Nepal!

Phew! From October 15-30th 2006, two of my friends and I embarked on a holiday to Nepal. The trip was something I'd been dreaming about for a while now, and delayed because of the unrest in the country.

However, when things settled down somewhat we decided to take the opportunity to go. Our holiday involved a long trek (over 120km) from Naya Pul in Pokhara to Muktinath in the north. I have to say that the walk was really tough but worth it -- on the trip we really got a feel for the country. The red line in the map on the right shows the distance we trekked -- click on the photo for a larger view.

In case you're wondering, I booked my own tickets at a travel agency for Royal Nepal Airlines and we engaged Binod Mahat, a Nepali guide online at his website at HikeNepal.com. Binod is a very nice guy and has my personal recommendation. Unfortunately for us, he couldn't be our guide because he had a family emergency, but he kindly arranged for another guide, Shanker K.C. for us who was also a funny and conscientious guide.

Anyway, the pictures that follow are arranged in roughly chronological order, starting with our first days and going on to the later days as you go down. Unlike my previous posts, I've opted to mix in mundane shots with the nice ones just to give the reader a feel for the trip and to give a flow to the pictures.

Click on the link that says Nepal for a full listing of the photos or just click here to go directly there. Enjoy!

Clothesline

Perhaps this clothesline represents just how colorful Nepal is -- buildings are usually painted bright colours and Nepalis also prefer bright-coloured clothes. It's actually a Kodachrome photographer's dream! Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Broom seller

Broom sellers are a pretty common sight in Kathmandu. This shot was slightly cropped and converted to black and white for more impact. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Man on the street

Point a camera anywhere in Kathmandu and you're likely to see a host of interesting people to take pictures of. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Dhal Bhat

A typical dinner/lunch spread of Dhal Bhat in nepal. This, minus the chicken curry, would be our staple diet throughout most of our trek. Nepali food is much like Indian food, but the proportion of spices and preparation is slightly different. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Khukri seller

The streets of Kathmandu are filled with people selling all kinds of wares and knick-knacks, including the famous Khukri knives used by the Ghurka warriors. Ghurkas are said to be the toughest soldiers on the planet, handpicked to serve in the British army. Some also end up in the Malaysian and Singaporean armed forces as well. Somehow, I just wasn't satisfied with the original picture I posted here, so did some tweaking in Photoshop and produced the main shot you see, with a desaturated background to make the sellers stand out a little more. What do you think -- which do you prefer?Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR.

Trumpets

I caught this on the streets of Kathmandu. I'm not really sure what this shop is offering but I assume it's a brass band for hire. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Temple detail

A close up of one of the temples on Durbar square. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Durbar Square

A quote from a travel guide: "Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durbar Square is the religious and social heart of Kathmandu’s old city and is a complex of palaces, temples, shrines, statues and courtyards built between the 12th and 18th centuries by the ancient kings of Nepal. " Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Taking a break

On any given day there's lots happening in Durbar square -- street sellers peddling their wares, fake Sadhus (holy men) asking for money, tourists and of course beggars. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Devotee

A religious icon in the middle of Durbar square. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Nepali Soldier

A fully armed Nepali soldier in Durbar square is the only sign of the civil unrest that has been going on in the country for a few years now. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Dolls

A display of marionettes for sale at Durbar square. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Dyes

A street seller selling multi-coloured dyes. A good test for a camera's colour reproduction abilities! Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Mmmm milk!

This cute dog and its equally cute litter on the way up to Swayambunath. The puppies seem a little too old for milk already! Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

All eyes

The stairs up to Swayambunath is lined with smaller stupas, miniature versions of the larger stupa on top of the hill. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Coconut snacks

Almost everywhere in Kathmandu, people sell the flesh of old coconuts as snacks. This is pretty unusual for Malaysian, since we almost never eat coconuts like this, although it is used in our cooking. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Padlock

I was struck by the contrast of the rusty padlock and the bright blue door. As I also mention later, most doors in Nepal are painted blue. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Mask

Lots of knick-knacks and jewellery is sold around Swayambunath, but this particular mask caught my eye. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Kathmandu Panorama

A panorama of Kathmandu, joined from 5 images. Legend has it that the valley that is now Kathmandu was once a lake and at some point it was drained to form this large flat valley on which the city now stands. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm VR

Swayambunath

Although it looks similar, Swayambunath is actually a different, smaller temple at a different location than the Bhoudanath that follows below. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

Eyes

A closeup of the eyes at Swayambunath. This shot is probably one of the most common shots of the temple. Nevertheless, it's always worth shooting it yourself because of the impact and colour. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mmVR

While Elephant

A shot of the Bhoudanath. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6VR

Bhoudanath

A more conventional shot of Bhoudanath, a Tibetan Buddhist temple, and possibly the most well-known symbol of Nepal. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6VR

Under a watchful eye

I noticed this couple taking a break near the bottom of the stupa at Bhoudanath and quickly snapped this picture. As SC also observed, this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Nepal, so it's very difficult to shoot something fresh at Bhoudanath. Nikon D200, AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm VR