Cruisin the Valley

After recuperating and then getting locked into Kathmandu because of political problems, bus crashes, and my visa not being ready on time, I was finally able to leave and explore the greater valley area. Prakash has been introducing me to a lot of his friends that have all become a major part of my social circle here. Uma, one of my new acquaintances, had asked if he could come with me for the day and show me around.

The 150cc Pulsar motorcycle I rented needed gas and there was no way I was going to wait on line at the gas stations here. There is a major petrol shortage and people wait on line all day to fill up. The situation is so bad that the military has to guard the stations. Uma ended up going to buy gas for me on the black market (my first ever black market transaction!) and then we set off.

First stop was Pashupatinath. This is one of the holiest temples in Nepal where all the Hindu's come to cremate the dead. The temple air is clouded with dust and smoke from burning bodies. Breathing in the dead is unavoidable. Around the temple complex are observers, tourists, and a huge cult of Shiva Baba's covered in ash with orange, yellow and red paint scattered on their faces. After walking around and observing this bizarre sight, we had to leave for there were more stops along the way.

Stop number two was the Boudhanath temple which processes the largest Buddhist Stupa in Nepal. The massive stupa protrudes out of the center of the circular complex in which it is housed. Upon entering the stupa grounds, you are overtaken by the size of the monument and the long cascading prayer flags that are streaming from top to bottom all around you. Easily one of the most impressive temples I have seen yet. At this point in the trip Uma told me we did not have enough time to make it to Nagarkot to see Everest, so we decided to head to our now final stop, Bhaktapur.

Before we got to Bhaktapur, I had to drive through some of the worse traffic I have ever experienced in my life. This wasn't traffic where you sit and wait for the lines to move. This traffic is the kind where you are constantly sprinting to each and every little opening, breaking then accelerating constantly. All this time you are breathing in dust, dirt and fumes. With great relief, we finally reached our destination.

Bhaktapur is home to some of the most well known and preserved medieval architecture and sculptures in Nepal. Accompanied by pristine cleanliness, the cobble stone city streets snake around revealing courtyards and squares where locals and tourist come to mingle and observe the beauty of this ancient city. The carvings, structures, and sculptures were indeed impressive, but not worth the $10 entry fee. Uma and I sat down in the Durbar Square (royal palace courtyard) to enjoy a bot of coffee and talk about our lives and futures. Before I knew it, the sun was setting and even more horrendous traffic was waiting for us.

The ride back I will never forget. The traffic took twice as long to get through and since the sun was gone, people were really struggling to get out of the traffic as soon as possible. I saw a few bike crashes, cars trying to pass causing severe gridlocks, and everyone was screaming and honking at each other: mayhem. It was beyond stressful and by the end of the trip, my hands had both sustained blisters from the braking and clutching.

The night was closed out with a relaxing and delicious dinner at Prakash's apartment with him and his son.

Tomorrow I leave for India, should be a journey to say the least...