Seven Days in Nepal

Every year, towards the end of October, Muslim countries celebrate the Eid holiday. Initially, I had planned to spend the time off visiting Bamiyan with three of my colleagues. Bamiyan is an extraordinary site in western Afghanistan where several massive Buddhist statues loom out of the cliff face. But unfortunately we were unable to get seats on the last plane out there.

Bhaktapur village

A monastery scene

Feeling desperately in need of not only a vacation, but a change of scenery, I started looking into other travel options. One night while eating dinner with my friend and colleague Derek Beckvold, I casually suggested the possibility of going to Kathmandu. He liked the idea and within fifteen minutes, we had booked our tickets. It was one of the best spur-of-the-moment decisions I've ever made.

Swayambhunath Temple

Boudhanath Temple

We spent the first night in the heart of Kathmandu, in a neighborhood called Thamel. This area is basically a hangout for trekkers and tourists. From there we went north, hiking around the beautiful Shivapuri National Park and visiting two magical mountain monasteries. Over the next few days we visited the main attractions; Hindu temples and Buddhist Stupas throughout and around the Kathmandu area. And our last days were spent to the east of the city, exploring the mountain villages of Bhaktapur, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel, with each place offering even more stunning views of the Himalayas.

View of the Himalayas from Dhulikhel

The goats of Shivapuri

It was a wonderful trip and well-deserved break from the intensity of life and the challenge of work in Afghanistan. We met all kinds of characters along the way and experienced a different pace and style of life. The great thing about living in Kabul is that I have easy access to travel anywhere in Asia or the Middle East. And I'm already thinking about where to go next!