Stupa is as Stupa does

Namaste from Pokhara, Nepal! Although Pokhara sounds remarkable like pokara, the similarities end there, as a pokara is a tasty fried pancakey thing while Pokhara is a smoggy city of 170 000 at the feet of the Himalaya, or so we’ve been told. We hope to verify this by heading off on the Annapurna Circuit in a few days time. This hike should take us above the smog and provide some spectacular view of some of the highest mountains in the world!

Dan and I arrived in Nepal about a week ago, after a final week of volunteering in Tasmania. Our team went off to the eastern coast of Tasmania for some weed eradication – extremely nasty African Boxthorn and some other mean thistle – scratching us to pieces and virtually destroying any hope of arm modeling when we return. Sigh. There goes THAT career. Despite pain, blood and the teensiest amount of cursing, we thoroughly enjoyed our location – beaches, sheep and rolling hills. Virtually perfect, if you ignored the big-as-my-head (and that’s BIG!) Huntsman spiders. Ugh.

From Hobart we flew to Sydney for a few days of madly dashing through the city, frantically snapping pictures of the Opera House (not as nice as your hat, Heidi, but close), running across the Harbour Bridge and searching in vain for *@#^@*&^ Luna Park. You suck, Luna Park. We did see contortionist stuff herself into a box though, so that’s something.

We then flew to Kathmandu and spent a few days feeling stunned and sleeping a lot. There is something to be said for Kathmandu – magnificent Hindu and Buddhist religious structures (or stupas, in case you were wondering!), rickshaws, colourful fabrics and spices, an amazing array of food, snake charming and a totally diverse sea of people everywhere. That said, it’s kind of hard to get past the people either a) pooing in the streets; b) horking (a hard-core version of spitting); c) driving over you in their muffler-free car or motorcycle or d) dropping unknown wet things on your head from their 5th floor apartment. Ew.

We’re off to rent a dubious-looking rowboat from someone and take on Lake Phewa Tal. Have a great Easter!!