We left Varanasi on a local bus to the border, we met a very nice man at the bus station who gave us chi (tea) and got us on the bus early.We were very glad as when the bus pulled into the station it was mobbed by Nepalese people young and old fighting for seats, we were very happy with our seats right behind the bus conductor.As we left the station another 20 people jumped on just when I thought it could take no more people.The bus conductor did his job from his seat as there was no room to move and if he did his seat would have been taken.He would shout across the bus and tickets and money were passed over heads which I got myself involved in.It was a very bumpy night bus with too many people and too many flies.We got to the border to Nepal very early in the morning and made our way to the busy street passing cows, pigs and strange drunk men on the way.We crossed the border in no time at all after not paying any attention to the men trying to get us to change up money at extortionate exchange rates saying that we could not buy our visas with anything but Nepalese Rupees!We took a faster tourist bus to Kathmandu and found our guest house eventually after the taxi driver again lied about knowing exactly where it was; he got out to ask another young man who then got into the car with us, as you can imagine there was no room with four of us and our luggage so he sat on the drivers lap!

We explored the busy tourist streets of Kathmandu alive with bars, restaurants, hand craft shops and trekking shops.We visited Durbar Square and sat down to people watch, we got talked into taking a guide as there were so many temples there and it was difficult to match them up with what we had read.We visited one temple made entirely of wood from one huge tree (the guide said that if you rub the wood it cures aches and pains, not sure that it is true but I gave my back a rub anyway); we visited the monkey god whos feet were worn due to Hindu people taking the paint from the statue to place on their forehead, he is the bachelor god and has his eyes covered so that he can not look at women;we also saw the temple for the karma sutra god which was right opposite the monkey god, I found the hand carved decoration of this temple very funny, I could go on as there were so many but the most interesting one was the living goddess.The girl is chosen from the highest caste at a very young age for her beauty and physical health and lives there until she reaches adulthood.

We had a good night out in one of the many bars meeting some funny and interesting people.There was a live band playing Beatles and Rolling Stones classics,; they were very good.I was up very early the next morning as I had booked myself on a flight to see Everest (didn't have time to climb it!).We flew on a very small plane with great views of the mountains.We all got to spend time in the cockpit to see even clearer views.

It was a short time spent in Kathmandu and we headed for Pokhara.The journey by bus was broken up to do some white water rafting.We had a great instructor throwing us in at any opportunity (its ok mum, not in the white water only while it was calm).

We arrived at our new guest house, more of a resort actually.The lovely people from the last guest house who I had been very sad to leave booked us in.A couple called Ram and Bishnu ran the resort, it had amazing views over the lake and hills and Bishnu cooked amazing food.We went on a couple of treks up the hill and across the lake by boat.We also rented out some mountain bikes a couple of days.In the hills and on the cycle tracks we passed so many villages of different castes.All the children would ask for money, candy, pens or footballs.We have been confronted with this all over India and Nepal but there was so much of it here.It is so difficult to walk away and not give anything; but on the other hand if I had helped every person who had asked I would have nothing left.I keep having to tell myself that I can not help everybody I meet.However, as we got to know Ram and Bishnu better we decided to help a small school in the village who they themselves help.We bought them pens, pencils, writing books and of course tennis balls, cricket bat, frisbee's, footballs and badminton equipment.We would loved to have taken them to the school ourselves but they were on holiday so Ram will send us some photo's of the children receiving them.Ram and Bishnu were very caring people and helped a lot of the children living in the villages from the lower castes, quite inspirational really.We have exchanged emails and I would like to help more in the future.

We were very happy to find out that we would be in Pokhara during their Holi festival.It is a festival of brotherhood and lovers; no one seemed to know that much about it.However, it was so much fun.Bishnu was the first to celebrate it with us by running up to us as soon as we got up and smearing powder colour on our faces, Ram was quick to join in and so were we. We filled up our bags and pockets with colour and bottles of coloured water and left the resort for town. It was a frenzy of water and colour all the way to the first bar and carried on like that all day. We headed back to the resort and Ram put the disco lights and music on and Danielle and myself danced with local to what seemed like the early hours; actually it was only 10:00pm!

We are now back in Delhi and flying to Singapore arriving in Bangkok on the 30th March. I am very sad to be leaving India and Nepal but have so many memories and as you have noticed pictures to help me.