This city, filled with some of the world's poorest people, is situated in one of the most beautiful locations I've ever seen. With a backdrop of the Himalayas, rolling hills covered in rice patties and streets lined with trees that look centuries old, Kathmandu quite a breathtaking.I know that I've only been here a few days, and to say these things will promptly cause my sister to choke on her tea and roll her eyes, but Kathmandu is magical. So far.
After traveling for more than 35 hours, I boarded my final plane in Delhi, India heading to Katmandu, Nepal. This short hour-and-a-half plane ride was wonderful. Not only would I get to see my sister (finally!), but I had a seat with access to two windows - perfect for taking in the splendor of the Himalayas. It's a sight I never expected to see in my life, but there they were, covered in snow and stretching as far as I could see - with a clear blue sky as their backdrop.
Since Katie had to work (which was unfortunate because it was at least 65 degrees outside, without a cloud in sight), I hung out on the roof most of the day (in an attempt to get a tan).
After departing the plane, finding my sister in the crowd of Nepalis and riding in the U.N. van through streets filled with people milling about, we made it to her house safely.
Day 1 - Thursday, Feb. 11
Since Katie had to work (which was unfortunate because it was at least 65 degrees outside, without a cloud in sight), I hung out on the roof most of the day (in an attempt to get a tan).Most houses have a roof-top patio - where locals hang their laundry, plant a garden, and generally treat it as another living space of their house. Women gather here during the day to nap, wash clothes, or spy on their neighbors. In the afternoons, when the children come home from school, families take a seat around their patio tables and catch up with one another...or to continue spying on their neighbors.
That evening Katie, her friend Eva and I headed to Thamel - the shopping/tourist district of Kathmandu- and grabbed some dinner at an Indian restaurant. Since it was load shedding (when the government turns off the power), we ate by candlelight. After dinner, we skipped across the street to a bar where a lot of foreigners (who live in Kathmandu) hang out to wish one of Katie's friends good-bye - since she's moving back to Australia soon. The "bar" played dance music from the '70s and '80s, making me feel like I was at a third-world version of Studio 54 back in the day.
A short (and very bumpy, very scary) cab ride, we were home and settled into bed under many layers of clothes and blankets, falling asleep the lovely sound of barking dogs.
