Last week my friends and I decided it was time for an impromptu trip to Nepal. We all needed some time away from Delhi’s noise, heat, and smog - Nepal seemed like the perfect holiday. Luckily, last Wednesday was India’s Independence Day, so we didn’t have any classes; with a little sweet talking, we got out of going to our Thursday classes, too. Once we’d been given the go on Monday, we bought the tickets and left early morning on Wednesday. We left Delhi with no itinerary, no guidebook, and no idea what we were getting ourselves into.
I had forgotten what a blue sky was until I was reminded in Kathmandu; the sky was a clear blue with the occasional fluffy cloud. In Delhi, the sun is usually obscured by clouds and thick diesel fog, but in Kathmandu, I could feel the warm sun on my skin. I’d been missing that.
We stayed in a hostel for $1.50 per night, and besides the fact that our toilet didn’t flush, it was a pleasant place to stay (we used the hallway bathrooms, don’t worry). Jordan, Adam, Dom, and I spent the entire day wandering the streets. We shopped, ate, stood in the rain, laughed, and explored. Late afternoon we came upon a palmist/astrologer.
“What the hell, right?”
“Yeah, what the hell? Let’s do it.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon drinking Nepali tea in a damp, crowded room listening closely to each other’s readings. I won’t tell what he said to us, but let’s just say that some of it was creepily accurate.
The next morning we got up early (once again) to catch a bus to the small city of Pokhara. We paid an arm and a leg for the air conditioned bus, only to discover there is no such thing...the next eight hours were sweatier than I would’ve liked. The view, on the other hand, was incredible. I spent the whole ride listening to my iPod, neck twisted, eyes transfixed on the landscapes we passed.
(some songs I listened to)
daily routine by animal collective
bohemian rhapsody by queen
season of love by shiny toy guns
four sticks by led zeppelin
brothersport by animal collective
home by edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros
since i’ve been loving you by led zeppelin
little lion man by mumford & sons
louder than ever by cold war kids
derek by animal collective
farmhouse by phish
comfy in nautica by panda bear
Our first night in Pokhara we ate at a steakhouse; both Dom and Adam have been dying for steak, but its impossible to get here in Delhi. Big surprise, the only people in this steakhouse were tourists. We spent the rest of the day walking around exploring what we could before it got too dark. That night we could see stars for the first time in weeks. Another thing I had almost forgotten.
The next day, we slept until 11, ate lunch, and shopped around. We had been dying to swim in the lake, so we put on shorts (for the first time!) and rented a boat for the afternoon. After much difficulty, Adam and Dom finally figured out how to row forward and we made it to a good swimming spot in the middle of the lake. I don’t know if it was luck or something more, but from the moment we got into the water until we rowed to shore, the clouds shifted. They were scattered all over the blue sky, except in a few places, revealing the snow-capped Himalayan mountains. You know that feeling children get? When you can’t stop smiling? You’ve just made a new friend who loves the seesaw as much as you do? So you both bounce up and down for hours, sun on your faces, talking about everything? That’s sort of how the afternoon felt.
Me and Adam
Me and Jordan
The next day, we were all tired and hot, but we decided to hike up to Sarangkot anyways. Unfortunately, it was very cloudy when we got to the top, but the view was spectacular all the same. We couldn’t see the mountains, but we could see all that was below us - giving us the chance to see Pokhara from a whole new perspective.
Dom, Me, and Adam at the top of Sarangkot
Taking in the view (look for the huge dragonfly)
On Sunday morning, we got up early (again) and reluctantly rode the bus back to Kathmandu to take a plane back to Delhi. It was sort of weird leaving Nepal to go home to Delhi. Although I would’ve stayed in Nepal for another couple weeks if I could’ve, it was nice to come back home again. I missed by bed, my auntie, and of course, I missed the hot, spicy-smelling Delhi air.
Yesterday, someone wrote me on Facebook. “Take the long way home” he said.
I definitely intend to follow his advice.
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