A Love Hate Relationship with Kathmandu

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First Impressions of the first place I’ve ever backpacked!

The Buddhist stupa in the centre of Boudhanath (photo credit to the author)

Holy cow, Kathmandu is one crazy, crazy place. In the first week, I already developed a bit of a love hate relationship with it; so much for the honeymoon period!

I loved the food (tasty momos, aka steamed dumplings filled with all sorts of meat or veggies with a spicy dipping sauce and chia milky spiced tea), but I bloody hated the cold showers, brrrrr, and having no power for half the day, damn those roaming blackouts.

I loved all the Nepali people I worked with at the school, they were so friendly, open, and curious, but I wouldn’t say I liked their driving. Seriously are there any rules or lanes or even a set side of the road? The driving baffled me.

I loved the Buddhist temple at Boudanath with its all-seeing eye, colourful prayer flags fluttering in the wind as monks circled it in their rich, ruddy maroon robes spinning prayer wheels, but I hated the noise. Horns were CONSTANTLY honking and by no means am I exaggerating here, CONSTANTLY. I jumped out of my skin every time a motorbike wheeled past. Then all the scruffy dogs that lay half-dead in the sun came alive at night to have noisy, barking conversations with one another. I wondered if every Nepali person was ill because people were perpetually hocking up loogies. Every few minutes, I could hear a loud qwwhhhuaaarrrk, cough, spit behind me, one of the many sound effects of Kathmandu’s soundtrack.

As beautiful as the mountains that formed the backdrop to our school areas were, you couldn’t get past the smell from the half sewage, half landfill river that you walk past to reach them.

So how do I feel about Kathmandu?

I love it, but I hate it just a little too.

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Georgina Nelson. Traveller. Writer. Photographer. Yoga teacher.

Sh*t Happens — because the things that go wrong make the funniest stories.

Travel. Nepal. Kathmandu.

A Love Hate Relationship with Kathmandu

First Impressions of the first place I’ve ever backpacked!

MAM, YOU SHOULD BEAT HIM!

Being the substitute teacher that the kids take no notice of. TEFL edition.

Pashupatinath - two very different sides of the same river

Playful and painful days at the beautiful Pashupatinath

Dal bhat, Dal bhat, Dal bhat

So do you like Nepali Food?

The sadness of meeting a living God

Patan Durbar Square

Chitwan National Park

Death defying bus journeys, walking safaris, bathing elephants, crocodile canoe rides, animal foetuses and Gangnam…

A poor attempt at being an adrenaline junkie

White water rafting, canyoning and paragliding in Southern Nepal

Beautiful Boats and Farting Goats

When your peace in nature is interrupted

Christmas Curry

The first Christmas away from home, tears and curry

Leaving Kathmandu: Laughing at goodbye ceremonies and fighting to get to the airport

Namaste Nepal, Annyeonghaseyo Korea!