Mount Everest's Diamond Jubilee...

For the past two days, I have been lucky enough to attend press conferences and award ceremonies for the Diamond Jubilee of the first ascent of Mount Everest. When I came do the internship with Tourism Times here in Kathamandu, I had no idea that this huge event was coming up. The 60th anniversary is a massive, international event for Nepal. The Himalayas provide much of the tourism to the country, and thousands of people flocked to the main activities that happened on the 29th May.

My very own press pass, and memorial pin for the Diamond Jubilee!

On the 28th, I went with Bikram and Santosh to the press meet for the jubilee celebrations, taking place at the Tourism Board headquarters near Ratna Park in Kathmandu. Here, speakers announced the importance of this anniversary, and honoured special guests who were able to make it to the pre-Jubilee day. Hilary Carlile (Sir Edmund Hillary's niece) was one of the few important guests that were welcomed to Nepal with golden sashes. Among the other people at the conference were the Seven Summiteers - seven TINY Nepali girls who were in the process of climbing the seven tallest mountains in the world. They were literally some of the smallest women I've seen, and they have reached the top of Everest. After the main speeches, all in attendance were treated to some traditional Newari food before returning home.

The next morning marked the start of the official anniversary day. Beginning at 7am, thousands of people walked from the Tourism Board HQ to Kathmandu Durbar Square, where a large stage had been erected near the old Palace. As I entered the religious site, a lovely Nepali lady placed a teeka on my forehead as a blessing. Speakers included the President of TAAN (Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal), the Minister for Tourism, and Sherpa Tenzing's grandson. It was remarkable to be a part of such a momentous day, and everyone seemed genuinely excited by the whole Jubilee. Under the shade of the large marquee, the day hadn't seemed that hot, until we left the cool and walked out into the blistering sunshine!

Mt Everest Diamond Jubilee stage in front of Narayanhiti Palace

After cooling off back at the Lighthouse, I enjoyed the glorious sunshine for a small time before we were due at Narayanhiti Palace for the main celebrations. This was the part I had most been looking forward to. We arrived at the Palace around 6pm, and just in time to see the Diamond Jubilee medals be awarded to each of the summiteers of Everest. A white silk sash was placed around each mountaineer's neck and they were given a Jubilee medal. With the medals all with their rightful owners, Sir Edmund Hillary's granddaughter (Amelia Rose Hillary) was honoured, and famous Italian mounaineer Reinhold Messner made an inspiring speech. I knew that being in Nepal on this day was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and being a part of the Everest day celebrations was something I would probably never be a part of again!

The celebrations on the evening of the 29th took place in the Palace gardens, underneath the towering facade of the Narayanhiti Palace museum. As the daylight faded and the twinkling lights of the marquees and stage lit up, the Palace stayed aglow, calmly watching over the historic day. A large Nepali dinner was served to all guests of the ceremony, and traditional Nepali Aaila (one of the strongest spirits I have ever tasted) was available by the bucket load. The food was delicious, and the surroundings were significantly more exciting than anywhere else I have ever eaten a meal. It is not every day that I can say I have had dinner at a Royal Palace!

Back in the capital...

Having been away for 4 days last week, Kathmandu is worlds away from the serenity of Lakeside Pokhara. Back in the bustle and non-stop noise of the capital, I have been busying myself with research for my university project, work for Tourism Times, hanging out with new friends, and visiting other sights that Kathmandu has to offer.

One place I had been dying to visit, since learning about the Nepali monarchy and all of their troubles, was the Narayanhiti Royal Palace on the Prithvi Marg near Thamel. The palace was a truly incredible place to visit. The palace itself is remarkably young, having been built only around 40 years ago. The decade of its construction can be identified at every turn, complete with wood panelling and retro furniture. As for size, the building is vast, but the maze of corridors is disorienting and I am unsure of quite how much of the palace we were able to see. Every piece of furniture and decoration are perfectly in place, as though ready to welcome back their owners at any moment. As the palace of the late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah and his family, the building has seen the horrible (and unsolved) massacre of the royal family that occurred in 2001. Upon leaving the main palace building, the fenced pathways curl around the side of the palace towards a foreboding sign reading 'Location of the Royal Massacre'. I suppose you can't fault the Nepali people for being blunt. Rounding the corner into gardens reveals what seems to be archaeological foundations. However, it becomes immediately apparent that these foundations are all that remains of the dining rooms and quarters that the Royal family were using at the time of the massacre. Ask most Nepalis and they will tell you that the buildings were destroyed and the bodies of the family cremated under very unusual circumstances. For more information, see here. The whole palace and the grounds had a strange aura, as though King Birendra or Queen Aiswarya were going to walk through a door right in front of you. Unfortunately I was not allowed to take photos, but it was an unforgettable visit. 

The beautiful ornamental pond in the Garden of Dreams

I also visited the Garden of Dreams, found to be quite close to the Narayanhiti palace. Of all the places I have been, this is a hidden treasure in the bustle of Kathmandu. The high walls diminish all sounds of traffic and people on the outside, and the lush greenery is so different to the yellowy/orange dusty hue of Kathmandu city that you almost need to take a step back. It is tranquil and beautiful, and refreshing drinks can be enjoyed in the cafes and bars dotted around the edge of the garden. I have now visited twice, and I expect I shall return to the Garden of Dreams before I leave.

Yesterday was an excellent day, as I got the opportunity to meet and interview the remarkable Nepali actor Ujjwal Bhandary. He hosts a talk show called 'Ujju Darling' that is hugely popular in both India and Nepal, hosting the program dressed as a woman - and crossing boundaries previously uncrossed by Nepali television. He was kind enough to let me ask questions about his show, the film industry and his career in general, and he even gave me a signed DVD compilation of 'Ujju Darling' as a gift! He was a really interesting guy, full of inspiring ideas and ready to go out and help to change Nepal for the better.

This lovely interview was followed by dinner at a gorgeous restaurant called Gaia with Abby, her friend Emily, Joanne (who I met in Pokhara) and her friend Valerio. It has got to be one of the craziest meals I have ever spent with a bunch of friends - the waiter was hilarious, and even peeled off all the labels from three different Nepali lager bottles for me to keep, and the general conversation and table-based events were absolutely hilarious. My face was aching from laughter afterwards. Needless to say there was a lot of beer hitting our glasses while this all happened...

Emily, me, Abby, Joanne, and Valerio post-beer.

One thing I MUST mention at this point is my means of transportation to the interview with Ujjwal. It was on the back of scooter, helmetless, through the unpredictable and crazed traffic of Kathmandu. When Bikram announced this, I was not a happy bunny. He only laughed at me and told me to get on the scooter. Terrified I clambered on, and firmly gripped the bar behind me and Bikram's shoulder in front. Strangely, the back streets were the scariest part of the ride. When we zoomed out onto the wide and busy main roads, I was unafraid, and actually quite enjoyed it. The Nepali sunshine was hot on my back, and the wind was in my hair. Mum, if you're reading this - I still have all four limbs, and a head.

The only taint on an otherwise excellent few days was the unfortunate mosquito attack that I fell victim to on Saturday night. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND for anyone to shake their sheets/covers on their beds before sleeping in Nepal, as even though I had a plug-in repellent, all mosquito screens shut, and insect repellent on my legs, I woke up the next day with at least 20 bites on my right leg, and four on my left ankle. It has been a painful couple of days, to say the very least. The little bastards.

So with the latest attack, this puts my mosquito bite count up to some ungodly amount. I shall not be making that mistake again. All bed covers will be vigorously shaken every night until I leave.

Mosquito count: 30 (approx.)

Searching for Himalayas...

As my time in Nepal continues, I decided to see the country as soon as possible and organised a trip to Pokhara through Bikram. His excellent connections and local knowledge did not fail to provide exactly what I was expecting, and though the mountain road-based bus ride was a little hairy, my arrival in Pokhara and the sight of the glistening Lake Fewa quickly calmed my nerves.
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The peaceful, serene Lake Fewa

Checking into the adorable and extremely clean and comfy Noble Inn guest house (smack bang in the middle of Lakeside Pokhara), I made the most of the 5 speed ceiling fan in my room before heading out to investigate the new town. Almost as soon as I stepped on to the main road, a kindly taxi driver - named Padam - offered to take me to the World Peace Pagoda situated on top of a hill above the lake. I negotiated a good price, and we set off. After hauling my self up the many stairs (what is it with Nepal and stairs?!) the Pagoda proved to be worth the effort. Removing my shoes I walked onto the cold marble steps up to the Pagoda and proceeded to appreciate both the Buddhist artistry and the incredible view of Pokhara in pleasant silence. 


A quiet meal of barbecued chicken and potato salad finished my day off nicely, and I headed back to my comfortable room for an early night and a bit of TV before sleeping. The following morning I awoke at sunrise, as per local instruction, to see the Himalayan peaks of Annapurna and Macchapuchre in full glory. No such luck. I continued this routine across the three mornings I stayed in Pokhara in an attempt to bypass the cloudy weather - and now I am back in Kathmandu with no mountains under my belt. Disappointing.

A Hindu shrine perched on an outcrop next to the lake

Day two was spent in an underground cave and with a visit to the nearby Devi's falls - where the stairs down into the cave coupled with the damp and humid air resulted in a damp and humid Jo. Both sites were very beautiful, especially being completely natural, though I was quick to return to my guest house for a cool shower! It was that afternoon that I bumped into the fun and friendly Joanne (spoken as Yoanna in Dutch) from Holland, who had been volunteering in Kathmandu at an orphanage. That evening we met for a tasty pizza and drinks at the nearby Busy Bee bar - a popular haunt of both Nepalis and tourists. Finally day three was a complete relaxation day - no stairs, a little rowing boat on Fewa Lake, and a serene lunch at Once Upon a Time restaurant polished off my mini-holiday perfectly.
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The only downside to the whole excursion was my VERY hot, 8 hour bus ride back to Kathmandu. "Lobster" doesn't even cover the state of my right forearm. However, the lovely Mississipi-ite Abby (whom I met whilst interrogating tourists in Thamel) was waiting armed with Everest beer and a good old chin-wag to welcome me back to the capital, and to distract me from my sunburned tales of woe. 
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Mosquito bite count: 8

Raiding the Ancient city...

As one my of assignments for Tourism Times, I had to go out into the wilds of Thamel and interview tourists about why they were visiting Nepal. It was during my failing attempts to talk to people that I met Abby, from Mississippi in the USA. She was absolutely lovely and happy to tell me everything about her current trip to Nepal.

After going out for drinks to get to know each other, we decided to go to Durbar Square on one of the following days. I had already visited the ancient city once before, but this time we both decided to get a guide and learn more about the mass of temples and shrines before us. We negotiated a good price (you never stop haggling in this country!), and set about touring temples such as Kasthamandap - built from the wood of a single tree and giving Kathmandu its contemporary name.

It's a shame, because she was very pretty

It is in the Kathmandu Durbar Square (there are three in total) that the living goddess Kumari resides. Her house is very humble compared to some of the other buildings. Luckily, we arrived just five minutes before she was due to make one of her bi-daily appearances at a window of the house. It was very exciting waiting for her to reveal herself, even for a non-religious visitor like myself. The Kumari is always a young girl, who is chosen and retains goddess-status until she sheds blood - through whatever way. She rarely leaves her house in the square, being allowed out only thirteen times per year. She is watched carefully at all times, and has a select amount of friends that come to play with her. Though her title is an impressive one, it seems a very sad life for such a young girl - she is only a child!

Our guide was very knowledgeable and also showed us the three towers that represented the ancient kingdoms of the Kathmandu valley. One each for Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. The Kathmandu tower stood tall at nine storeys, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it is the tallest building for miles around. There are regulations that prohibit buildings within a certain vicinity to the tower to be higher than nine storeys, and so the tower of Kathmandu stands regal and imposing above Durbar Square.

Soothing my back against the Healing Pillar

During our visit, we picked a banyan leaf each, had our photo taken with a Gorkha soldier, and rubbed our backs up against the healing pillar in Kasthamandap temple. Crazy times in Kathmandu.

In the beginning...

Upon arriving at Tribhuvan airport in Kathmandu, I was greeted by Bikram and Prakash who welcomed me and drove me through the bustling, traffic choked capital. Eventually we arrived at the house - nicknamed "The Lighthouse" by Bikram due to the lovely large windows that flood the room with Nepali sunshine.
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I was immediately whisked away to a nearby cafe to satisfy my MoMo craving - and  they were exceedingly good. A bit later dinner was served (traditional Nepali dal bhat) and then it was time to crash out after my long journey.
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The next morning was slow and relaxed, with a tasty lunch of fried rice, cooked by Prakash, and followed by a pleasant (if slightly hot) stroll into Thamel - the tourist district of Kathmandu. I have been looking forward to exploring the winding streets of Thamel again, as they are bursting with beautiful jewellery, curios, books, and exquisite Thangkas. These hand-painted wall hangings are so intricate that they cannot simply be acknowledged with a passing glance. From mandala Thangkas to effigies of Hindu gods, they are amazing and beautiful artworks. 
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The golden Swayambhu stupa

The evening promised a trip to Swayambunath - the Monkey Temple that looks out over the densely populated Kathmandu valley. However, the trip had to be postponed due to an almighty pre-monsoon downpour and thunderstorm. Luckily, the next morning was dry and warm, the perfect time to be immersed in the temples and stupas atop Swayambu hill. The monkeys, as usual, provided as much entertainment as the the site and posed for plenty of pictures! This time I can safely say that it was a lot more enjoyable to have driven to the top of the hill, rather than climbing the 365 steps from the base road. This time I could stand triumphant and cool at the top of the stairs, rather than sweaty and hot like the last time.
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A tasty chow mein lunch at the Lighthouse bridged the gap between the morning at Swayambu, and the succeeding afternoon of sightseeing at two more of the city's religious landmarks. First, we visited Pashupatinath - a Hindu cremation temple. Having seen the open-air cremations at the temple on my previous visit, I was unfazed by this very public ritual. However, as a Westerner familiar with very private ceremonies, I could not shake the uneasy feeling of "I really shouldn't be watching this". Pashupatinath is considered one of the holiest sites in the Hindu religion, and the solid-gold roofed temple that stands at the centre is the temple of Vishnu - also know as Pashupati (Lord of Animals). 

Fresh Buddhist prayer flags flying at Bhoudanath

​Jumping from Hinduism to Buddhism, we took a short car ride back into the centre of Kathmandu and visited Bhoudanath - the largest Buddhist stupa in the Kathmandu valley. The golden eyes of Buddha perched on top of a white-washed dome watch in every direction as worshippers and visitors walk clockwise around the stupa. Draped in bold and colourful prayer flags, Bhoudanath is a photographers dream - especially set against an azure sky. Our chosen visit happened to coincide with a flag-hanging day, and it was possible to write your name on a set of prayer flags and have them hung from Bhouda. I did not choose to do this in the end, though part of me is regretting it slightly!
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Hopefully the next few days should hold many more wonders, and (crossed fingers) no extra mosquito bites. I would like to say that I have done well, during these first three days, on the mozzy front, but I think I'm kidding myself.
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Mosquito bite count: 4

Today's the day...

14:52 (UK time)
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​Departure day is finally here.
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All went well with the packing process, and I still managed to leave space in the suitcase for Nepali goodies to bring back with me!
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I am 97% sure I have remembered all the important items, mostly medicines and chargers (of all shapes and purposes). It is now just a waiting game to find out if the shampoo has exploded in my toiletries bag. Hopefully not.
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Now all I have left to do is occupy myself until we leave for Manchester airport at half past four. Then it will be a matter of checking in at 6pm, trudging through security, busying myself in the duty-free section (and collecting sugary supplies for the journey), and finally boarding at - I expect - about quarter past 8.
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At this point I am mainly just excited for the TV screens in the seats, courtesy of Etihad.​

The final countdown...

14th April 2013
The countdown begins...​

​It is officially one month to go until I leave for Nepal. 
Compared with 2011's last-minute rush this new trip seems a little too organised. My flights are booked and sorted (I've even chosen my seats), my passport has been stamped and approved for the visa, and the whole internship and accommodation is secure with VCD Nepal​​​. 
The only things left to do involve buying travel insurance, and getting injected up - though thankfully not to eyeball-level this time. I have been so super organised this year that I am developing a serious paranoia complex about it. What crucial, trip-threatening thing have I forgotten!?
Until I remember what this vital element is, I have to fill my time with speedy essay-writing and making sure I have sorted everything for when I am out there. And luckily, I have this blog to record my thoughts, feelings, trials, and tribulations in the run up to boarding my UAE-bound flight out of Manchester. 
By the end of my time in Nepal, this blog will be an invaluable record of my travels and will hopefully serve to entertain and, possibly, enlighten readers.
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Enjoy reading and following my adventures! 

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16th April 2013
Injection terror...​

Having decided that I have NOT forgotten to do anything important, I am feeling better about the whole trip.
I had a good catch-up chat with ​Shila Rimal last night, having not seen her since my visit to Nepal in 2011. I am getting very excited to go back!
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Tomorrow is the day I have set aside for any injections I may need. I tried desperately to avoid this fate by going into the Health Centre and asking the receptionist if she could find out for me. She tried, but failed miserably - advising me to speak to a nurse. Great.
The image of "Nurse Jo Brand" (seriously, she is like the comedienne's long lost twin) bursting through the door with an armful of shiny syringes is not one that I wish to see again, even though the first time she reassured me that they were not all  for me after spotting the look of sheer terror on my face.
Frankly, I hope I don't need to have an armful of metal (or a mouthful of Cholera, from what I have read on the NHS website) as the rest of the day is designated to my usual Essay-in-a-Day routine after leaving everything to the last minute. I can't write essays with useless arms. 
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On a brighter note, the lovely Nepali poet Yuyutsu R D Sharma has kindly answered my interview questions to help with my journalism project. I can't believe how kind he has been! It will give me a good background before I get to Nepal and crack on with all the in-country research I need to do! 

22:32 (UK time)
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With less than 24 hours to go until I board my UAE-bound flight, the excitement has really set in.
Today has been spent gathering last-minute essentials (and purchasing half of Boots), and tonight involved a rather tasty meal at Frankie and Benny's with mum.
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I am now at a bit of a loose end with what to do before tomorrow. Leaving for the airport does not take place until 5pm tomorrow afternoon, and my packing is piled up (just not in the suitcase). And, most importantly, I need things to occupy me until hitting the road.
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So, I am attempting to update this blog and make up for the long delay with this new post. Unfortunately time has run away with me lately - what with planning for this trip, preparing my project research, and writing essays! Hopefully the tiny weeny netbook (a.k.a Norbert) that I have acquired to take with me will let me post a blow-by-blow countdown of the events of tomorrow, and then Norbert and my travels around Nepal once I arrive. If you are all exceptionally lucky, there may be a sneaky update from Abu Dhabi airport. But only if you are very, VERY lucky.
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I think my efforts overnight will have to go into mentally programming my body to deal with the 30 degree heat that's going to knock me for six on wednesday. I'm hoping that this strategy is a success...
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Watch this space.