Royal Singi Kathmandu

<br><br>This is a time I'll never forget. I want to say it's been the best of times and it's been the worst of times, yet I have a sneaking suspicion someone has already coined that phrase. However in some ways, it's the best way to describe it. Although this may be old news to some of you, I'll still share...<br><br>Since the last post, my world has been riddled with pain, fear, confusion, frustration, helplessness and sorrow. I've had one of the most horrific experience I have ever had the ...

... went to the Patan Museam (credited as the finest museum on the subcontinent) which displays traditional sacred art of Nepal in an old royal palace.<br><br>On Friday, Joe flys back to Britain (having intended to only be in Nepal a week, he thought it be best to show his face back home having been away for a month) and I travel down south to the beaches of Kerala. An area of India i've been looking forward to visiting since I arrived.

... weed, take a look man, want to smoke" or trying to get you into your shops. There is stuff everywhere you don't want to step in. We end up getting lost in this madness for about an hour. Everything looks the same, trekking outfitter. travel agent, shipping company, wool shop, knife shop, trinket shop, repeat 5000 times. Once we finally stumbled into our hotel again, we decide we need a couple drinks so we just walk over to the ...

... body out on the front porch on a pile of straw and covered over with a thin cloth (luckily!). Apparantly she was about 45 and had died of throat cancer. We all stood around watching on as two men made a stretcher out of bamboo and twine. I asked where they would take her but no one seemed to know. They have no burials here only cremation (as per the picture). They seemed a bit horrified at the thought of burying someone.<br>Today we found out that we will do a safari on ...

... Anyway, the landing in KTM was fascinating, like somewhere in a remote village in mountains, although there aren't any real mountains in that area.<br>Immigration was a bit chaotic, which form to fill and which not, but easygoing Nepali made it a no hassle action. I sneaked into a taxi with other tourists to share the cost and headed to Thamel, touristy zone in the centre, an obvious choice for every newcomer. Even a short ride through the town is ...

... a festival, visited many people that Surya knows, ate, drank, ate more, met his family, and ate even more. We stopped for a Buddhist ceremony and ate again...<br> <br>Many of the children in this village wanted so badly to have the option to learn English but they are so poor and out of the way and can only go to the government schools which offer basic education and not much of a future. With the government education here, you cannot get a job and you can't go ...

... literally inches from fast moving car mirrors and the hot exhaust pipes of motor bikes. I try not to envision a bike tearing off my limbs as it carelessly drives by. It is insane to think that minutes away, off the main roads, exists peace, silence and safety, down the tiny dirt roads and in narrow brick walkways.<br> <br> On the street, a woman falls with a quick cry. Two others who seconds ago were arm in arm with her are torn apart and scramble to straighten their saris and help ...

... usually a pancake or crepe-like substance, served with a bit of fruit - this morning it was a banana- or I spread a bit of Nutella over it. Funnily enough they have a wide selection of western foods and products here - anything from Nature Valley bars to Frosted Flakes. At dinner, we always have rice and typically curried potatoes or some type of vegetable. Last night we had a feast - farewell dinner for one of the volunteers in the ...

... went to close the window to our hut and a green jungle snake fell off the glass and onto the sill. Marjorie slept very well (NOT) that night. <br><br>Next was Pokhara where I took my first sunrise micro-light flight while Marjorie caught up on her beauty rest. She was snoring away while I was dangling out of a motorcycle sized, open air, lawnmower engine powered contraption, 2000 feet above the valley below, heading ...