A week in Nepal

Not too long ago my friend and I went to Nepal during our 8 month round the world trip. It was a last minute stop-over (escape) during our three weeks in India, and we were pleasantly surprised with how beautiful and easy it was compared to the chaos we were experiencing in India. We were supposed to take an overnight train and bus from New Delhi, but after missing the train had to book a last minute flight to Kathmandu. We took a cab to Nagarkot, a village in the mountains, and stayed at a cute hotel.

After resting for a day, we decided to go on a three day trek that our hotel helped arrange. We had a great guide named Bikram who works for a Territory Himalaya (we highly recommend him) and left the next day. It was considered one of the easier treks you can do, but it was as hot as can be and by the end of the three days I dropped a few pounds for sure.

After hiking all day up and down and through the woods then back into the sun, we made it to a small hotel for the night. We were hiking towards Chisapani, where we would stay our last night before hiking and then getting a local bus back to Kathmandu.

We had fried rice for just about every meal it seemed like, which wasn’t so bad. For me, as usual, the switchbacks in the sun were the hardest part. I’m the slowest person on pretty much any hike I do, always bringing up the rear. The scenery was beautiful, we walked through villages in the mountains that seemed cut off from almost everything, through thick forests in the shade, down mountains, and along dirt roads. Sadly the only view we ever had of the Himalayas was from the plane, it was too foggy the week we were there to see them, but normally they are a regular part of the view.

After our hike we spent a couple nights in Kathmandu, which was one of my favorite cities along our trip. It was full of interesting shops and restaurants and people from all over the world. We visited the Monkey Temple. Those monkeys were mean. I saw them stealing people’s shoes and ice cream cones.

The people in Nepal we very warm and friendly. I would definitely recommend spending time in the city and in the mountains. I felt safe there, though safer in the mountains than in Kathmandu at night. I really hope to make it back there in the next few years to do the Annapurna Trek, which my friend got to return to do and loved.

 

 

Posted by | Comments Off on A week in Nepal  | August 17, 2014
Category: Asia, General

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