#10 Nepal: Kathmandu & Pokhara

“Go to Nepal.” They said.
”It’s gonna be quieter there.”

Frankly, Nepal was not on top of my travel list. India was the place I wanted to be. But my Visa was about to expire and I still had some travelling-inspiration left in me. So, I thought, Nepal, here I come!
And I am very glad I did. Nepal is such a different travelling experience compared to India, spirituality and believe equally strong integrated in daily living, yet it looks so different.

Kathmandu

The very first thing I noticed when going out on the streets in the centre of Kathmandu was this: QIETNESS! Compared to India it. is. so. quiet. Even though there is still a lot of traffic, there is no rushing. No honking. Everyone just patiently awaits their turn.
But not only the traffic, also the people are quieter. Literally, I often had difficulties understanding them, but they are also quieter in their nature. Less assertive. A ‘No’ in Nepal means a ‘No’.

Kathmandu is an old city, full of spirituality. Here Hinduism and Buddhism mingle for a very unique sphere. The old streets are full with little and big temples and everywhere you see little signed of faith.
It is a beautiful city. An old city, full of history and spirits of the past.

Just strolling around the city lets you see so incredible much. And because the city is quieter and less assertive than India, it even is fun to just stroll around! (Side note: I am biased here. My partner could not stop looking in all directions and did not know where to start digesting all the new impressions, while I was more like ‘oooh, this is chill!)

Pokhara

The main difference of Pokhara - it has walking paths for pedestrians! I have not seen that in a long time.
Pokhara is a cute (somewhat) little city, the most famous part being its lakeside. A sidewalk of caff’s and little shops around the lake. Initially feeling bit dissapointed by the city, I came to enjoy it more and more each day. The walking path along the water being just so very peaceful.

Overall, travelling through Nepal was a completely different experience than travelling through India. Also influenced by the fact that I travelled this country together with my partner and not alone, yet I felt way more safe in Nepal than I did in India. When I went back home to our Accommodation after dark, I even got a beer and a cigarette along the way and happily walked though the city at night. Something I would not have dared to do in India.
The days before my Visa in India experienced I felt sad, not ready to leave this country. I felt ‘kicked-out’, did not want to go to Nepal.
And now I am so happy I got to visit this country, experience the difference and got a chance to see this different side of HInduism and Buddhism.