From the restaurant rooftop in Durbar Square, I could see Swayambhunath Stupa as it was up on a hill to the west. I grabbed a taxi for yet another kamikaze ride through narrow streets filled with buzzing motorcycles and pedestrians.

For most of my taxi rides around the city and valley, I’ve paid about 150-200 rupees ($2-3), which is probably 30% more than the locals.  I’ve found the best strategy for landing a lower rate is to ask Nepali shopkeepers for their estimation, be confident with your negotiation, and make an agreement before getting in the taxi (I learned that last one in Bali).

Sometimes I hit the target, and sometimes I can’t be bothered about an extra dollar. There’s a fuel shortage right now and the taxi drivers are keen to point out the gas lines as you drive around. At any rate, I’ve always gotten where I’ve needed to go, alive.

To climb up the monkey temple, you walk past a steady stream of stupas and religious statues. Where there are tourists, there are locals selling souvenirs. It was a perfect gauntlet. As I approached the top, a few teenagers started chatting with me which is always a sign that you’re about to solicited for money, food, or a tour. I was up front with them about not giving any money even if they walked around with me. I don’t think they got the message, as an hour passed with them slowly guiding me around before they asked for cash. Unlike the adult tour guides, they were rather relaxed and low key, so I gave them $1.50 for their time.

There was much more to the hilltop then I expected - a monastery, trees draped with prayer flags, restaurants, souvenir shops, and a fantastic view of the Kathmandu Valley. In addition to a bunch of monkeys running around, I saw a pair of snakes about two meters long slither through some dry grass on the way down to Buddha Park (a new park of Buddha statues…duh!).

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Rarely am I keen to follow the city walking tours in the Lonely Planet guides, however I had a feeling the one from Thamel to Durbar Square in Kathmandu would be interesting.

As I left the tourist area, I soon found myself passing Buddhist monasteries, stupas, and Hindu temples left and right. Walking through the older part of the city, you felt as though little had changed over the centuries. Daily life was on display, up close and personal, whether it was the butchering of goats, sale of vegetables, or praying of Hindus.

Every now and then I’d spot a tourist having as much trouble taking photos as me. There was simply too much going on…to many amazing shots. Eventually, I just gave up. It didn’t help that my camera had been having technical problems since the end of my trek, making quick shots more difficult.

After about an hour of winding my way south, I arrived at Durbar Square. Durbar means palace so there are actually several Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley. Sometimes it pays to be completely unaware of the sights you’re going to see because it means you leave yourself open to be completely surprised (usually in a good way, though not always).

I studied a bit of architecture in college, though mostly Medieval and Modern. I was blown away by the pagodas in the square - their shapes, intricate woodwork, everything! After saying “no” to about five guys who wanted to be my guide, I sought food on a rooftop restaurant overlooking the square. The midday sun was intense, so I had some fruit with yogurt (known as curd over here).

Then it was off to Swayambhunath Stupa (aka the monkey temple) because in the Kathmandu Valley, one World Heritage Site per day is child’s play!

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Upon my return to Kathmandu, I dedicated a full day to thangka shopping. Thangkas are traditional Tibetan Buddhist paintings made on cloth. They are often framed with a brocade and depict one of five different topics: Deities (like Buddha, Tara, etc.), Life of Buddha, Wheel of Life, and two types of Mandalas. I’ve wanted one for years, however at the one Himalayan store in Washington, DC I found, they were around $500. The selection was also quite limited.

Thangka shops and schools are as numerous in Kathmandu as fake t-shirt shops are in Bali. If I had any hope of making a decision by day’s end, I needed to narrow the field by picking a subject. I went with the Wheel of Life which depicts the psychological states associated with an unenlightened mind. All thangkas are steeped in religious symbolism and while I learned quite a bit during my shopping experience about the iconography, I’m not even going to attempt to explain it.

After looking at enough thangkas, you learn what to look for when determining quality and value (even before you ask the price). The fineness of lines, harmony of colors, and use of 24k gold are big differentiators. In general, the student quality is the lowest, followed by a middle ground, and lastly the “master” quality. Once I found the finest quality thangka of the day, I could hardly bear to look at the lesser ones in other shops (even if they were cheaper).

So I negotiated a 30% discount, and still spent almost three times the initial figure I had in my head. Money seemed to matter a little less when I reflected on my opportunity to own a piece of art so beautiful, let alone the three months it took to create it. I chose the color and design of the brocading and picked it up a few days later. I only had a quick glimpse of the framed painting before it was rolled up and packed in a large cardboard cylinder for shipment home.

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Dares

I know it has been awhile since I completed a dare, however they are always in the back of my mind. To recap what is outstanding:

• For $100, my friend Bob wants me to get a photo with a topless girl.
• For $50, get my photo taken with a ladyboy in Thailand.
• For $30, Tim wants me to eat a scorpion.
• For $25, Dan wants me to ride a motorcycle in an obscene amount of traffic.
• For $200, my brother Jon wants me to get a tattoo.

It’s quite possible that I can make a run at all of these once I arrive in Thailand come June! Keep ‘em coming. Every time I talk about the dares, the eyes of other backpackers seem to light up. By far, the most discussed (and profitable) dare has been the one about the woman’s arm around my shoulder.
Polls

Thank you to everyone who votes in the polls I set up in the right sidebar. I look at the results every few days to see what you think I should be doing.

In regard to the activity I should do after trekking, you now know I went with paragliding and rafting. By the time I got back to Kathmandu, base of Everest scenic flights, I was ready to stop big expenditures on activities and focus on local sights and souvenir-buying. Besides, I got a great view of Everest from my flight to Nepal!

As for your desire to see me head to India via bus, I know it’d be an adventure, however based on the stories I’ve heard, I’m taking a plane. No need to spend 2 days in transit and risk theft, vomiting, and bladder discomfort when I can get a 1-hour flight for about $150.

India

Once I get a new 3-month visa for India in Kathmandu, I’ll immediately fly to Varanasi, India. A guy who just came from there said it was running about 105 degrees a day, so I expect to hang around just long enough to tour the ghats (to satisfy my morbid curiosity about public cremations) and take a cruise on the Ganges.

From Varanasi, I intend to take a train west to Agrah to see the Taj Mahal, before heading north to Delhi for a few days. From Delhi, I’ll head further north to Rishikesh, ground zero for yoga and meditation in India (so I hear). Perhaps I’ll join an ashram for a few days and try to learn some new yoga poses. And then it is up to Dharamsala, and the slightly higher McLeod Ganj, which is home to the Tibetan government in exile and His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Depending on how I’m feeling, the weather, and money, I may push further north to Manali. And if I’m really up for an adventure, bus it up to Leh (elev. 3,500 meters / 11,500 feet) near the Indian Himalaya!

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Two days after returning from the rafting trip, I boarded a tourist bus back to Kathmandu. After 3.5 weeks, and countless adventures, it felt right to leave. The mountain views I once enjoyed each morning had disappeared in a thick haze which had descended on the valley in mid-April. I felt bad for the people who visited Pokhara and never got those amazing views.

The views were clearer on the return ride to Kathmandu, so I was able to enjoy the same scenery almost as though it was new. As occurred when leaving Kathmandu, we hit traffic upon returning to the city outskirts. An extra hour or more was added as we sat still in the hot bus.

After about 9 hours in transit, I paid too much for a taxi to the heart of Thamel, where I found a $4/night room at the district’s epicenter of bars and restaurants. I was quickly reminded of the incessant honking, motorbikes, bicycle rickshaws, and general hassle and dirt I had been so happy to escape a month earlier.

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I was still having trouble bringing myself to leave Pokhara so I signed up for a 3-day/2-night rafting trip through Paddle Nepal/Ultimate Descents. I chose a trip on one of Nepal’s holiest rivers, the Kali Gandaki. It offered class III and IV rapids, so I knew it’d be exciting without scaring the hell out of me. I’d been rafting twice before in West Virginia (remember Michele?) and Costa Rica, however both had been day trips. Taking a 3-day trip meant one full day on the river without bus rides.

The group consisted of 13 customers and 5 guides. There was a guide for each of the two rafts, the oar boat (which carried the heavy equipment), and two safety kayaks. Amongst the customers, the USA was represented well with 5 people. Australia offered 3 people, Holland and England 2 people each, and Canada 1 person.

We were on the bus for about 2.5 hours the first day. We unloaded it by the river, and lunch was prepared. Once on the water, we almost immediately had to get off the rafts as they were pulled through a class V rapid that recently overturned a raft, causing one fatality. After passing on “Little Brother” we hit our biggest rapid of the trip, class IV “Big Brother.” All I can remember was watching the left side of my raft head straight toward a giant boulder. We bounced off of it safely and only had another hour or so on the river before we arrived at our campsite for the night.

I paired up with Richard from Australia, and we shared a tent which was good because I can’t remember the last time I had to set one up. He was one of the first people I’d met in Nepal who had done a more remote camping trek (not one of the big 3 - Annapurna Circuit, Sanctuary, and Everest Base Camp). He had also summited a 7,000 meter peak in South America!

In the evening, we all got to know one and other. Everyone was drinking beer and rum punch except me, as I had decided to take a few nights off. The guides had us playing silly games, and a good time was had by all. The stars were out and it felt great to sleep in a tent by the river.

The next morning we were up by 7am, eating by 8am, and on the river by 9am. We hit our second biggest rapid of the trip within the first 10 minutes (a class III). I was disappointed to learn there would be no more of that size (partly due to the low water level this time of year). All the same, I was in the front of the raft for most of day two so I was soaked regularly.

On the second night, we skipped the games and spent the time after dinner talking to one and other around a campfire. The stars were out again, and our guides even helped a groom and best man to cross the river as they were late for their own wedding (we could see and hear the party up on a nearby ridge).

Our third day was especially quiet. The first 30 minutes had small rapids (class II+), followed by about two hours (9 km) of near still water (due to our approach of a dam). The lack of rapids allowed for a few water fights between our boats, and another group of rafters, as well as a chance to guide the rafts. All along the trip we passed dead bodies buried under stones along the sides of the river. On the last day we literally passed a cremation in progress, a sight I am sure to see up close and personal once I reach Varanasi, India.

We helped carry the gear up to our awaiting bus, ate lunch, and hit the road for the 5-hour bus ride back to Pokhara. It was a ride full of hairpin turns along mountain cliffs, yet I felt fairly comfortable the whole way. In the evening, we went to dinner with our guides at The Love Shack, and followed it up with drinks at The Busy Bee.

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New relationships seem to break apart as quickly as they form. Lately, it feels like I’ve been saying goodbye a lot. Luckily, quite a few of the people are headed toward northern India at the same time as me so there’s a possibility we’ll meet up again. However small the chances, we all seem to enjoy the idea when it comes time to part ways.

On our last night together, Marie, Steven, Kevin, Stefan (Switz), Tatiana (Russia/US) and I met for dinner at the Hungry Feel restaurant. The service was often remarkably slow there, yet we were rarely in a rush. The power outage left us eating by candlelight as usual, which turns a rough looking place into something a little more intimate.

After dinner, we said goodbye. The next morning Marie was to start trekking the Annapurna Circuit, Steven was taking a bus to Kathmandu to begin a 10-day residential Buddhism course at Kopan Monastery, Kevin was to take a side trip near Pokhara, Stefan was hitting a river as part of a 4-day kayaking clinic, and I was about to embark on a 3-day whitewater rafting trip down the holy Kali Gandaki.

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One of the luxuries of traveling alone for an extended time is your ability to do whatever you want, whenever. It is the feeling of absolute freedom I worked so hard to enjoy. So once the meditation course wrapped up, I decided to stick around Pokhara a little longer to spend time with some of the cool people I met. Kevin (Swiss), Steven, Marie (both English), and I hired a paddle boat for a day on Phewa Lake.

The square contraption set on two pontoons looked dodgy but performed quite well. We took turns on the pedals, steering with a metal rudder. We motored across the lake and picked up a few beers on the opposite end, then ducked into an area where some water buffalo were bathing. We took our first swim there, though I was a bit apprehensive about the state of the water near such large beasts.

We continued to cruise toward the north end of the lake, enjoying the views and each other’s company. Conversations ranged from the silly to serious, personal to reflections on what we learned in our Buddhist meditation course.

We went for swims on several occasions, working on either dives or our forward flips.  I think I landed 2 of my 5 flips properly, so it was no surprise I had a sore back the next day!

After about 6 hours on the lake, we came ashore and grabbed an early dinner together.  Worn out by the heat and Everest beers (which continue to kick my butt), I slept a solid 11 hours.

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