TIbetan Love

Lately I've heard alot about Tibet and considering how close it is to Kathmandu, only a 4 or 5 hour drive, I really want to go.

Today we visited the largest Stupa or Buddhist temple in Kathmandu and walking around the little shops that surrounded it I was in awe. The intricate Tibetan souvenirs were so cool (I tried really hard to find another word to describe it but I was taken in by their cool-ness!). So I stumbled upon these antique, hand painted wooden chests and jewelery sized boxes and pretty much fell in love. Unfortunately for me they cost over AUD$1000, but the man assured me that it would only cost an additional USD$400 to have it flown over to Australia.

Haha, yep...he totally convinced me...I'm just going to start saving my rupees right now...

Arniko Skateboard Store

So the opening of Nepal's first Skateboarding store has been a bit of a success. Please check out my other blog Things That Thrill My Heart... for more photos on the momentous occasion!

Only two things, Nepal...

There are only two things that I ask of you Nepal, and one of them isn't even decent shopping.

All I want is :

1. Hot water when I want it. I know I'm saving the environment by having solar hot water - but come on, isn't it funny that the sun doesn't come out til the afternoon? Therefore leaving me with cold water in the mornings? Actually you know what, water in the tap is even better than no hot water.
2. Reliable Electricity. If you say that you are giving me 20 hours of electricity a day, then give it to me. And give it to me smoothly. Maybe a schedule would help so I know when those 4 hours of no electricity is, instead of being paranoid that I need to charge everything - just in case.

That is all.

Just for giggles...

These pictures are a bit old, but I was meaning to share them...
I took them while I was at the Kathmandu domestic airport waiting for a flight out west, in the height of the trekking season. I would say that about 90% of all people (Nepali's+foreigners) were wearing hiking boots and that about 80% of the people were on a flight for the Everest Region. I just couldn't get over the amount of khaki, trekking boots and backpacks I was surrounded by! It blew my mind....I thought I was in some sort of outdoorsy shop...

and then...there was this lovely lady, who - like me, made up that 10% of people that weren't wearing trekking boots, but was however on the flight to the Everest Region. I didn't realise corked wedges were "in" up in the Himalayas...

my new wheels...

ohh the new love of my life! well second to my husband of course....she's soo pretty and shiny red! although i am hoping to paint her pink one of these days...

struggling with having to share her with my hubby though...can't wait till he gets his own bike!!!

bikey bike!

how sweet is this pink bike? i totally want it!! and i'm on the hunt for one exactly like this! i took this photo out in the western part of nepal called kailali...

i would have to say its my favourite thing that Nepal has inherited from India!

The most delectable thing i've ever eaten...

on saturday night my husband and i went for our usual dining out on the town and ventured to the 'roadhouse cafe' which has gourmet wood fired pizzas, pastas and other amazing yummy things. during our meal i announced that i was going to have dessert...and i was going to splurge. behind us there were some european's that had just cleaned up their meal and had something sizzling and bubbling served to them. my husband said "look at that" and when i turned around...i gasped and exclaimed "I'M HAVING THAT!"

'that' is a warm chocolate brownie with a dollop of ice cream on top, and placed on a hot plate with sizzling HOT chocoloate fudge! ohh dear me i think i went to heaven...i am going to have one at least once a week from now on...it is totally worth my waist line expanding!!

did i mention that it only costs $AUD3??

Our Local

Our local market where we have to bargain for our fruit and vegies...can't wait for mango season! yummmm!!

ANZAC day

just got home from our ANZAC day breakfast at the Australian Ambassador's house (and let me tell you - its a nice house! felt like i was warped back to Australia). there were monkey's stealing the food, but the atmosphere was so warm and they laying of the wreaths to the bugle playing was such a touching moment. i felt so proud to be Australian ( and maybe also lucky to be Australian and invited to such an event!).

there were havaianas, quiches, lee jeans, anzac biscuits, and even the tea cups had the Australian government's emblem on it. wow i have never noticed such small iconic things about Australia before.

but it was great, loved my little snapshot of home this morning...even if they thought i was nepali and spoke to me in nepali at first =P

here is a great tribute to our soldiers from a 5 year old boy:

sickness...

so i was thinking, in Australia when the seasons change most people normally get cold's and flu's...in Nepal when the seasons change most people get diarrhea...go figure eh?

i think i know where i would like to be right now as spring is turning into summer!!

p.s. this is my dog friend that waited with me for the work car this morning