Impressions of Nepal

The tiny hatchback taxi cab I'm sitting in lurches forward and comes to a jarring halt, narrowly missing a sputtering motorbike. When it starts again it doesn't so much drive as it creeps forward on well worn shocks through the throngs of pedestrians, motorcars, stray cows, and bicycle rickshaws that clog the back alley streets of Kathmandu.

Staring out the window at the chaos of the Saturday morning market I am suitably overwhelmed. String beans, cauliflower, and other produce are spread out on colorful blankets while female vendors in traditional saris haggle with prospective buyers. Wandering salesman hawk Tiger Balm, offer shoe repair, and attempt to unload heaping piles of cheap knock-off watches. Hindu holy men known as sadhu, offer blessings and place red markings on foreheads to represent the mystical third-eye.

A man in a broad straw hat and denim blue shirt squeezes deftly through the crowds carrying on his back a long stick from which are suspended wicker scales heavy with heads of lettuce that manage somehow not to roll off. A rickshaw passes by headed the other direction down the allegedly two lane street, it's passenger seat piled high with red meat festering under the hot September sun.

The nation of Nepal often finds itself overshadowed by it's larger neighbors India and China (or dare I say Tibet?), however it has been making headlines lately. First with the election of the formally guerrilla Maoist party, and then most recently with the banishment of their King and the dissolving of their long-standing monarchy. But walking the city streets of the capitol one would hardly know that this country has seen so much recent political drama. Compared to past years that saw rioting in the streets of Kathmandu, these days things seem downright calm. Well, as calm as things ever get in a poor, densely populated third world capital.

And Nepal is unfortunately poor. Recent statistics show that nearly one-third of the country lives below the poverty line, and the country has the third highest infant mortality rate in the world. Government spending on health and human services here is predictably low, and outside of the Kathmandu Valley jobs are few and far between.

Approximately 24 million people call the nation of Nepal their home. The majority religion here is Hindu, which accounts for the way that cows roam the streets here with such absolute authority, but it's not the only faith practiced. The secondary religion is Buddhism, whose importance here is rapidly increasing due to the influx of refugees crossing over from Tibet. The people of Nepal are very proud of their legacy of religious tolerance, and are quick to tell visitors that they have never engaged in a war over religious ideology. Many of the shrines here are sacred to followers of both Hinduism and Buddhism alike, and the devout can be seen practicing their rituals in these spots side by side without conflict.

Though Nepal is a small nation, it has much to offer for budget traveler. In the 1960's Kathmandu became one of the favored spots along the so called “hippie trail” that wound through Asia, and the vast tourist infrastructure that was built to accommodate these hash-heads is still in place. The district of Thamel in Kathmandu has a collection of restaurants, guesthouses, and hustlers that is only rivaled by Bangkok's Khosan Road, and one can live comfortably here on a mere US$20 a day.

The Kathmandu Valley area alone is filled with a bevy of cultural attractions, from the Monkey Temple of Swayambhunath to the magical architecture of Patan. A week alone can be filled wandering the streets here and and taking in the sites.

But Nepal isn't all chaotic streets and serene temples. For most travelers the real lure of this nation is it's vast outdoors, most specifically the mountains of the Himalaya. This is the place where two mighty tectonic plates met and have been giving rise to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world for millions of years. It is the home of the Annapurna mountain range, and the mighty Mt. Everest. The trekking here is without a doubt some of the greatest in the world, and is also some of the most affordable.

Arrival here for me marks a bittersweet moment in my travels. I am now alone as Amanda has gone back to Boston to spend some time with her family. I will need to readjust to the liberating, but often lonely experience of traveling solo. I only hope I can remember how.