India and Nepal

Jul 24, 2017
3 min read

In Dec 2014 to February 2015, Joe and I went travelling to India and Nepal. This was my first international trip without my family and it was definitely one I will never forget. The independence associated with planning and travelling alone was a good learning curve and I really enjoyed it.

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N E P A L | Kathmandu | Pokhara | Annapurna trekking region

The highlight was Nepal – although physically challenging, trekking through the Annapurna region was simply stunning and a must do in this country. The Himalayan scenery; the small tea houses along the way, the crisp air, many valleys and peaks, the waterfalls and creeks, the farming animals, the wholesome and delicious food and the snow was fantastic (albeit very slippery). We encountered many fellow Australians also trekking during this period. Our guide Chin was an absolute legend and we enjoyed his companionship. He taught us how to play a Nepalese card game ‘Dom bal’ which became very addictive. It was absolutely freezing at night but during the day, sweating up a storm from the trekking made the coldness bearable.

The capital city Kathmandu was well steeped in Buddhist culture. Pokhara, an 8 hour bus trip away, was beautiful nestled among the mountains and the perfect base for trekking the Annapurna region. The Lake was stunning and the mountains provided a perfect launching pad for tandem paragliding! As a 22nd birthday present to me from Joe, we went for an hour long cross country paraglide over Pokhara. At our little BnB in Pohkara, we had Yak’s cheese and Buffalo’s milk which was so creamy and rich.

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India was a big culture shock and incredible in its own way. The rich history of India and its close relationship with Hinduism was profound and observed in everyday life. The caste system was still heavily ingrained and we could easily pick out the divide on the streets. The concept of rubbish bins was non-existent and in every city, waste was swept into piles and lit on fire. You can pick out Hindu temples on every street corner.

One prominent chapter of India included the Mughal empire, and its advanced architecture remain scattered in modern day cities as a reminder of its significance and power. We were afforded a glimpse into this ancient Muslim world and their opulent way of life. Such examples included India’s ‘jewel’; the Taj Mahal, Humayan’s Tomb, Amer fort and Red fort. The frazzling pace of urban India was palpable – I have never seen so many cars, tuk tuks, motorbikes/scooters, bicycles and people trying to weave around cows oblivious to the chaotic traffic.

Goa was a little pocket of tranquility in comparison to the rest of India. A hippy enclave with a long stretch of beaches, this was one of our favorite places. Each beach had restaurant huts dotted along them selling drinks and food which was very convenient. The host family that owned the hostel we stayed at were beautiful, genuine people. We enjoyed many chats with Godfrey and Joan. The Portugese and western influence on this place was obvious. The flea markets were SO impressive – over a hundred little stores selling anything to everything, live music in the background and the delicious market food made them memorable.