Leaving Kathmandu - 5 Days of Sensory Overload

We haven't downloaded today's photos so I will have to upload them later, but I just had to report on the culmination of five extraordinary days in Kathmandu and hope my words can adequately express how I'm feeling right now. I'm sitting in the lobby of our hotel right next to the Christmas tree. When Hoyt and I returned from dinner, there was a group of Nepali pastors singing Christmas carols, which was totally unexpected and touched me greatly as it reminded me that we won't be home for Christmas this year. We're totally spent, as this is not an easy place to visit. Kathmandu has doubled in size since 1991, with a population of 16 million. Walking down the streets requires all your concentration, otherwise you risk being flattened by a vehicle of some sort. Places in line mean nothing and the little courtesies we take for granted at home don't mean much here, though people are very nice and tourists are well-taken care of. Pollution can tax your lungs. Hawkers are at every corner in the tourists areas. Yet, there's a sense of spirituality and wonder at every turn. Today we visited a large Hindu temple by the river and witnessed several cremations in graphic detail. The families handle the cremation duties, which occurs within hours after death. The body is washed, wrapped in a saffron-colored cloth and placed upon a platform, in a pile of wood. Cremations occur 24/7 and at all ours of the day. The government provides the wood and the space free of charge. For men, the oldest son circles the body clockwise three times; for women, it's the youngest son. How different this practice is from that in Bali, where cremations don't occur for two to three years after death, except in the case of royalty.

In the afternoon we took a taxi up to the "Monkey Temple" which gives an excellent view of the city of Kathmandu and of the mountains, except that it was very smoggy today. Hoyt remembers visiting this place in the 70s and having a full view of snow-capped Himalayas, but with such population growth, more pollution is inevitable. Nevertheless, it was not to miss.

Tomorrow we leave at 7 am for the Chitwan National Forest, and we'll be staying in a bungalow near the jungle. Internet connections may be spotty, so you may not hear from us online for awhile. We look forward to leaving the city behind and beginning our transition to India.