Our last full day in Vienna was dedicated to Schloss Schonbrunn. In order to get there, we decided to take the Subway, and were carefully instructed as to how to get there without having to switch lines, which was a very important factor to us even though it required walking to a station further away from the hotel. Needless to say, we were completely dumbfounded once we got to the station about the, supposedly, simple task of buying whatever ticket we needed for the ride. We were so frustrated that we were about to give up on the whole idea and just pay for a taxi ride when a gentleman approached us and offered his help. In no time at all we had our tickets, were in the right side of the platform, and were even ... read more

Our departure from Budapest could have ended in disaster! We got to the train station early, and were directed to our platform where a train for Munich was waiting. We were still not particularly aware of procedures but, in our defense, I should say that we asked at least three different persons to make sure we were in the right place and, although friendly, it wasn't until the last person we asked who actually told us that the train we had been staring at for fifteen minutes was the train we should be on! Yes, it was for Munich, but it made several stops along the way, Vienna being one of them! We were embarrassed, but eventually laughed it off with relief for not having missed the train. We had seats in the first class compartment, ... read more

Our second day in Budapest, we decided to cross the chain bridge and explore the Buda side and its two hills, Gellert and Varhegy. Our hotel was within easy walking distance so, after a very generous and varied breakfast buffet that was included with our stay, we made our way leisurely across the beautiful bridge and headed along the Danube towards Gellert Hill. It was hot, much hotter than we had hoped, so not rushing was a must. The Danube Promenade on the Buda side was lined with nice parks, and lots of restaurants and cafes. It was a nice stroll. The climb to the hill was challenging, with equal parts steps and steep lanes, but we stopped at various levels for a break and to admire the view from different levels. There are shady benches ... read more

The trip to Nepal ended with a tour to Patan City, the oldest of the original three cities in Kathmandu Valley, also known as Lalitpur or the “City of Beauty.” Reaching Patan Durbar Square, which is another UNESCO World Heritage Monument and a marvel of Newari architecture, involved a short walk through interesting streets that required careful watching of the surroundings since they lacked any kind of sidewalk and the vehicles and crazy scooters could come uncomfortably close to pedestrians. Even though it sustained heavy damage during the April 2015 earthquake, here was another breathtaking display of Hindu temples, Buddhist monuments, and stone statues with wonderful carvings. I believe at one point it may have been the most beautiful of the Squares and it's buildings some of the most elaborate. Krishna Mandir is the most important ... read more

Our trip to Chitwan started with a morning flight to the village of Bharaptur from the same small airport that we used for the Himalayan flight. The drive to the Temple Tiger Green Jungle Resort was picturesque through small villages and rice fields. The resort is next to the banks of the Narayani River and Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chitwan National Park, established in 1973, is the first national park in Nepal. Originally the hunting grounds of the ruling class, the area is home to the One-horned rhinoceros which were close to extinction by the end of the 1960s with only 95 remaining, and 70% of the jungle having been cleared. The population has now recovered, as well as that of Bengal Tigers, although not without some cost to humans. In order ... read more