Kathmandu

I'm so behind with the blog. Apologies to anyone who is following me. I think my last entry was during my extended stay in Hanoi. It's a city I really love. While I was there I rode the Ha Giang motorcycle loop again. The first time I did it last year I rode as a pillion passenger with an 'easy rider' driving the scooter. This time I drove myself - the main reason being that this time I had an international driving permit so could ride a bike without incurring a fine.

I had planned to go to China next but somehow someone persuaded me that now would be a good time to visit Nepal - any later in the year and it becomes avalanche/ monsoon season. So I've switched the order around and now plan to spend a month or so here, then head on to China, also for about a month before heading to Réunion in June.

So I'm in Kathmandu for a few days before heading off for a 12 day trek to Everest base camp. I'm excited about that but also a little nervous. People do get altitude sickness when they do this trek and you hear stories about them being helicoptered out. But I have done high altitude stuff before and survived so I hope I'll be ok this time too.

Yesterday I did a tour of a number of the UNESCO sites, including the monkey temple and the crematorium - where people cremate their loved ones on the bank of the river in Hindu style. Not sure exactly what to say about that except that it was an odd experience watching in public what we keep so private.

In the evening a GetyourGuide food and drink tour of five or six restaurants and about nine or so dishes. There were four of us on the tour and I think it's fair to say we are all stuffed by the end. The food was great. The thunder and lightning that accompanied it made it more memorable as a lightning bolt struck outside the first restaurant we were in - it was as if a huge bomb had gone off. Fortunately no one was hurt but it was bloody scary.

OK. I'm going to pause here. I'll add some more details as well as some photos from the past few days/weeks tomorrow. I'm pondering starting a video blog as well. Hmmm.Leer más