Perhaps this is not as exciting as the trail updates. However, it’s been an interesting experience for us returning to the big city of Kathmandu after four months.
Firstly, we continue to admire and find joy in plumbing. Hot water from a tap feels luxurious, and perhaps it is a luxury as it was not seen as a common necessity until the mid-20th century.
Food-wise we have not turned into gorging pigs, but may give Kathmandu’s gorging dogs a run for their money! When we landed in Kathmandu from the Simikot – Nepalgunj flights, Ang picked us up like the rockstar he is and treated Mingma, Mike and I to an amazing lunch at Nina’s Restaurant, which for me included the incredible apple crumble with ice-cream for dessert. We noticed after the cheeseball entree and the ice-cream our stomachs needed some adjusting as dairy was not a large part of our diet for months other than milk powder for hot drinks.
The noise of the city has been noticeable, but is offset by the immense convenience of things, especially supermarkets. It’s been fun walking by many small stores and seeing chocolate so readily available.
In the west of Nepal chocolate was non existent until Simikot where Mingma successfully discovered Snickers and Dairy Milk bars. Excellent guide knowing his client’s wishes for sugary fatty fuel up 5000m+ passes!
We celebrated the Great Himalaya Trail with Mingma, Som, Pasang and Ang which was super special.
Now we all have GHT shirts to proudly wear. On the back of the shirts it reads “You want sandal?” which refers to the immense number of random sandals we saw discarded or forgotten along the way by herders, trekkers, guides, and whoever else used the trails.
The shirt also mentions, “Ningje!” which is a beautiful Tibetan word which carries a lot of meaning; but we learned in Bhijer it means compassion and empathy for others and their situation. Multiple Tibetan herders and folks in remote villages used the term when speaking with us. Our thin tents compared to heavy canvas with stoves and chimneys, and carrying our belongings on our backs, not using mules or horses (in all sorts of weather) incited this word!
Also special times have been spent with past colleagues and friends. It has been ten years since I have seen them in person. Both Mike and I thank these beautiful people and their families for their hospitality and kindness.
We have spent time visiting the famous temples of the city: Bouddhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Temple and Pashupatinath Temple. We also visited the Royal Palace and learned about Nepal’s more recent history.
A couple of early mornings we have jogged and walked, and continue to add kilometres to our old and worn shoes, walking about the city for sightseeing. Buying replacement shoes here is a difficult choice as the prices are higher than Canada, and women’s shoes do not go above a 39 (which if you’re a 41 is a bit of a challenge!)
From Kathmandu we will visit Bhaktapur, then down to Chitwan National Park for a few days before flying out in mid September. The “treebattical” as Mike calls it will continue for a few more months, visiting Thailand and briefly over to Cambodia for Angkor Wat, then Australia for family and friend time.
While our time in Nepal will soon come to an end, the Great Himalaya Trail lingers… in the way we want to walk and move our bodies a lot each day, in how grateful we feel for a hot shower, and in the random memories that pop up.
Kathmandu has been its own adventure, full of noise and colour. Soon we’ll move on to new places and different rhythms, but Nepal is a place that stays with you, so that’s an experience I look forward to sharing with Mike after his first visit here!