I've just uploaded another collection of photos, this time from Nepal.
Nepal Photos
Nepal is steeped in culture and religion. It is tough but welcoming. It is a dangerous place with freak storms, massive landscapes and dangerous festivals. The people are welcoming and friendly. The food is simple and tasty. It is a place with endless paths, millions of steps and soaring mountains.
I can't go into detail about the entire trip around Nepal since I would need to write a book. Suffice to say it was an experience.
We went to the birthplace of the Buddah in the town of Lumbini, where pilgrims travel from around the world. We travelled up into the mountains to the town of Tansen, where we went on a trek, quite unprepared and got lost for 11 hours. We saw a goat being sacrificed in a temple on the summit of a mountain. We travelled to Chitwan National Park where we went out into the jungle to see Rhinos and ended up getting plunged into darkness in the most collosal lightning storm I've ever seen. We stayed in Kathmandu on and off for the 2 months and enjoyed the chaos of the city and the Buffalo momo's. We witnessed the Nepali New Year at the Bisket Jatra festival where men pulled massive tree trunks into the air with ropes. We watched as the towns people pulled a huge chariot through the street, killing 4 people over the course of the 8 day festival. We went on a 9 day, self navigated trek into the Annapurna mountains, up to about 12,000 feet and almost got to Annapurna base camp. We watched the sunrise over the Himalaya's every morning at 5 before going on 7 hour walking treks. We went on another trek for 8 days into the Helambu areas of Nepal, to visit remote Buddhist villages and to see the Langtang mountains. We went to many buddhist monasteries all over the country. We walked along ridges in the mountains with the clouds below us. We seen strikes and protests in the streets of Kathmandu. We met hundreds of people from the cities and the countryside all over Nepal with a different outlook on life from the West.
That's a bit of a rush through events, but if you want to hear about it or fancy going yourself, get me in the pub with a pint and I'll tell you all about it. If you have ever wanted to see the Himalaya's, go for it. Its amazing.
Next gallery will be some panoramas from Nepal.