungamati. The peaceful aura is so thick here you can almost rest your head in the air of it!

"Locks of Love" anyone?
Although Jessie and this Hindu holy man are worlds apart in just about everything, they did share a smile together today and both sport exceedingly long locks from their heads. What do these self-appointed holy men do??? Maybe not so simple: meditate, sing, gather donations, and smoke marijuana while always exhibiting a life of peace.

24/7
I hesitated to include this in my blog for fear of offending anyone or worse yet, nauseating anyone. However, this cremation is simply one of many that goes on all day, every day. Taking around 3 hours for completion and attended to by family, the Hindu's believe that the sould will be reincarnated to a higher place and only by refraining from any emotion can they help the soul to move out of this world. The ashes are swept into the river when it is finished.

And that's his face BEFORE the "gom bei"!
Poor unsuspecting Tyler had no idea what was poured into his clay cup, but fearlessly he goes for the gusto. We think it must have been at least 100 proof! Afterwards, silence and a silly smile like "Gosh, I think I just became a man!"