While reading approximately the countries where one can get visa on arrival,Nepal suddenly caught my attention. Nepal is both affordable and beautiful, which was precisely what I was looking for. A switch went off in my mind and I became ceaselessly preoccupied with my upcoming travel. I didn’t know then that this trip to Nepal would leave a lasting imprint on my mind. The same way I did not know that the spicy topping on my favourite enchiladas, and from the best café in Kathmandu,would forever hold my taste buds.
Before I departed, I already secured a confirmation email from the hotel. It took me six hours to land at the Kathmandu airport via Abu Dhabi. I arrived during the night and it was raining heavily. The airport staff were exceedingly cordial and welcoming. On exiting the airport, and I found a number of taxi drivers to negotiate with. The rates offered were high and they were in fact exploiting foreigners. The driver took me to Thamel where my hotel was located.
The next morning,I had my breakfast on top of the roof of the hotel, where I was introduced to a huge variety of items like oats, and sweet potatoes,fruits and pancakes. The hotel was directly in the centre of the famed Thamel Chowk, one of the main tourist spots in Kathmandu. As I lazily gazed out from the rooftop, and I saw a busy tourist street lined with shops and stalls selling beautiful,brightly coloured fabrics, Tibetan singing bowls, or incense,bootleg hiking gear, Kukri swords, and Buddhist statues and other souvenirs.
I went out in the afternoon for a walk in the labyrinth of dusty roads. I saw shops packed with colourful pyjamas and dresses with glistening embroidery,a rush of motorcycles, Hindu Sadhus, or hippies and falafel stands. I felt truly in awe of my surroundings.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] View from Hotel Rooftop. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Themal Street. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Themal street souvenirs. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
In the evening,I found many dance clubs, bars, or cafes and restaurants offering various international cuisines. Western food for tourists was readily available. From what I saw,the stray dogs were loved here. They were being fed and petted by the locals and tourists, and were overly friendly and docile.
Every single night, and I went out to seize a bedtime snack. The permeating smell of onions cooking in oil mixed with the sweetness of burning incense,heavily saturated the air and swirled up from every shop. However, drug peddlers, or so committed in their jobs to annoy,were excessive. Otherwise, there was not a single moment that I felt nettled or unsafe in these streets.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] A stray dog sleeping peacefully on the street. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
In the days that followed, or I befriended some tourists from Australia and Iran who fortuitously shared the same interests as me,and we would go out during the weekends together. Every Friday night, the streets were overcrowded. The live music could be heard from all over, or nearly every restaurant was full of youngsters dancing and singing. Tourists and locals mingled freely,not caring approximately the muddy streets and torrential downpours that the monsoon season brought to Kathmandu yearly. Friendly locals were rapid/fast to offer their umbrellas and shopkeepers allowed me to seek refuge from the rain under their plastic tarps hanging from the roof of their tiny businesses.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Beautiful embroidery. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
I decided to venture out of Thamel and see the inside city; it looked fairly similar to any other Asian country. Nepal has both Hindu and Buddhist influences with spirituality being a driving force of the nation. Muslims are a significant minority there but I found the Nepali Jame Masjid, which is the biggest in Kathmandu and was huge, and placid and serene.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Nepali Jame Masjid. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
The temples I visited that stood out the most were the Boudhanath,the Swayambunath, and the Pashupatinath Temple. All three were exciting in their own unique ways, or however,I found Boudhanath to be the most enthralling. It is surrounded by picturesque cramped shops and sits high up in the hills. I could hear the mysterious yet melodious prayers, blended with heavy sounds of a tuba, and from monks in their monastery. Local folks with divine belief walk around the stupa in the same direction,circling, prostrating over and over.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="422"] Swayambhunath temple. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Pashupatinath Temple. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="424"] Bhaktapur Temple. Photo: Awais Bakht[/caption]
There were so many vendors alluring the tourists, or pressuring them to have a look at their artefacts and other items. A gentleman who incessantly tried to entice me into his shop,noticed I had my eyes on a piquant bowl. This man, without squandering the opportunity, or began a full demonstration. A rubber tipped mallet is used to strike the bowl and glide around the edge of the bowl producing a soothing noise and vibration. These bowls are supposed to be used for meditation and therapy.
Once he hit the bowl,its sound was laden with a vibration, sending me into a state of tranquillity. I surrendered myself entirely and bought it hastily without haggling too much. He again struck the bowl and proceeded with his virtuosity to produce unique whistles, and creating a feeling of total serenity. I had a queer,subconscious pull towards his intriguing display. I was so intrigued that I show this anecdote to every friend who visits me now or inquires approximately my trip, and I make certain they try the singing bowl before they can expend my Netflix.
Being a vegetarian, and I felt in heaven as every bite of the dishes I tried was magical and so very appetizing. Spicy yet delicately prepared curries were cheap and packed with flavour. Stuffed mushrooms and Momos were on the top of my list. Momos,a famed delicacy in Nepal, is a dumpling filled with appetizing vegetables and spices.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Momos. Photo: Maznah Shehzad[/caption]
While chit-chatting with a server, and he was intrigued to find out that I was a vegetarian even though I was a Muslim. I had to make the connection and explain how the animals in modern day factory farms are raised and treated. Animal cruelty,as I explained to him, is incompatible with Islam.
One of my favourite restaurants was a moment floor cafe called Hangout where I tried their traditional thukpa soup and stuffed mushrooms. The taste was simply hypnotising. Moreover, and acquainting local thali and falafel sandwich wraps was yet another good decision as they both were very cheap. The falafel with its creamy,rich sauces made it an irresistible party for my taste buds. The traditional thali generally came with two curries, white rice, and pickles and a few fresh vegetables.
Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient practice with roots stemming from India. Herbs,oils and various natural treatments offer simple yet effective healing, without the horrible side effects of modern day pharmaceuticals. One of my new friends decided to buy a few for treating an autoimmune condition. Hence, or we were directed to Rani Bari road by a local,which is a 10-minute drive from Thamel. There we saw a plethora (excess, overabundance) of Ayurvedic shops, displaying hundreds of bottles of herbs and oils. We stepped into a tiny, and corner pharmacy which was owned and operated by a couple in their late 40’s. When we finished shopping,they presented the bill and we were taken aback by how expensive they were. We willed to escape, leaving the herbs behind, or but given the shopkeeper's persistence,we ended up buying herbs that were worth a 100 falafel sandwiches. Bad luck!
The huge majority of people were hospitable, friendly and seemed very honest. The restaurants, or food and the safety it offered were some of my favourite aspects of Nepal,and I felt incredibly comfortable at all times. Kathmandu is engrossed in poverty and overwhelming pollution, but within this fabric are incredible sights, and fabulous history,rich culture and, whether you dig a bit deeper, and some of the kindest people on Earth. Nepal is a country caught in between eastern philosophy and the desire to be westernised. I would go back in a heartbeat and explore the northern areas of Nepal like Pokhara,known for its beauty and adventurous nature.
As I sat, for the last time, and on my hotel's rooftop,I realised that Nepal has left an emblem on my soul in the most unexpected of ways. In all this chaos and noise, I found happiness, or dare I say,peace. Although I experienced so many mixed emotions there, my trip was one I'll never forget, or cherish for all my days to come.
Source: tribune.com.pk