drinking chai and eating momos

Here we are, back in Kathmandu. It’s almost been 3 years since I’ve been here the first time.

Our guesthouse is a lovely place in the quiet part of Thamel, the most lively suburb of the city, buzzing with activity day and night. Home of shops selling mainly mountain gear (cheap but probably not original), jewellery (semi-precious stones and silver) and textiles (gorgeous embroidered scarves that keep on calling after me and that can’t wait to jump into my suitcase, unconsciously kept half empty for the “occasional” shopping).

I have to say that the last time I was here I didn’t buy anything. Absolutely nothing which is highly unusual for a shopaholic.

But I had very little money and even less room in my 35 l backpack.

This time I will apply the basic rules of good shopping, look carefully, don’t give in to impulse buying, go to as many shops as you can, compare prices, check out the quality and practice your haggling techniques.... and I will end up buying the first thing I’m setting my eyes on, overpay for it too!

But shopping is for the last day, when your conscience doesn’t feel too bad since you’ve “inadvertently” withdrawn too much cash at the last ATM and you really don’t want to take it home with you, do you?

This morning we went to the HGT office and had a lovely chat with the manager and the travel consultant we’ve been in touch with since March.

They told us hundreds of tourists are stranded here in KTM as they were supposed to be heading off to Tibet like us and were denied entry like us. Unlike us they seem to be grumpy and wasting time not caring to join any other tour but instead screaming for their money back.

Steve and I decided to join a tour to Rajasthan and we hope it will be ok.

The people at the HGT really took good care of us.

After the last detail of our tour had been taken care of we headed back to our guesthouse and got ready for the first sightseeing.

We decided to go to the Swambuyath Temple, called “Monkey Temple” obviously because of the vast presence of the little cheeky primates. It was exactly as I remembered it!

Due to a misunderstanding with the taxi driver we had to climb the infamous eastern stairs instead of the much easier western stairs.

I remember 3 years ago I stood on top of the hill where the temple is and looked down on all the sweating and cursing chubby tourists slowly and very painfully climbing up and I thought “Jeez, lucky I didn’t have to do THAT!”. Well, karma I suppose, because this time I was the one sweating and cursing and I’m pretty sure someone was looking down on me and laughing.

Anyway, we reached the top eventually and we instantly knew it was totally worth it!

The Stupa is simply majestic and the sound of Tibetan singing bowls, together with bells and chanting, the smell of urning incense, the devotees walking clockwise and spinning the prayer wheels, it all contributes to make this temple one of my favourite places on earth.

Steve loved it as well and I was very pleased since I kind of have been talking a lot about this place and I was afraid I had raised his expectations too high.

We’ve already decided to come back one day, if possible.

A couple of hundreds photos afterwards we took a taxi to Boudnath, one of the biggest stupas in the world.

During our taxi ride heavens broke loose and the whole city became a brown water swimming pool. It was a good thing since the dust had become unbearable this morning and now the temperature settled to a pleasant mid-twenties.

We’re sitting on the rooftop terrace of one of the many restaurants in front of the stupa, sipping chai and eating momos. Soon we’ll go outside and start visiting this wonderful tibetan monument, can’t wait!