Sun 5th April - Kathmandu.
We arrived safely in a very foggy Kathmandu after our short but delayed flight from India. We passing street vendors, shoeshine boys and even a barber with his chair and cracked mirror out on the pavement! This morning we escaped the dust, noise and pollution of the city to visit the incredible Monkey Temple. There were lots of steps to climb but it was worth it — the view of the snowy peaks of the Himalayas in the distance was absolutely breathtaking!
Tues 7th April - The Himalayas.
We woke up yesterday morning feeling so excited! We finally reached a village called Phakding where we put up our tent and camped outside a teahouse. We tried some local dishes, which were delicious, and then got into our sleeping bags. I awoke the next morning to the most amazing sunrise I had ever seen! I went to the river where I met two young boys. Nepalese villages are very poor, but everyone we met in the mountains seemed happy.
Thurs 9th April - Bhaktapur.
Returning from the mountains, Kathmandu seemed even busier than when we left! We took a taxi to the ancient town of Bhaktapur today as we had heard that its festival Bisket Jatra was taking place. When we got there, we hired a guide, who took us to see the noisy tug-of-war contest that kicks off the festival every year. It includes a wild parade, a candlelit procession and two more tugs-of-war! Later in the day, we went shopping for souvenirs. I bought some beautiful pottery.
Sat 11th April - Home Sweet Home!
Jake and I finally put on our backpacks for the last time and flew home today after 5 weeks, 4 countries, cheap campsites and hotels! I'll never forget the amazing experiences I've had backpacking through Asia! During the trip, I homesicked. Home, sweet home...