Into the Kathmandu Valley

The first days of the tour we go east from Kathmandu. We left most of our personal stuff in Kathmandu for this part of the tour and only carry what we need for the next 3 days in our day packs. Our first bus ride to Bhaktapur starts out mostly empty, but quickly becomes standing room only.
We squeeze out at our stop and decide to ride the roof for a better view on the second bus to Nagarkot, a hill station village.
From the Nagarkot bus stop we walk uphill to our hotel.  We were in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy territory. We passed the ‘Hotel @ The End of The Universe’, ‘Hotel Space Mountain’, and ‘The Lost Horizon Resort’.
All day we were told of the GREAT views we would see of the central Himalayas,
but the mountains remain unseen by us due to the constant clouds. I started calling them the ‘mystic mountains’ which are hidden in the mists of the local people’s minds.  This was our view.....

In the afternoon we walked down to a nearby village through stone terraced fields.  I am always surprised and how warmly we are welcomed by those we meet. Everyone stops what they are doing and greet us with big smiles. It is harvest time, planting time and wood gathering time in all the villages so most of the population is in the fields working except for several moms who are looking after all the kids too young to work.

After school is out, we see a group playing cards along the trail.

Making Raski

We are introduced to raski (sp?) the local brewed drink at one of the houses where we stop.

All day the mountains remain mystic…..

Day 2 we head downhill through the villages and terraces on our walk back to Bhaktapur. We walk by a very large local shrine to Shiva.

Along our path...

wash is on the line
the cat has caught the rat...

hay has been stacked for the animals...
                                    and we are met with a smile.
Many types of crops are seen along the trail.


We arrive at the outskirts of Bhaktapur and see nice houses around one of the ghats.
I am constantly reminded of how much physical labor is taken for granted in all aspects of life. At a construction site all the gravel is being carried by hand up ramps to the cement mixer.
We arrive at our guest house for the night.

The mountains remained mystic, but we don’t get rained on and have a nice ‘Eye of God’ sunlight beam through the clouds.