Thanksgiving Journey To Nepal
During the day, she wonders the historical streets of Bhaktapur. She seemingly saunters amongst tourists who flock to this ancient city by the hundreds daily. She eyes a young lady in a black t-shirt and fuchsia jacket. Maybe today, she thinks, empathy will bring food and money to this wrinkly old lady. In her overly worn out, faded sari, she approaches this young lady. But when she reaches her, her voice could not escape her larynx. She holds out her hands, hopeful of a kind response. And when she was ignored, she gently nudged the young lady. At last, her companion takes pity and gives her a granola bar.
Her eyes tell tales of misery, suffering and poverty. The lines on her face are evidence of a hard life. Her hunchback made her look much smaller than she already was.
Another day in paradise, as Phil Collins would point out.
Nepal is a land of mystery, vast ruling empires and great kings of lore. This is where we headed for our annual company trip this year. The reason? It was not so much that we wanted to visit a third world country amassed with poverty and hardship, nor does it have to do with their dusty roads and cheap souvenirs. We wanted to see Nepal because of its natural beauty – the pristine rivers, ancient temples, rich culture and most of all, the snow cap mountains – The Himalayas.
This particular journey, was indeed an eye opening experience for all of us. The short narrative opener above was a true encounter that happened to us when we visited Bhaktapur, the once ancient flourishing capital back in the 15th century. One of the many memorable moments in Nepal.
The journey started from a quaint old lake town, Pokhara. From there we ascended Poon Hill ( a hill in Nepal means anything below 5000 metres). It was winter and we braved extreme temperatures reaching a low of minus 3 degrees Celcius.
One for the camera before the real trekking begins.
We found this irresistable breathtaking waterfall along our trek.
It’s incredible to see the villagers carrying really big loads. This man was seen carrying a cage of chickens on his back!
For the most part, the village was very picturesque. Everywhere we turn, it was a Kodak moment.
The scenery was gorgeous, even along the trekking paths.
Many villagers there live on houses like these on the hill.
Villagers going about their own lives. Here’s a woman who is weaving a cloth to be sold in the town.
The company was the best of all.
Sunrise at the peak of Poon Hill.
The view was too amazing for words. This snow caped mountain is called Annapurna, which means ‘Full bowl of rice’ in Nepali.
This trip also reminded us of the great team we have here in D’Jungle People. We have gone through so much together and this mountain climbing experience reminded us of all the struggle, the good times, the camaraderie, the individual and team successes. When we arrived at the peak, it was a sight to behold. But what we valued more was that we were all there together. It was a momentous experience to cherish in our hearts forever.
Paragliding proved to be quite the adrenaline rush for us.
Pretending to be flying monkeys.
Nearby the paragliding spot, we also found this snake charmer. Mi Lin trying her luck as a snake charmer.
We also paid a visit to the Tibetan village in Pokhara. No photographs were allowed to be taken inside the temple to show respect.
Some of the monks making dough bread at the temple doors.
Giving out stationary to the school children at the Tibetan village. Within minutes we were surrounded!
Mel the balloonist, making animal balloons for the children. The line just kept on getting longer!
We stopped by at the local carpet manufacturing centre and found these highly skilled ladies at work. These carpets are handmade using sheep’s wool and takes about 30 - 45 days to complete one.
After exploring Pokhara, we travelled to Kathmandu. The city was nothing like Pokhara. The stark contrasts in scenery and lifestyle did not bother us so much, though poverty seemed a lot more apparent in the city. The city gave us the opportunity to delved more into their great past.
Durbar Square is a World Heritage Site. The temples here were built in the 16th to 17th century.
Another glimpse of this World Heritage Site.
We waited to capture this amazing photo.
Part of the old Royal Palace.
Residence of Kumari (Living Goddess). Once a month, at precisely 4:10pm, Kumari can be seen peering through these windows for just a glimpse of time.
Street artists making a living in the streets of Durbar Square.
The exquisite and detailed wood carving found in every temple was indeed amazing.
Bhaktapur, the third largest city in the Kathmandu valley was once the capital of Nepal in the 15th century.
At the entrance of Bhaktapur.
The brick laid streets of Bhaktapur had an interesting character, molded from centuries of rich culture.
We found this amazingly crafted door at one of the shops.
Wall decor pieces made out of coloured jute twine.
Metal ornament shops were abundant along the streets of Bhaktapur.
A DJP family portrait at one of the ancient stairs in Bhaktapur.
There were so many humbling moments for us. We are lucky in so many ways, and this country had a way of reminding us - from every shop corner, on the peak of Poon Hill, the ancient and dusty streets, on the faces of the locals, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the beds we sleep in, our education, our experiences in life, the family we have, the company we have and many, many more.
It is so easy to take all the good things in life for granted until you have seen bare poverty with your own eyes. Imagine seeing a child sharing a bed of newspapers with two dogs, or going begging in the streets with your baby hoping a few good souls will take pity on you.
Although we have donated in kind to needy school children and contributed to their economy, we received much more in return. We all came back a little richer in our hearts, a new appreciation for the great team we have here in D’Jungle People and gratitude for all the things we have in life.
