The journey over to the Thamel area of Kathmandu from Patan, on the other side of the river on Rup's motorbike was fun. There is a multi million pound project under way to provide proper sanitation and refuse disposal for the city and I saw the way it is done currently. Unbelievable ! Past the football stadium, horse race track, old Royal Palace.and into the bendy narrow streets of Thamel. I like the energy of this place and weaving through these street on a bike...

I caught the local public bus for the five and a half hour journey to Devchuli in Nawalparasi District. After leaving the smog of the Kathmandu valley behind, the bus followed the river for many miles on the high mountain road. Rural Nepal is so different from the big city and I could see the terracing on the steep mountain sides from the bus window and smaller village and town communities. I arrived at Daldale and was picked up on the back of a motorbike and tak...

A quiet day in Kathmandu today. I walked round Thamel and initially bought a Nepali pair of trousers and a kurta to wear down in the village. There are two protest marches taking place around Thamel District this morning by a Maoist group wearing headbands, carrying red hammer and sickle flags and chanting slogans. It is part of a bigger mass demonstration in Kathmandu demanding changes to the constitution. Political instability and corruption are big problems in...

This afternoon's first visit was to old Patan - a city built in the 3rd century and the narrow bumpy roads with little shops is not really a place for the modern world of motor bikes and cars. The smog, dust and pollution today is appalling and many Nepalis are taking to wearing facemasks, especially the traffic police. I saw Durbar Square which is similar to that in central Kathmandu and enjoyed sitting for a while to take in the ancient city which was has thriv...

I have divided today's blog into a morning and afternoon section to do it justice - It's been an amazing day. The first place to visit with Rup, my guide, was to Boudhanath which is a huge complex with a giant stupa as its central feature. It is holy place for both Buddhists and Hindus and is very colourful with prayer flags blowing in the breeze. The next place was quite a culture shock. Pashupati has been cremating people for over two millennia on this site whe...