Random Things that make me Smile in Kathmandu

Purple rain, Purple rain....no wait! Its just the beautiful flowers falling off the trees. They are really pretty....especially for Kathmandu!

HAVE to love the overly painted GIANTICAL trucks with the HILarious sayings on the bumper...this is one of my favorites, especially because it got stuck on the road in front of my cab.

The "infamous" traffic circle bull...if you look closely you can see why he is so famous (at least to Emma and I).

Really pretty sky and clouds on the cab ride home....that is why some of the pictures are blurred.

Cab ride to the Volunteer house...can be a wild ride sometimes :)

Aren't we FABulous....maybe not?

Pieter, Emma and I....two of my favs at the house right now!

Best Nepali word to have in your vocabulary! And its a bar....who knew?!?

CRAZY Traffic!!!...Can't say this is something I love about Kathmandu when I am stuck in it.

My FAV Morning Glories!!!

Those LOVELY purple trees!

The INSANE assembly line, to build the next story of the house behind the Volunteer house.

Crazy Nepali New Year...2067! Ann and I post street party with Teeka!

Permits, Passport photos, Visa, and Complete Change of Plans!!!

Where to begin? I am not quite sure....how about the beginning ;)?
If you didn't know, my best friend Zach was to arrive in Kathmandu tomorrow and we were planning on trekking the Annapurna circuit together and generally just hanging out/catching up after 3 months apart. This was the plan and I thought of all people the Maoists and their striking was going to throw a wrench into all of our plans...think again.
So, this last week has been spent volunteering a few days at the Ashram (which is the Nepali equivalent of a nursing home), where I mainly scrubbed, washed, did laundry and dishes. But this placement is only a half day placement in the morning, so I spent the afternoons organizing and planning for Zach to come. This meant going to Immigration to extend my visa (which was set to expire while we were trekking), getting our TIMS card (which is a general permit you need to trek), our actual permits (for the Annapurna Conservation Area), making general plans for time in Pokhara and Bungee jumping when we returned to the capital. Wrongly, I evidently over planned...

Because Wednesday night (my time) when Zach was suppose to begin the series of flights to get here I get (poor boy! 2 hours after he sent it!) a urgent message from him saying that they wouldn't let him board his flight because he supposedly needed a transit visa while connecting in India. WTF! I connected through India, and besides waiting FORever to get my boarding pass, everything went off without a hitch. AND! They won't even let him board his flight, just madness!!!
I called him, we talked and agreed that he should still try to come. Zach was off trying to make phone calls to see how to expedite a visa and change his flights, etc. I was sitting waiting and worrying to see what would happen. Talk about a letdown, I stayed up until 3am in Kathmandu to get the terrible news that Zach was NOT coming. Ugh! What a bummer? I was in a right state, for sure!
As all of this is happening, Emma (who was going trekking else where, leaving tomorrow) offers to let me tag along with her if Zach was still coming but just later on...How sweet of her! Well, 24 hours later guess what I am doing? Packing and preparing my family for my departure, because I am trekking Langtang start when I get off the bus tomorrow.
Honestly, this is how the Universe must have wanted it because today went SO smoothly getting my trip in order....last minute nonetheless, that (as corny as it sounds) this trip was fate. In order to go trekking with Emma tomorrow, I had to get a new TIMS card, a new permit, several items from the store, cash from the ATM, and a bus ticket. ALL of these things happened today without even a minor glitch...it is just UNbelieveable! Really, fate had to have been on my side with this trip.
Furthermore, Kathmandu really showed its love to me today. Besides all of my logistical things going as smoothly as they possibly could. I walked through the streets enjoying these absolutely beautiful flowering purple trees, which is SUCH a contrast to all the dirt and pollution in Kathmandu. Then at lunch, by myself it was really sinking in that I was NOT going to get to see Zach. I was really getting quite sad and just feeling bad for myself, despite the GREAT day I had. Then this man who was sitting next to me with a group of foreigners starts talking to me....asking me where I am from, America...which state, Michigan. Guess what? Both of his sons live in Michigan...and one works for Ford. What a small world?!?! Then he told me he lived in Pokhara, introduced me to his in-laws (the group of Thia people who were with him), and said when I come Pokhara he wants me to call him. Heru is just one of the many examples of Nepali people who are just some of the most generous and hospitable people you will ever meet. This is one of the many reasons why I love Nepal and probably will always be drawn back here for the rest of my life.
So! After all of the chaos, I am going trekking (Langtang), visiting Pokhara, and hopefully get to volunteer alittle longer if time permits. The only downer is not seeing Zach, it was going to be really great to see a familiar face from home...but Emma is a pretty solid replacement and probably a better cuddle buddy than Zach :) On that note, I still have a lot more to do before I leave tomorrow. Please keep sending your prayers and good vibrations my way....I am sure I will need all the help I can get while trekking (and carrying all my own crap!). I miss you all, until next time.

Patan Museum Pictures!

The AWESOME monastery in the Golden Temple....I don't think I was suppose to take pictures, but I took one!

Golden Temple

Got to LOVE those prayer wheels...fun way to pray!

Alison and I after lunch....my substitute little sister

Cafe Kitties! One of VERY few times I have seen cats in Nepal.

One of many representations of Buddha.

Even the Gods get it on....;)

Example of the many arms (ability to help) and many heads (many personalities).

Sweet Architecture!

See! First world, mirrors so you can check out the ENTIRE sculpture.

Ann, Alison, and Pieter....the crew for Patan Museum!

Patan Museum: Transported into the 1st World for a Day!

On Friday, I went to the Patan museum with Pieter, Ann, and Alison. I had an absolutely LOVELY day. The Patan museum is situated in their Durbar square, see most major cities in Nepal were once their own territory and had their own rulers (this is my vague understanding)....so most major "towns" have a Durbar square where the royalty/rulers lived. Patan is in Kathmandu valley, but it has a separate Durbar square than that of Kathmandu's...if that makes ANY sense!
The museum!!! It was beautiful! All of the exhibits were individually lit and each one had a plaque with interesting information...So! first world, I almost shit a brick. There were separate galleries, the main ones were; an area on Hinduism, an area on Buddhism, an area on the process of the beautiful metal work that they do in Nepal, and lastly there was a special exhibition with photography from around the capital. The last exhibit was really interesting because they had photos from the early 20th century and then "new" photos taken in 2009, it was astonishing the marked difference. There is a beautiful palace that was in the valley in 1900, but it is totally gone now and there is a high rise in it's place. So sad to me...I know that there has to be a balance between progress and perservation of the past, but there past is so beautiful and amazing and TOTALLY disrespected by so many.
I roamed around the museum for a solid 2 hours, it was like being in alittle piece of heaven. The museum reminded me how much I enjoy going to museums and art galleries, it was good fun. Then I met back up with Pieter, Anne and Alison. We had a DELIcious laid back lunch right at the museum cafe. Our waiter was a TOTAL hoot, smiley and conversational. While at lunch, we decided to meander over to this place called the Golden Temple.
Wrapped up lunch, checked out the gift shop...I bought an AWESOME book from the museum that had all the information from the plaques throughout the museum. To the Golden Temple! When you first walk in, it is quite unremarkable...it just looks like a usual Buddhist temple with prayer wheels and OFCOURSE it is under construction with scaffolding over half the structure. BUT! You go up these dark stairs to this tiny monastery where there are the most amazing frescos. It is really quaint in the monastery, there are people actually praying and making offerings to the metal representations of the Gods....the vibe was amazing, you could totally tell there was spiritual power resonanting in this place. It was SUPER cool!
After the temple, we snagged a cab and went back to the Volunteer house to have dinner and a laid back evening with Emma and Santosi. Perfect day in Kathmandu....it really makes me wonder why everyone complains so much about the capital. I honestly quite like it here, but I just love Nepal in general. Until another amazing day, worth writing a blog about :)

Rafting and Pokhara Photos

The girls on my last night in Pokhara....I miss you already!

Ashok showing me how to use my arms to help my hips flip me out of the water.

Ashok explaining to me for the millionth time, NOT to panic!

Me learning how to flip, Ashok assisting while JK just stands there (don't really know what he is doing?).

Ashok and I at our farwell dinner.

The dudes! (Tristan, Jeremy, and Clint)

The girls! (left to right: Coke, Shira, Emilie, Julia and Me)

Shira, gotta have that clean water...what better way to carry it than on your head!

Julia working hard....TEAMWORK!

ME! In all my gear :)

The water spout, that I was told was a "waterfall."

Lazy time....aka nap time :)

The mini-store that came to visit us on our second night.

Me looking German evidently, in the hat that was once Tristan but somehow became Ashok's...

View from our lunch stop on the second day.

Shira (What a DOLL!) and I after our first night of camping.

Clint and Tristan (aka Veggie Mite) evolving with their shoes, actually try to put holes in the bottom so the water would leak out....didn't really work.

Morning view from our first campsite.

Part of the rafting gang. (left to right: Shira, Coke, Jeremy, and Emilie) Pitching in making Dinner!