Having been in Nepal for the last 14 days I have had a fairly good combination of both the country and city life of this Himalayan land. I can’t believe it’s only been 2 weeks, such a short time but the things I have seen and the range of experiences have been out of this world! I truly feel as though I am living a dream, I have an inkling that reality is going to be a whole new awakening!
The big smoke (literally) of Kathmandu overpowers you from the very beginning. The traffic, the pollution, the dusty dirt roads, and the dirtiness, smelliness and messiness of such a big city. At first glance it seems that tourists are well catered for here. Wherever you go there are guides and agencies screaming out to assist you, savvy shop keepers luring you in and the ‘helpful’ tourist touts trying to make a quick buck. If you’re not careful it’s easy to spend a lot of time caught up in this scene. I prefer to head down the back alleys and see the old women cooking Nepali tea on the roadside, the seamstresses sewing away, religious prayers and offerings taking place, school kids fooling around, and old men chatting, laughing and playing. I swear half the beauty of Nepal is in its people. The secret is to be able to see past the dust which stings your eyes, the blur of cars, motorbikes, trucks and tractors roaring past, the frequent power outages and the rubbish fires which burn everywhere and anywhere each morning and night. In some strange way the harmonious nature of the Nepali people balances out the ill effects of such a catastrophic city!
In contrast, the lakeside city of Pokhara in Western Nepal is much more calm and tranquil. If I had more time I most definitely would have spent longer here. Being the gateway to the Annapurna region Pokhara is typically touristy. As soon as I arrived I hired a mountain bike – $1 for 1hr and set off around the lake to find my own nice quiet spot to watch the sun go down. Apart from the stress of the busy bumpy road, the chain coming off and getting lost in the dark I had a great time and the views were astounding. Pokhara is renowned as a tourist hub for trekking, yoga and meditation. Many westerners come here for these reasons and I can definitely see why. Although I was limited for time I managed to squeeze an early morning chanting and hatha yoga session in. I was very lucky that the traditional healing/singing bowls were also used, the energy and vibrations from the beautiful sounds left me feeling as high as a kite. Perfect start to the day, hopefully I have the opportunity to learn more about these intriguing Nepalese techniques in the near future. Somehow I have a feeling I will return to this special place, next time I’ll take a domestic flight instead of the 7 hour 200km 4×4 highway experience!
Often villages and neighborhoods share one single water supply. Members of the community use this one tap or pipe to wash clothes, laundry, dishes and vegetables. Not only that, it is also the place for bathing. It is common to see women wrapped in a sarong and washing their hair or a group of boys lathered up in their undies. The water supply is generally by the roadside and offers very little in the way of privacy, this would never work in the inpatient demanding and selfish western world. I told you the Nepalese operate from a place of harmony respect! This respect goes further than respect for one another, it expands across everything and anything. The best way to understand this is through the hundreds of festivals which are celebrated each year. Recently there has been a festival for transportation, evident through the ribbons and decorations covering cars, trucks, scooters and even tractors. It is custom that 1 day per year the vehicle is honored by making offerings, cleaning and decorating your particular transportation. This is a way to show appreciation and create good luck and safety for future travels. Ironically the ribbons used for decorative purposes often completely cover the windscreen making travel even more dangerous! Other festivals include a annual day for the cow, rice, pigeon, and airplane. Pretty much anything which provides a use or service is celebrated and appreciated.
Visiting numerous sacred Buddhist and Hindu sights across Nepal has been a complete different experience to that of India. They say Nepal stands for N-ever E-nding P-eace A-nd L-ove and it’s definitely evident wherever you go. Buddhist monuments feature Hindu Gods and vice versa, people from all different religious beliefs and backgrounds live side by side in harmony- it’s amazing! Where else in the world would you find a Buddhist monastery right next door to a Hindu temple? The two religions balance and almost compliment each other. It seems that equal respect and compassion is highly regarded, especially in relation to elders. The rest of us could learn a thing or two off these lot. What Nepal is lacking in infrastructure they definitely make up for in their peaceful, respectful nature.
Speaking of infrastructure, far out! Occupational Health and Safety would have a field day. Families live in half built houses where roofs have caved in and walls have collapsed. Scaffolding consists of sticks and bamboo, often over deadly cliffs and hillsides. It is common to secure your roof by placing large stones on the iron, including the overhanging verandas. I hate to think how many accidents occur. Similarly with the roads and the conditions of the vehicles. Some of the trucks excrete miles of never ending black smoke fumes and appear to be boxes of rust held together with god knows what. It’s such a shame for a country with so much natural beauty and resources to be ruined by the demons of the modern world. It’s the most unnatural thing to see rubbish and pollution coincide with luscious hills, snowy peaks and gushing rivers. Maybe because I’m from NZ I’m a little biased but seriously, who wants to spend time where the beauty of nature is overshadowed by the effect of man. It makes me wonder if things don’t change how long Nepal is going to be able to sustain its thriving industry. Hopefully with enough awareness this beautiful country will soon wake up and see they are destroying their greatest asset!
I’ve been asked if I feel guilty spending time in a third world country where there is so much hardship and poverty. The answer is no, I feel grateful and appreciative for everything I have been blessed with in my life. Despite all odds the welcomes and smiles received here in Nepal have been some of the most genuine, friendly and loving I have ever had the pleasure to experience. It really makes you think twice about what it takes to be happy. From the outside these people may have very little in the way of education, opportunities and amenities, however what they do have is deep flowing peace, harmony and oneness with life. Who do you think is better off?!
SPIRITofSAMMY 