You know how I love Nipple

Oh Nepal, oh I love thee!
Compared to India, you're just so easy!
Your spicy tea and eggplant lasanga,
Your baby elephants and Everest beer,
The way you can get me from point A to B
Without pulling out my hair and wanting to flee!
Yes, I will stay to explore... just a little more

Kathmandu is a delicious polluted paradise for trekkers and the like. We arrived after the hellish bus ride only to delight ourselves in wonderful Nepali tea and bakery goods, wandering the streets somewhat free of hassle, HOT water and clean sheets, laundry, oh just some wonderful things that only travelling can make you appreciate. A day of doing stuff (yes, like chores) was spent and then a visit to the famous Durbar (no, not Dunbar) Square where ancient temples and palaces are held together (just) under a World Heritage Act and you can really see how the city was way back when, thousands of years ago. Kathmandu has a neat combo of Hindu-Buddhism going on, sort of all mixed together so there's Vishnu on one corner and Buddha on the other, pray to both and you'll be extra lucky. I'm all over the good Karma.

We decided to make the trek out to the famous Swayambhunath (Monkey) temple, which the LP failed to mention was up a gazillion stairs. On a hot day this was not a peasant surprise but we managed and of course, it was worth it. Supposedly Kathmandu used to be a giant lake and this temple protruded as an island shrine. Now, little monkeys guard and wander the grounds looking to either attack you or drink your discarded Coke. The view from the temple gives a sprawling panoramic view of the city - pollution galore!

Chitwan National Park was pretty much the opposite of the capital city. Elephants, rhinos, tigers oh my! We spent three days chilling out with the animals, drinking beers, bathing elephants, riding them, patting them and generally becoming obsessed with them. Besides the brutal heat, forty thousand mossy bites, and the GIGANTIC spider that lived in our bathroom for a day it was just the best!

So, now we're back in Kathmandu-ing stuff to get ready for the big trek. Oh yah!