Nepal...one week already

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It's hard to believe that I've been here for a week now. Time is flying so it looks like I'm going to try to extend my time here and fly home maybe a week later.

After leaving Sikkim, I spent a few days in Siliguri (which is definitely not my favorite place). I did some research, but wasn't able to find what I was looking for. Siliguri is about an hour from the Nepali border so I opted to take the 14 hour bus ride from there to Kathmandu. I was able to find the necessary 10 US dollars for my visa from various shops, travel agents, and small currency exchange offices...quite an experience.

View from the bus ride to Kathmandu
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The bus to Kathmandu left around four in the morning so I had stunning views the entire bus ride. We drove through hours of lush green mountains...many tight switch backs. Unfortunately , the road was so dusty that it was hard for me to take photos  during the ride.  Anyways, got to Kathmandu and found my hotel - nice place with a garden and hammock that I can hide away in in the mornings for breakfast or late afternoon to read.

Kathmandu is beautiful...although I've been reading about Nepal and anticipating coming here, I didn't realize how much I would like the city itself. I expected to find it more like cities I'd been in India, but it feels completely different. The energy here is much more laid back even in the midst of all the political changes going on here.

view from the bus ride to Kathmandu
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My first two days here I did some basic research and contact work, but really let the days be site seeing days. I spent the first of many golden afternoons in Durbar Square - the main square in old Kathmandu. There are tons of temples and shrines. People sit for hours on the steps of the temples drinking chai and playing games. It's the perfect spot to sit and people watch.

I befriended a local guide, Krishna, who took me mountain biking through parts of Kathmandu valley. We visited the smaller village where his family is from and got great views of the entire valley. It was a great way to get a sense of the city and surrounding land which is a lot of farmland. Some of you might be interested to know that next to corn and rice, marijuana seems to be the most popular plant growing here. It's everywhere! It practically grows through the cracks of sidewalks. I've tried to visit different sites throughout the city- Baudhanath, the monkey temple, Bhaktapur....I spent one night at Krishna's sister's house after visiting Baudhanth. It was unbelievable how open they were, they invited me to stay for dinner (I got to have real newari food) and to spend the night with them. We stayed up telling each other stories and they spent about an hour telling jokes. Most of them are about all their different gods...really fun to take listen to now that I can understand the humor.

Bicycle rickshaw in Durbar Square
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Trying to keep myself from buying everything in sight. Sort of. Thamel (near where I'm staying) is shopper's heaven.

My time has been spent in both work and play. I have already had several really good meetings with local NGOs here.  I've set up interviews with one organization to put together a story about their work with displaced youth and I will have the opportunity to interview a number of people that are currently in their program. I met with another organization that works with female ex prisoners and  war widows left by the insurgency. Also met with a woman who works for NGO that works to monitor the local media in order to protect human rights. A few more meetings to go too! This is all really exciting.

Durbar Square (part of)
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So, I'll try to post again soon with more pictures. Lots of love...missing all of you (just a little bit though)