Trekking the Himalayas

Hi all! I have been so incredibly busy the past week- Pippa and my Dad arriving for the trek and now we are making our way down to India tomorrow via several buses and train rides. I will post more in writing once I get to India. But for the moment here are some pictures of our trek and general life in Nepal. Missing you all so much! Wish you were here with me Richie!!! Love you all!
K xoxo

Me and my chick

View from our hotel room at Nagarkot

Sunrise at 5:30AM

Old villager smoking Marijuana

Thought about you Mum - miss you!

Food porn

Local villager and her goats

Early morning wake-up call (5:15AM) to watch the sun rise over the Himalayas
Grandpa: If you happen to see this picture of me... I am terribly sorry about my eyebrow piercing. It's completely unoticable when I don't have it in and I promise I won't wear it around you - just think of how much you love Abby from N.C.I.S! PLEASE DON'T BE TOO MAD! LOVE YOU!!!!

Dad and I, Nagarkot

Rice, corn and tea terraces

The local village houses

Jess and a two day old goat

Lucy and Jess on a banana break

Curly whirly plants

Tiger, Parrot, Elephant and Moose

Standard meal - the Nepalese make killer vegetable soups

First morning of the trek

Trekking

A very pretty slug

My personal message to the world

Abandoned army training camp

A pile of spices

Pippa, Jess, myself and Gopal

Dad and his favorite weed

Abandoned army training camp

Babies with eyeliner

Kathmandu city

More henna

A very beautiful human being

Michael

Monkey Temple

Monkey Temple

Candles made out of boiled fat at Monkey Temple

Nepal Photo Update

Putan Dubar Square

Putan Dubar Square

Putan Dubar Square

The Boudanath

Flags at the Stupa

Jess

Artist hard at work

Roma's delicious cooking!! Nothing beats it.

Myself and the boys

All ready for school

Dahl

View

Rooftop

Beautiful Anandi

Dubar Square

Hand carved wooden dolls

Lucy and I, Kathmandu

Felt shoes! Don't worry Richie... I am getting you a pair!

Chillies

Thamel - home of the coolest clothes on Planet Earth!

Weeds...

Colourful women collecting water

Henna

Lucy in an internet cafe

Kathmandu - 24th April 2011

It's now our first night here in Nepal, and Lucy, Jess and I have had an incredible first day. Nepal is unlike any other place I have ever been.
We arrived last night at about 10:30 PM, and took a rusty red car that smelt of gasoline to our hostel. The ride there took us down several bumpy back roads until we pulled up in front of a barred up, pitch dark enterance to 'The Holyland Guest House'. Apparently our home away from home according to Kushti, the man behind the front desk.
We were shown to our dorm room by candle light (the power cuts out after 9:00 PM). Because there wern't any other dorms available we were wisked into a dorm with two other backpackers. The first a mute, and the other baring a remarkable resemblance to Jesus.

We woke up this morning pretty early and set out for a full day of exploring Kathmandu. A busy city that smells of petrol and incredibly rich spice. We are staying in an area of Kathmandu called Thamel which is nice because it's slightly a part from busy parts of the city. We are surrounded by little stalls selling handmade goodies and fresh Nepali food. Speaking of which it's dinner time now and the smell of the stall food is wafting into the internet cafe.

Tomorrow we begin our orphanage volunteer work and so I probably won't be able to update my blog until a week from now (about the 2nd of May). Missing everyone already, and wish I was able to share this incredible trip with you all too. Looking forward to Pippa's arrival!

Love, K xoxoxoxoxo

Asia Trip Monthly Itineraries

Click on a month to view the itinerary.

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

One Week to Departure

As the date of departure nears, I have come to realize that there is a lot I have to get done before we leave. Most of which actually have nothing to do with the trip. I will use this blog to keep in contact with everyone instead of trying to compose several e-mails a day and wasting precious time on the computer.

I have also realized that I continuously refer to my trip with Jess, Lucy and Pippa as our 'gap year trip'. The plan is: three weeks in Nepal, cross the border by land into India, one month in India, two and a half weeks in Vietnam, two weeks in Cambodia, two weeks in Laos and tree weeks in Thailand. However, I have been fortunate enough to have already visited some incredible countries since having finished school:

London:

Swansea:

Koh Samui/ Koh Phangan:

America (Boston):

Canada (Kelowna, Kaslo, Kootenay National Park, Nelson, Peterborough):

Beijing:

Paris:

back to South Wales:

and back to London:

And so ladies and gentlemen, the countdown begins! 7 days until departure.

K

Kindle Post

This is my first post from my new Kindle. I absolutly love it! Perfect for traveling.