Namaste Nepal: Nepal six months after the earthquake

Theodora and Miranda Kempe-Germani

Canada

Visited Nepal: October 8, 2015

– October 24, 2015

We were part of the first wave of tourists to return to Nepal after the earthquakes, in the new season following the summer monsoon. We hadn’t been to Asia before, and had little idea what to expect. We found a country brimming with ancient monuments, vibrant landscapes, and welcoming people, capably recovering from the devastation of the earthquakes. For us, it was the journey of a lifetime, filled with colour, unique sights, and extraordinary experiences. We feel privileged to have seen Nepal in what felt like such an intimate and special way. As others have said, Nepali people are an absolute pleasure to encounter and get to know.

We are mother and daughter travelling companions, and we’ve given our two perspectives separately below.

We did see a lot of earthquake damage, particularly in Bhaktapur, where the old buildings were sadly vulnerable. Everywhere the clearing and reconstruction efforts were impressive. On the trek we found the trails were rocky and rugged, and we had to cross numerous streams on stepping stones and bamboo bridges. But the trek guides were wonderful and took good care of us. We were rewarded with stunning views of the Himalayas, of forested hillsides, verdant terraces and turquoise rivers. Our group included porters and a chef, and meals were all freshly cooked, served with vegetables bought at Gurung villages along the way. Tea was brought to our tents each morning at wake-up time, together with bowls of warm water for washing. And there was even the fantastic experience one day of a bath in a huge bowl of warm water in a private zippered enclosure, open to the blue Himalayan sky.

A never-ending feast for the eyes, soul, and stomach:

Travelling to Nepal was my mother’s dream that I quickly latched on to. When she said that she was planning to go my only words were “I’m in.” Just a few weeks later the first earthquake struck. It seemed like our vision of Nepal would remain just that.

But the trip went ahead, and in October I found my feet firmly on the ground in Kathmandu. We were immediately immersed in a visual smorgasbord, a riot of infinite intriguing sights. Our gaze never rested long, but bounced from a cow in the road, to a colourful silk outfit, to a heritage building. Our hotel, the Hotel Malla, with its grassy backyard with singing birds, a shrine, and concrete elephants, was a peaceful respite from the visual overload – I didn’t even notice at first that the staircase walls were painted a dazzling candy pink.

We were welcomed everywhere with “Namaste”, the universal greeting spoken with hands joined in prayer position. Most memorably, when we walked into Balthali, a little voice said “Namaste,” and looking up we found a smiling child about two years old, standing alone at the top of a steep flight of steps amongst a grove of orange trees.

Momos, delicious hot dumplings that can have a variety of fillings including chicken, buffalo, vegetables and cheese, were the star of our culinary experiences in Nepal. But there were other memorable meals. One morning on the trek our chef hiked an ascent of 500 metres and a total of nine kilometres, bought fresh fish along the way, made bread with his floury hands in the team’s improvised kitchen in a school yard, and was still serene with pristine beige pants when he served our delicious hot lunch.

We were back in Pokhara after our trek on the most important day of the Dashain festival, when people visit their relatives. We saw motorbikes carrying whole families, one with father driving, mother behind, side saddle in her red sari, a child wedged between them, and the smallest right in front helping dad hold the handlebars, hair swept back by the wind, grinning from ear to ear. On the roadside was a cow with a wreath of marigolds perched on its horns.

Now back home, I feel a connection to that part of the world, and will continue to follow its news and support the charities we were inspired to donate to when the earthquake struck. Plus there are still our 1,500 photos to devour; my stomach did a flip of excitement at a photo of the high peaks of the Himalayas, dusted with snow and nestled in cotton-ball clouds, and yes, I did take it.