Kathmandu - whew!! What a crazy, chaotic, fascinating place! We have spent the day exploring and are exhausted by the energy and commotion of this place. We are so fascinated by what we see - the colourful streetside markets, the people carrying imagination-defying loads on their heads, and the non-stop and death defying traffic of cars, rickshaws, and motorbikes. The streets are narrow and lined with shops, all things that the shopkeepers would like to convince you that you cannot live without!

To add to the confusion and excitement, today is the first day of the Diwali festival and everyone is out in the streets buying strings of marigold flowers to decorate their houses, and gifts for brothers and sisters. A madhouse indeed - but fun, and the people here are kind and non-agressive. It reminds us very much of India.