Part 1 – Journey, Khumbu, and Kathmandu

(Not to Sound Cliche but: At the Top of the World…Literally!)

I cannot believe how bad I can be. I had plans! I wanted to share with you my journeys. I got distracted. I left you on the edge of your seats. I left you with a hundred haikus but I did not leave you with stories of my travels. Well if you are willing to dive back in with me here is part 7 of my adventures in Asia.

If you are new to this journey you can find the beginning HERE.

Chapter 2: Of Cultures and Kathmandu
(Monkey Temples and Uniform Chaos)

Continued

My first venture down the streets of Kathmandu brought me south from Thamel, through winding streets, shadowed by these tall, skinny buildings of all makes and colors. On the sides of the roads the Nepalese people peddled their goods, an assortment of souvenirs, trinkets, dried peppers and nuts. Alongside those were mountain scene paintings and trekking clothes and supplies of all makes and models.

There were butcher shops with dead animals sitting on the sides of the roads, waiting to become someone’s next meal.

Anything and everything you can imagine was sold from these hole-in-the-wall variety shops.

Again I was almost overwhelmed by the pushiness of the peddlers. “Come here my friend, where are you from my friend?” “Come look inside my friend!” “This is a very good deal my friend, come have a look my friend.” Then of course there was the venerable assault of: “Smoke? Hash? Marijuana? Smoke a little my friend, this is good stuff my friend, trust me my friend.”

You can’t walk for 2 minutes without being offered this. Every shop thinks that they have exactly what you need and their over-eagerness to sell makes a little attitude and some rudeness necessary when trying to get away.

All the while taxis and rickshaws are racing by you in a teaming mass of blazing horns. I walked down a ways, passing monuments to hindu gods, all tucked away down hidden alleys between tall busy buidlings.

I walked further and because I didn’t know my way around yet and did not want to get lost, I headed back to my room.

It was afternoon in Kathmandu which meant that it was around midnight at home. After an hour or so of overwhelming street chaos the jet lag really started to catch up with me. I was pretty tired. Nap time was imminent and I had plenty more days in which to explore this fantastically different place.

I headed back to my room and right as I opened my door, the door accross the narrow hall was also wrenched open. Out of it stepped a skinny blonde guy, about my height, if not a bit taller. We both said hello and introduced ourselves.

This was my first encounter with Axel from Sweden,

Stay tuned for Part 4 of “Of Cultures and Kathmandu”