The hike to the Annapurna sanctuary passes through traditional villages, terraced farmland and ends at Annapurna base camp with a fantastic view of the Himalayas.
It was stunning!
But… Next time we’ll wear in our hiking boots beforehand instead of buying cheap knockoffs in Kathmandu.
A magical evening around the Bodhnath stupa.
Tibetan families came there to light candles in honor of the Buddha.
Rental bike owners make offerings to Durga; to ensure a safe year on the road.
In 1982 I saw a photo of Swayambhunath. It looked so exotic! I immediately resolved to one day go see it.
Years later Paul and I arrived there at dawn while Nepalese pilgrims circled the stupa.
It was better than I expected.
Nepal isn’t just soaring mountains.
The Mahendra highway runs through the Terai, a strip of flat land between the Indian border and the Himalayan foothills.
It had a serene, simple beauty; so unlike the frantic chaos of neighbouring India.
Pfff… We hadn’t slept a wink.
Throughout the night, truck and bus drivers stopped at our hotel for a meal.
Upon leaving, they couldn’t resist revving their engines and blasting their horns.
The spectators were lined up and the jury was out; could the next ‘contestants’ (Western cyclists) successfully reach the other side?
They had seen the earlier ‘challenger’ flounder. He stranded midway; with his truck wheels sinking into the river mud.
The kids watched eagle-eyed as we began the crossing.
We made it! We were happy, but I’m not sure if they were…
