kathmandu

Kathmandu - wasn't planning on coming here - but seems like a perfect place to launch into Bhutan from! It has been sometime since I have traveled to a place where children reach into your taxi for money and where the rules of the road consist of honking horns and dashing along the edges of a traffic jam. It has been hot and sunny since we arrived, but the rains started last night and I think that might be it for the sun for a couple of weeks (at least) as the monsoon rains wash over us. Kathmandu is full of sounds, smells and sights that overwhelm the senses and keep you on your toes. It is a real shift for me to be here in the role of leader with students whose safety and wellbeing their parents are trusting me with...in the first few hours, it is enough to make sure I am not getting run over by a car or being swept away! So far, so good, though - and I expect Bhutan will be of a much different pace and reality.

I am already sunk into the spiritual nature of the place - surrounded by symbols of tibetan buddhism that i have only ever known through video until now....watching prayer flags wave in the wind as I write this. The students are keen on learning more about buddhism, and I find myself wishing I had spent more time re/learning about it before leaving home...but there are things I already know, and in many ways we are all on this journey together. We have already discussed the principles of suffering caused by desire (and my own philosophy about the joy of desire and passion!), and the verity of impernance. They are an astute, confident and intelligent crew who are happy to engage in discussions about tourism, development, society, philosophy, sports and music. Already they have proven to be on top of things - despite my strong encouragement to stay awake through our first day here to deal with the jet lag - it was a student who had to wake me up for dinner!

On a lighter note - the market streets surrounding our lodgings are filled with nepalese and tibetan shops full of beautiful things to bring home to my new house that i already miss (wishing I had brought some dimensions for a new rug!). Also, many trekking stores, as this is the jump off point for all those who come here to visit the Himalayas on foot. Really looking forward to our two nights of camping/hiking this week once we get to Bhutan. I am over the moon to be here, but am noticing it is the first time in a long time that I felt such a strong inclination to stay home too! Having said that, the adventurer in me knows the deep pleasure of returning home after time spent far, far away - a feeling that can only be experienced by leaving in the first place. Only wish I had left with a pair of jeans - can't believe I forgot them...a whole month without denim! We will be doing our best to catch the finals of the world cup - games are on at midnight here - will depend on internet/tv access. My money is on the Netherlands...

this is my first ever blog post, for the record.