Kathmandu: 15th-17th March.

After an 8 hour bus drive, we were delivered into Kathmandu from Chitwan. The journey was spectacular, jaw dropping views the whole way, mountains, mountains and more mountains, not suitable for those with vertigo (Armelle’s Mum may not have survived!). Stunning terraces so that every square cm of land was farmable and again we had to ration the photos. Our first meal in Kathmandu was at the New Orleans Café, which we practically ran to, due to severe hunger, our first true Western dining experience, naughty but much appreciated: Jess had chicken for the first time (yum), where as Armelle had buffalo, disguised as beef on the menu, holy cow and all! We then spent a couple of hours gazing into jewelry shop windows, admiring the sequined skirt, cashmere jumpers, and fake North Face items everywhere (dubious quality, but cheapness guaranteed). Thamel, the touristy district, has had the highest concentration of Westerners we’d seen since leaving the U.K. On the way back to the hotel, we had a little surprise when there was what we later discovered was a scheduled power cut at 17:30. We got quite lost, soaked to the bone (also the first rain we’d experienced in a month), and splattered in mud, due to evil spiteful flip-flops with a vendetta. We then proceeded to apply make-up by candle light (never advisable!), on our thankful arrival to the hotel.

Armelle did not realize that when deodorants say ‘keep away from naked flames’ they mean it. Fortunately Jess was there and an untimely explosion was avoided. In the evening we hit the town for some quiet drinks in a place called Sam’s Bar, a bar-come-barn, with a corrugated roof, and an inside open bonfire.

The next day, our last full day on the Intrepid tour, we got up ridiculously early to see EVEREST, Armelle was skeptical due to the expense, but it was worth it.

We had a 3 hour wait in the airport for the fog to clear, which Jess resented, as she wasn’t feeling fab. The flight itself was brilliant, we saw the entire Everest-Himalayan range, and Kathmandu valley from the air, every person had a window seat, and a visit to the cockpit. Everest itself took your breath away, and Armelle could picture throughout the flight people trying to climb it, and all the people who had donated their lives to the cause. You end up having much admiration for them when you realize how much it imposes on the Himalayas.

Everest is at the back, second in from the left.

Next we went on a rapid sight-seeing tour of Kathmandu, first off was Swayambhunath, otherwise known as the Monkey Temple, which is much easier to spell. From the top you could see the entire city, with the occasional monkey bouncing into view. There were prayer wheels and flags galore, surrounding an impressively gleaming white Stupa.

We followed this with the Bodhnath Stupa, the largest in the World; you can actually walk on it, in 3 different tiers, in a clockwise fashion. We admired it from the 5th floor of a rooftop restaurant, munching on Momos, traditional Tibetan cuisine, and Jess, with her usual pazazz, poured lemonade all over her lap. Armelle got all whimsical again, and proceeded to walk around the Stupa again, away with the fairies, Jess thought she looked in more of a Stupor than a Stupa. Jess forgot her sunglasses that day and almost blinded herself looking at these bright white monuments. From the top tier there was an awesome view of the surrounding mountains.

Our final viewing of the day left quite an impression, the Ghats of Kathmandu were like a mini Varanasi (ref entry: ‘I smell dead people’), we were firstly welcomed by naked Sahdu men. Seriously though, there were 7 riverside cremations happening at the same time, how can we not associate the smell of smoke with dead people now? AND THEN we crossed the river to see a recently sacrificed cow…Why oh WHY???? Underneath the temple adorned with erotic carvings, a cow’s head was proudly positioned, with its entrails being neatly separated into piles next to it, all the local dogs going berserk, bells jangling, and two monkeys running around and fighting (we were a little scared of rabies as they shot past us with demoniac eyes), and all this to the background of women wailing by the riverside.

That evening we went to Rum Doodle’s (if you scale Everest you can eat there for life for free) for our last group meal, we enjoyed the live band, who’s amps were occasionally affected by power-cuts, and Jess had to guess her way back from the toilets. We swigged the night away to cocktails, and customized a wooden foot, with our names, and highlights from the trip, which was then affectionately nailed to the wall. It was the done thing. We then went to Sam’s bar, followed by a random R&B club on the hunt for Roberto, who was upstairs blowing up balloons for St. Patrick’s day, though we didn’t know it at the time, and headed home without him, having sampled the delights of the club for long enough. The next day we checked out and tried to get into the infamous Kathmandu Guest House (KGH), but with no space, we headed to the Excelsior instead. After lunch at Le Bistro, with fabulous views of the streets below, we had an afternoon of organization, with napping in between. That evening we had a romantic dinner at the four seasons, enjoying our Thai dishes. The Irish pub ensued, with the delights of a live band, with a good chilled atmosphere (to start with, it was St. Paddy’s after all), especially because of the intermittent power cuts, we’d become accustomed to the candlelight. We got back way later than expected; especially as we had a 5am wake up the next morning, due to being joined by the Everest base camp crew (Roberto’s new Intrepid group). At 1am we returned to the Excelsior to find that everything was locked! Panic! Wisely, Jess went back to the KGH who had recommended them, and they (thankfully) phoned the Excelsior to let us back in. Oops!