My happy place

Colours of Holi - Happy Holi

Shuva bihani (good morning). Restless sleep - I tossed and turned several times throughout the night, the jet lag was creeping up on me. I woke in the middle of the night thinking that I had slept for what seemed like forever, when it had only been just 2 hours. I rolled around in bed for quite some time and finally got up at 7am to get ready.

I was super ecstatic about 'Holi'. Holi is known as the festival of colours and also known as Fagu Purnima. The festival has many purposes. First and foremost, it celebrates the beginning of the new season - spring. Originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colours and saying farewell to winter. It also has a religious purpose, commemorating events present in Hindu mythology. Although it is the least religious holiday, it is probably one of the most exhilarating one in existence. During this event, participants hold a bonfire, throw coloured powder at each other and celebrate wildly. 

I went up to the rooftop and basked in the sun while I waited for my simple breakfast. Earlier, I had already gone downstairs to reception and enquired about the exciting day ahead. The plan is for people who are interested in joining the holi fun are to meet at reception at 10am. Here we will form our own hostel group and go out together to partake in a fun and crazy day ahead. I met Alex from the Phillippines and Merlin from Austria - both solo travellers. I also met some Dutch girls and an American guy at the rooftop where we just chatted about our travel plans. Quickly after breakfast, Om (one of the social staff) took us out to buy some coloured powder for the holi play. It was a very interesting walk through the ghost town - Thamel. I was not used to seeing Thamel like that, because of Holi a lot of the Nepalis have opted to stay indoors (to stay clean and dry) and instead, prank bypassers (mainly tourists) by pouring buckets and buckets of water from their homes. We bolted for our lives while shopping for colours. Kids were throwing water bombs or aiming their water/colour pistols at us. This was a mini tease to the pre-holi fun. 

At 10am sharp, the Alobar1000 crew headed out and slowly got painted with beautiful vibrant colours on our faces, hair and clothes. I felt like a walking artwork. They say "the more colour you get, the more beautiful you look and the more colourful your life will be in the year ahead". I felt beautiful and everyone looked beautiful. 

Armed with multiple bags of coloured powder, the morning started out slowly as we wandered through the quiet streets of Thamel. As we started to encounter other people, we were soon involved in a full-on war. Powder and painted water bombs were thrown everywhere, every person covered in different shades of blues, yellows, greens, pinks and reds from head to toe. 

As we were a group of non-locals, we unfortunately attracted quite a bit of attention - especially the females. Some people were quite rough and we ended up eating the powder instead of it being smeared onto our faces gently. The walk led us to Basantapur Durbar Square. 

We walked past Nepali women performing their holi rituals. People light bonfires to celebrate the victory of 'good' over 'bad' which is called 'holika dahan'. The holika dahan process includes people gathering woods and extending the log centre with twigs, dried leaves, branches of trees and other combustible materials. Cow dung is also used as a form of burning fuel. 

Holi celebrations culminated in a dance party at the centre of Basantapur Durbar Square. What a crazy atmosphere. Foreigners and locals mingled and continued throwing powder and spraying water at each other whilst dancing to trance music. The holi celebration is by far the best day festival I have ever been to. It seemed like a day of pure childish indulgence but I enjoyed every minute of it. 

With so many people crowded in one area, it did somewhat get a little uncomfortable especially when a few of us girls experienced young boys groping us disrespectfully. Nonetheless, I had a wonderful time and am very glad that I had the chance to experience what a vibrant festival. 

The photos of the crowd just looks amazing. Seeing it in photos and being there in person makes a huge difference. I urge anyone and everyone to experience it for themselves. Happy holi everyone. I've lost count to how many times I had repeatedly quoted that line throughout the day.

Do I look pretty in pink? haha. We danced for about 4 hours straight, feeling dehydrated throughout the day but extremely energised despite being sober. 

Eventually the crowd got just a little too much for all of us. The groping was just getting worst as the crowd started moving forward and squishing everyone. We needed to breathe and was feeling a little peckish. Alex took us to a nearby local restaurant called Durbar Square MoMo. Chilli buff momos - O.M.G, it was divine, so good that we all went for seconds :). I'm sure by now you've all worked out that I am addicted to eating momos. :)

Namaste Nepal

Thankfully I had a late night flight. I slept on and off most of the flight to Kuala Lumpur. It was a more comfortable experience this time round or maybe I was just exhausted from previous night's birthday celebration. Arrived in KL at the crack of dawn.

Nothing, besides Hungry Jacks was open. I wanted real coffee! Waited till 6am till I was able to get my hands on a Starbucks coffee and a pie for breakfast. It was satisfying. 

As we were cruising at 30,000 feet we saw mountains (I think this is Mount Everest) peaking through the clouds. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I thought I couldn't get anymore from it after seeing it the first time but seeing it again (fourth time) was still just as exciting. It amazes me the same amount each time of how beautifully blessed Nepal is - hence my numerous returns. 

Despite having travelled 16 hours, the exhaustion didn't matter anymore. I finally landed in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. Ma Nepal ma dherai khusi bayako chu. (I'm very happy to be in Nepal). The line for the 'visa on arrival' went on for what seemed like forever. I was kicking myself for not organising a visa beforehand. 

I made it through customs and fortunately found my checked bag in a sea of luggages, backpacks and duffle bags. I was greeted outside the airport with a beautiful and sunny 25 degrees day, a wall of noise and a million people offering to drive me to hotels. I found one driver (that didn't try to rip me off) to drive me to my hostel in Thamel. 

Soon enough we were weaving through Kathmandu's chaotic traffic - a small car dodging on roads with potholes, no edges and traffic coming and going from left, right and center. It was so nice to be back in Nepal. I've missed seeing people especially the women wearing colourful saris, cars, bikes and even cows sharing the hectic roads. 

I checked in at the most popular hostel in Kathmandu - Alobar1000, located conveniently in central Thamel (tourist area) but far enough from the hustle and bustle, as it is tucked away in a small alley off the main street. As always, I was greeted with a warm welcome when I arrived. Alobar1000 is a very cosy hostel. It's home to travellers from all around the world with a very warm and nice vibe. This is the main entrance.

Reception/bar area has wi-fi and lounges where you can chill out with your laptop, mobile phone or hang out with the cool staff. That's Shiva (Manager) and Om in the background. If you need information about Nepal in general, the staff are always willing to help and will provide great advice and tips about where to go, what to see, how to get there, where to eat etc...

The roof top is another hangout spot. Every morning, free chiya (tea) is served at 7am. They also serve a simple breakfast for only 100 rupees ($1.14) - masala omelette, potatoes and a pancake served with honey. 

My room wasn't ready when I arrived so I dropped off my bags, freshened up and headed out. I was just too excited about being in Nepal again. By this time, it was late afternoon, but the weather was so beautiful boasting clear blue skies and the sun lightly blazing against my skin. I made my way to the Pashupatinath Temple. Pashupatinath is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Nepal. It is located along the banks of the Bagmati river. Pashupatinath Temple's extensive grounds include many old and important temples, shrines and statues. 

Sadhus or yogis are being seen scattered through the temple. They are also known as Hindu Holy men who denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. They have a very distinct look with long dreadlocks, ash-covered bodies, painted faces and are seen wearing saffron-coloured clothing, symbolising their sanyasa (renunciation). Sadhus are referred to renouncers who have chosen to live a life apart from or on the edges of society in order to focus on their own spiritual practice. If you want to take with or of them, you will need to pay. I gave them 100 rupees to take this photo of them.

The importance of Bagmati also lies in the fact that Hindus are cremated on the banks of this holy river. According to the Nepalese Hindu tradition, the dead body must be dipped three times into the river before cremation. The chief mourner (usually the first son) who lights the funeral pyre must take a holy river-water bath immediately after cremation. Many relatives who join the funeral procession also takes a bath in the river or sprinkle the holy water on their bodies at the end of the cremation. The Bagmati River is considered to purify the people spiritually. While the cremation takes place you see tourists (me inclusive) photographing such an intriguing event. I wonder if the families or Nepalese bystanders find this act an offence or shameful in that matter? 

Dined in at a restaurant called Royal Saino in Durbar Marg. This warm and relaxing environment restaurant serves Indian, Chinese, Tibetan and Nepalese cuisines. My first Nepali meal was satisfying. Chilly momos and steamed chicken momos. Oh how I've missed Nepali momos. 

Went to Durbar Square in Bastantapur and had a sneaky beak. There were still so many people out on the streets. Walked up the steeped steps of one of the temples. It was a nice breezy night. Durbar Square is also one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites listed. I am still so amazed by how many world heritage sites there are in Nepal. Nepal is full of rich history and it is one of the reasons why I love Nepal so much. 

I got back to my clean room and freshened up. It was only 8:30pm Nepali time. I could hear people chilling up at the roof top but I was just too buggered. Soon enough, the voices blurred in the back of my head and I dozed off slowly into the young night like a baby. It was quite a chilly night. I had to layer up my clothes and rug up under the thin blanket. I forget that Kathmandu is slightly cooler than Pokhara.

Looking forward to tomorrow's adventures - it is Holi tomorrow, one of the main reasons why I coordinated my trip during this period. Will go into detail about what it is all about tomorrow.

Shuva ratri (good night) world. 

xoxo

Butterflies

Running on only 3 hours of sleep, I finished packing my bag. It's the first time I'll be travelling with a backpack. I say this every time, but I 'think' I packed light. :)

Regardless of how many times I have flown, I still get butterflies in my stomach. I suppose it's the slight pangs of excitement mixed with other unknown emotions. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to Nepal.

I've been keeping in contact with the eldest boy - Santosh from the orphanage via email. In his recent email, he asked when I was going back to Nepal. I bit my tongue and told him "sometime this year". I want to keep my appearance as a surprise. I'm donating clothes and a Playstation 2 to the orphanage. I'm pretty sure they will be excited about my surprise appearance and even more surprised that I'll be bringing them goodies.

The only thing I am dreading is the hike to get to Nepal. 16 hours before I reach Kathmandu. I am flying with Malaysia Airlines with a 5 hr transit in Kuala Lumpur (my birth city). Last time I had a terrible experience flying with Malaysia Airlines so I'm hoping for a better experience  this time and hopefully a good night sleep on the plane. 

Bye Sydney.

XOXO

The countdown :)

Wow, it's been 6 months since returning from 'The Big Trip'. The unforgettable memories and experiences still lingers in me like it was only yesterday when I took off on a 6 months solo trip to see the big big world. Despite being a first time solo traveller, the thought did not scare me one bit. In fact, I had the best time of my life and realised that I really enjoy my own company. Now with a tremendous amount of life experiences under my belt, I feel like I have uncovered the new and improved 'ME'. The journey of self discovery was sure worth everything I endured along the way. I feel rather blessed to have had the opportunity to satisfy the wanderlust in me - and truth be told, I definitely itch to do it again. The trip not only taught me a lot about the world but I also learnt a lot about myself. It is such a rewarding feeling to accomplish something you never thought could be feasible. I strongly encourage anybody who is contemplating on doing something similar, to just get up and do it without hesitation. The experience, the knowledge and the life long friends you gain from it is absolutely priceless. 

After 16 weeks of volunteering, I realised that I can't change the world, I can't change the children's destiny or future. But one thing is certain, I can make them smile and give them love and support; and the most amazing part was that I actually felt like I made a difference - not just for the children but for myself as an individual. I was the happiest I could of ever been being surrounded by such lovely and wonderful human souls. My time spent in Bondalem - Bali, Pokhara - Nepal and Mae Hong Son - Thailand will remain in my heart for as long as I shall live. 

Out of the 3 continents, 13 countries and countless number of cities that I travelled in the 6 months, I absolutely fell in love with Nepal and unintentionally left my heart and soul behind. Having spent a total of 8 weeks  in Pokhara, I could say that Pokhara is one of the most beautiful places in Nepal. Truly blessed by mother nature with an extraordinary combination of beautiful mountains, lakes, caves and breathtaking sceneries. 

With my 28th birthday nearing, a ticket to Nepal is probably the best present I could give myself this year. Happy birthday to me. Hip hip hooray!

I'm flying out the day after my birthday and I'm really looking forward to this mini getaway. The countdown starts now with only 4 days left till I take off. 

Stay tuned. 

xoxo