A love letter to Nepal

 A love letter to Nepal

Nepal is truthfully one of the most amazing places I’ve seen. From the diversity of sceneries, people and religions to the beauty of simplicity. If I had to describe Nepal in a word I would say “more”. Everyone is a bit more nice, every view is a bit more beautiful and the number of bikes on the road is definitely more than too much, but that’s definitely the most fun part of it. 

Nepal is India but high, it’s the same environment with the same people but everything is just more down to earth. It’s a very slow and easy place. Where nothing and no one is on time. Where life is in slow-mo, mostly the traffic and the restaurants. Getting food in Nepal is something you have to schedule in your day as it will minimum take you about 2 hours. 

I spent some time in Kathmandu where I stayed in Thamel, which is the touristy area. And well, touristy doesn’t always mean bad. Thamel is a super lively and cool part of the city, where most things are within walking distance. There are plenty of shops (where I spent a lot of time), and very cute cafes and restaurants. As Nepal is a very “hippie-friendly” place, most restaurants (in touristy areas) serve tree-hugging appropriate food, which I absolutely love. It feels good to eat some fresh vegetables after only eating Dahl Bat and Chapati on the trek. 

But apart from that, Thamel is also quite central which makes it easy to get around to the other places. My favourite way of transport was definitely Pathao, which is Uber but for bikes (very very very cheap and kind of safe). I feel like you need to feel the traffic first-hand to really experience Nepal and all it has to offer: the cows that act as real-life speed bumps, the non-stop honking just to say hi to the person next to you, the beautifully tarred roads (last tarred in the 1850s). Just absolute chaos, but like good chaos. 

Last but not least, we were lucky enough to spend time in Pokhara and it’s definitely worth the stop. The vibes are just amazing. It feels like you just landed in the 60s. With a bunch of hippies walking around barefoot, street food vendors next to the lake and the odd stray horse running around town stealing carrots from the fruits and veg stalls. Overall a high-energy place where you simply feel good. We spent the Nepalese New Year there and had such a good time. The locals are super respectful and just want you to have as much fun as they do. We were whirled into a few little dance circles, full of laughter and genuine happiness. 

And the mountains are just indescribable, so I won't describe them. You'll just have to see for yourself. 

The Nepalese are happy people and you can feel it. Even though it says a relatively poor country, people aren't bitter. It’s a very safe and calm environment - compared to India at least.