First Impressions

After 60 hours of travel our trio of weary explorers arrived at the Kathmandu airport slightly jet-lagged but extremely excited to start our adventure. After navigating entry visas, security checkpoints, and baggage claims we exited the airport to find Tendi patiently waiting to welcome us to Nepal. Stepping aside, Rob and I watched from a distance as Kim and Tendi shared a joyous reunion.

You only get one chance to make a first impression and what a first impression Kathmandu made on us! The sights, sounds, smells, history, people, momos and TRAFFIC. Yes, that’s traffic with a capital T! Never again will we complain about waiting for one light at the 17th street bridge in Courtenay.

Driving in Kathmandu is not for the faint of heart! Terrifying, yet fascinating, we found ourselves in awe of the disorganized, yet functional chaos of the city streets. I would liken it to a giant game of chicken, in which buses, cars, motorcycles (more motorbikes than one could ever imagine) cyclists and pedestrians willingly participate. Helmets appear optional and it is not uncommon to see a couple of toddlers perched on a motorcycle between driver and passenger. The rule of the road appears to be - don’t worry - keep moving - it will all work out. And magically it appears to. This haphazardly choreographed dance seems to work as cars, bikes and buses expertly weave in and out, moving forward on mass unscathed. Well, vehicles were unscathed, we were overwhelmed if not slightly traumatized by the experience.

Our “base camp” for our week in Kathmandu, is the Hotel Lotus Gem, located in the heart of the Bodhnath (Boudha) and home to Asia’s largest stupa. Its white washed dome has a gilded tower and is painted with the all seeing eyes of the Buddha. We are awakened each morning by the rhythmic sounds of monks drumming and chanting and go to bed in the evening under watchful eyes.

Home to several world UNESCO sites, Kathmandu is a fascinating mix of history and the modern world. Taking a step back in time, and under the expert guidance of Tendi, over the course of a couple of days we visited medieval Bhaktapur, where Tendi’s son Nema dazzled us at the pottery wheel. Together, we ambled along narrow cobblestones streets winding between red brick buildings under the shadow of the towering temples. Captivated by the Nepalese architecture we took great delight in the elaborately carved wooden windows.

The magnificent Golden Temple, a Buddhist monastery was the highlight of our stop in Patan, Kathmandu’s sister city. A centre of both Hinduism and Buddhism Patan boast 136 courtyards and 55 major temples. 

Last, but not least, we found ourselves overlooking the city from the site of Swayambhunath. Mobbed by monkeys, we took in the beauty of the great Stupa. Prayer flags flapped in the wind as tourists and pilgrims alike spun the prayer wheels at the base of the central Stupa. Tendi shared that the prayer wheels are embossed with the sacred mantra of om mani padme hum. We observed and listened and became lost in the moment. 

Our time in Kathmandu has flown by and our appetite to learn more about this land, its history, gentle people and customs has only grown. We are feeling excited to leave the  big city behind and begin our trek. Tomorrow we plan to complete a final gear check, exchange our money to rupees and stuff our backpacks. City life has been a blast, but the mountains are calling. It is time to begin our trek.

Giggle of the Day

We began our adventure in Thamel, an area the guide books have described as a tourist ghetto. Fascinated, we blindly followed Kim as she expertly weaved her way in and out of countless shops bartering like a seasoned pro. “But how much if we buy six?” While Rob can hold his own during price negotiations, I have been known to talk shop keepers up in price, so to set Kim loose was a huge relief to me and my brand new $35.00 bright pink North Face jacket!

Thrilled with our shopping excursion, we managed to find our way back to Boudha just in time for garbage collection. Waste Management take note … there is no need for bins and hydraulic lifts. Like magic, young and old alike appeared out of alleyways and shops clutching their bags of trash. Garbage collectors accepted the bags and with the skill of a hammer throw Olympian they tossed large bundles of trash to the top of a garbage pile in a flat bed truck. With each passing second the mountain of trash grew. Men balanced precariously on top of the massive heap sorting and stacking as the truck rumbled along.