Salvation?

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Contrasting Images and Experiences. That's how it's been so far during my time in Nepal.

First, I arrived in the dusty, dirty and loud border town of Sunauli. "Don't let, Sunauli, give you a bad impression. Nepal is not like this," said the woman from Toronto. S

She was right, once I was outside of the town, it was nothing but lush, lovely, strips of emerald paradise. I experienced this during my short ride to Lumbini. We passed through rice paddies, oxen pulled carts sharing the same road which was lined with orchids.

But then the young girl's fate dampened things.

Then, I met the young monks who spent time giving me a personal tour through the tranquil area where Buddha was born.

But I got stuck for one more night in the dusty border town when my bus to Pokhara was cancelled.

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I took a bus the next morning and we stopped at a few checkpoints. The first one was nervewracking for the 4 other tourists and I. An armed police guard ordered everyone off, except all us foreigner, the ticket taker, informed the guard I was not Nepalese and could stay on. We weren't sure what was happening but one by one, the locals got off the bus and walked a few meters away towards more armed police. On both sides, there were towers of sandbag with guns poking out and armed men on high alert. "They are searching their bags, then we can go," said the ticket taker, to end our confusion. That was done for a couple more checkpoints during our 9 hour ride. A few other times, an armed police guard would walk down the aisle of our bus, feeling bags, while wielding his long barreled rifle.

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All the while, we were driving through some of the most beautiful, most pristine strips of land I have seen in my entire life as a traveler. At the location where we stopped for lunch, children smiled and played for my camera. They displayed the childlike innocence I didn't get to see often during my time in India. Then I remembered that young girl, married and missing out.

"Children in Nepal are loved!" read my guidebook. They are in deed as displayed before me and for the remainder of my time here. These children's photos became my salvation. That yes, children are still loved and doted over and are allowed the sweet innocence of their youth. If only , the rest of the world can be the same.