Namaste Nepal!

*Written 25 July*

Sitting in Kathmandu, after a full day's worth of adventure, an eleven hour layover in Seoul, and two flights; I look back fondly on China. I will always love it, and I already miss it immensely. Especially Hawthorne berry popsicles and a drink that we call "Scream." Until next time China!

When we arrived in Kathmandu's airport, we were swarmed by taxi drivers and hotel chauffeurs. We found one who agreed to take us (me, Karen, Michael, and Guy the Israeli who we met in Seoul) to Kathmandu Guest House, despite trying repeatedly to get us to his place.

All settled into a place visited by the Beatles, Jimmy Carter, and Ricky Martin, we set out to explore Thamel (the main tourist lodging area of Kathmandu). We ate samosas with mashed potato cakes and spicy sauces, buff (water buffalo) and veggies momos (dumplings), some ultra complicated diced up samosas with spices and sauces, delicious friend bread oozing with liquid sugar, milky-curdy desserts, the best lassi I've ever had, perfect chai, mango nectar, and kabobs. (Note: this was lunch and dinner, I'm not THAT fat.)

Walking around, dodging murky liquid filled potholes, people, dogs, cars, motorcycles, and rickshaws; it's hard not to fall in love with Nepal. It's all of my favorite parts about India with the negatives at a bare minimum. Kids beg for money so they can huff glue and sketchy men slide past you offering, "hash, marijuana, smoke." Nepal is a spinning and chaotic land of wonder.

I would be doing the world an injustice not to mention Ernie, Hannah, Graham, and Catherine. Ernie, an animated, talented, and extremely bright "International" artist, was born in the States, grew up in Florida and Hong Kong, and holds three passports (USA, HK, and UK). Hannah, a white girl with a British accent, was born and raised in Hong Kong, and is equally entertaining. Her godfather, Graham, is an epic British gentleman residing in Dallas, Texas, with a big heart and a fondness for beer. His girlfriend, Catherine, born in Brooklyn, raised in Bergen Country, NJ, and now in Dallas, is the most unfiltered, open, and outright hilarious woman I've ever met. In a few days, we'll be joining this perfectly eclectic group for a trip to an orphanage.

PS - So soon!