My Nepalese Holiday

1.       Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara.

It was a six hour drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. I dreaded the drive simply because the roads were like a constant ab exercise. To my surprise, this was the best part of my holiday. I saw the most beautiful wonders and scenes in those six hours, and was ready for six more.

The mountains all around, with the river gushing through them. The mist moving along through the mountains and through us, with no hurry, just swaying through life as if it were stoned. The light rain drops falling on my face, the smell of freshness in the air. I was in heaven. So much beauty, sketched by mother nature, untouched by human kind, it really felt like I was in Paradise. If you ask me what we friends talked about during this long journey, I wouldn't remember a thing. I was just too mesmerized by all that I saw.  I just wanted to breathe it all it, take it all back with me somehow.

 Villagers carrying wood and other necessities on their backs and walking up and down these mountains, with a smile on their faces, waving at us tourists. They all looked like happy monks from a Buddhist story book. It just seemed picture perfect. How Ironic was it, they have absolutely nothing, lived a day at a time, in a tiny hut by the river, and they were happier than most people I knew. I guess that’s what nature can do to you.

Suddenly where I came from and who I was became a tiny spec in this amazingly beautiful Universe. I guess this is what God’s art can do to you.  I will go back someday, and stay there in those valleys, in a hut for a few weeks, detox the city toxins out of my system and get rejuvenated. 

For me, this drive was the highlight of my trip. My intimate time with Mother Nature.

2.      White water rafting.

     For a first timer, I was scared and didn't know what I was getting into. All I knew was to hold on to my dear life. Once we were on that river, going along with those currents, and against the wind and the rain drops, I just let go of the fears and enjoyed the ride, until splash!! Freezing water hit us from all around, waking every single cell in my body and all we do is gasp, scream and laugh out loud! The splashes continue and the adrenaline rush increases as we get a hang of team work and oh what a beautiful river to be doing this in. It was only the freezing water that constantly reminded me that this wasn't a dream. It was real.

This is a definite must do in Nepal. It is an experience of a lifetime. And do it with friends. You create memories that will not fade very easily.

3.        Chitwan Jungle experience.

     The drive from Pokhara to Chitwan was another beautiful experience. Scenic, but in a completely different way. Never ending plains of rice fields for miles and miles, reminded me of my all-time favorite movie Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and made me smile. We passed through so many villages, saw images of what life is like, women milking cows, kids playing on swings, men fixing dish antennas, young girls washing clothes on the road side, even people showering out in the open.

We bought fresh fruits on the way, pumped water out of a water pump, sang and danced in the rain, all on the way to our resort. Now when you say resort to a girl from Dubai, you can understand what I imagine right? This was slightly different you see. It was a jungle. Yes I knew that already, theoretically, but now I was going to experience the real thing. The resort was very well maintained and we had a beautiful little hut, with a terrace facing a river and forests.

I didn't know night can get this dark, I didn't know how beautiful the moon can be in such dark nights. I didn't know there are so many stars for real. I didn't know creepy crawlers can be astonishingly beautiful. I didn't know such tiny creatures can make so many different sounds in the night. I didn't know a night could be that still. It was all so new and so different that while it made me uncomfortable, I was in complete amazement, every moment. 

Riding on the back on an elephant, sight-seeing through the jungle was exciting. It just felt safer being on the big guy in that jungle. We saw different species of deers, wild rabbits, rhinos and monkeys, all in their natural habitat, grazing and chilling. We saw a breeding farm for crocodiles and turtles too, which made me wonder why in the world would anyone breed crocodiles. Just showed me how little I know about the wild life. The canoe ride on this silent river was a little scary because of the close proximity with so many crocs. The crocs were everywhere. You could actually mistake them for dead or rocks because they were so still. Thank goodness we had naturalists assigned to us, otherwise I am sure, one of us would end up sitting on a croc for a picture, assuming it was a rock.

This is a must do experience for wildlife and photography lovers. But make sure you go with professionals like our tour guides from  GetupandGo to ensure you stay in a well maintained resort, because you never know what creature might show up in your room J

4.     Bakhtapur Durbar Square

This UNESCO world heritage site was a delight to the senses. With the right tour guide (and trust me that is very important. A tour book will not do enough justice), this was the most interesting history lesson I have ever attended in my life.

From the royal palaces, to the temples, the colors and intricacy were breath taking. The square is like a piece of land lost in time and space. You go back into history and with complete admiration and respect for the architecture, the wood work and the detailing. So many earthquakes could not destroy their structures. I was blown out of my mind. Not only is God creative in Nepal, people too are visionaries, from centuries ago.

Bakhtapur is paradise for a photographer. A place we should have spent a day or two in. It had an air of the past, felt like we were in a black n white era, except with rich color. Street food, and street shopping were just added delights to the evening.

Another place I will return to.

5.     Nagarkot

      This hill station was some seven thousand feet about sea level (I think).  The drive up the mountain was incredible. Nepalese beat the world at driving, and they are so polite at it too.
The hotel we stayed at was right on the tip of a mountain, with nothing around it except for the majestic view Himalayas, deep valleys, and green forests. We were in the middle of the mist. It was a dream that night. With a panoramic view of Kathmandu city, and apparently the most beautiful sunrise, which we missed out because of the heavy mist, this is unquestionably my honeymoon destination. I could just sit there in the balcony, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate, the man I love, and have the most beautiful time of my life. Absolute bliss!

Nine days in Nepal and I could write a book. There is so much to write about and to think that I saw just a tiny fraction of this beautiful country. The bazaars of Kathmandu, the walks through the streets of Pokhara, the restaurants, the buzz and best of all the people of Nepal. Such beautiful, genuine, honest, welcoming and humble people.

So many times during this trip, I wondered if all this was real. It made me realize that I know nothing about the world. It made me want to explore more, learn and see more. It made me realize how disconnected I was from God’s work of art, how much beauty there is in this world. It made me realize, how little we need to be happy and content and how our everyday concerns are merely specs of dust when you are one with nature.

Getupandgo definitely was the right choice, because we had nothing to deal with. We only had a trip to enjoy. Every single detail was taken care of as per our requirements and better than expectation. It is unquestionably the best way to travel. Exploring is always fun, but why waste time when there are professionals who can guide you to experience exactly what you want to experience.

You hypnotized me the first time. I wonder how the second time will be. Until then, God bless you Nepal. 

October 2013

In the memory of two beautiful souls.

On new year’s eve, I was in a children’s ambulance travelling from one hospital to another. That was the most fascinating event of that week for me. By midnight, while the city celebrated, my two new room-mates and I were in our beds trying to get as much sleep as we could. We had not met each other, coz by the time I was moved into my room (for the next 6 days), they were both asleep.

The next morning, we met very briefly. I realized that when you are in a hospital bed, you are not very chatty. And I also realized that you don’t need to talk to feel each other’s pain. Uncertainty, helplessness, pain and fear were what all three of us felt, and family did not quite feel it the same way. That was our connection and we saw it in each other’s eyes.

The girl opposite me was Haleemeh, an Iranian born and bred here, just like myself. She was only 28 years old, suffering with leukemia and been living in hospitals since 10 months. She was a very quiet girl, playing games on her cell phone most times. She had big beautiful eyes and a very sweet smile. Her sisters took turns to stay with her. Soon mom got along with all of them like they grew up together.

The girl next to me was Sansan. She was a Burmese girl who came down to Dubai to work at a hypermarket as a vegetable packer. She spoke only Burmese. They weren't quite sure what she suffered from, but she wasn’t getting any better. She was the same age as Haleemeh and was all alone in Dubai. Her family could not afford to travel to be with her, and her employer could not send her back because of some hospital/Airline responsibility issues. A colleague named Suhana was staying with her at the hospital. She spoke hindi, and thankfully the rest of us could communicate with Sansan through her. Sansan was like an angel. She smiled and suddenly the day was better. She played Buddhist chants every night and put us to sleep.

We met each other’s visitors like they were our own, took turns to play music, laughed at my mom’s jokes, shared chai, sat in the dark when any one of us needed the lights off and prayed to the Lord to have mercy when one of us cried in pain. These are some strange bonds that you don’t expect to make in a lifetime.

I was discharged 6 days later and I left the hospital on my feet, excited to go back home. I hoped my room-mates would feel what I felt going home. I prayed for them before I slept every night, sent them healing and went to visit them 2 weeks later. Sadly they were both worse than before and were fast asleep. They didn’t meet me. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe seeing me doing well would dishearten them someway.

Its 35 days since I left the hospital, and in this past week, both Haleeme and Sansan passed away. I got Haleeme’s news a couple of days back. My parents were not sure if I could handle the stress and had kept it from me for a week. Her death was shocking, since I didn’t have any news of her. Sansan I kept getting news since Suhana was in constant touch. In the past 35days, Sansans condition deteriorated. Her organs stopped functioning one after the other. She could not see or hear anything towards the end. At 3pm today she breathed her last breathe.

I bawled. I could not stop crying after the call. Why did I meet these girls during their final stage in this world? Why did I connect with them? Why did I get well and leave, but not them. So many questions but no answers at all.

I don’t know if this makes any sense, but while I am grateful for what I have had, I felt guilty suddenly for being luckier than both of them. I got well and left while they got worse by the day. My disease and pain was so incomparable to theirs. I had my mom n dad with me every single day. Haleemeh had lost her parents and Sansan was far away from all family, in a country distant from anything familiar. I had friends and family who visited me every single day just to cheer me up, no one visited Sansan. Thankfully Haleemeh had family who still visited her. I could eat whatever I wanted to, they couldn't even do that.

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 I celebrated my new year’s eve with these two angels. I cannot get over this. I know deep down, that there was a reason I was put in that room with those two beautiful souls. I hope I realize what that was soon.

God works in mysterious ways. Their suffering has ended, but so have their lives.

If you are reading this, then I request you to send a prayer to their families. Siblings who suddenly lost their younger sister Haleemeh, and a family back in Burma who were looking forward to their daughter, Sansan’s return, and are now expecting her lifeless body.

Friends, Life is short! These girls were in their twenties. Add some love to your days. Don’t be so mechanical. Tell your family and friends you love them, don’t assume they already know, hug each other without a reason. Forgive and let go of grudges. Just imagine it’s the last time you are meeting everyone you meet, and tell them what you would tell them, if it were really the last time you were meeting them.

Wake up and live your life! B'coz you know what, it ends suddenly, without warning. Poof!!

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February 2014