Namaste everyone! Yes, I am alive! Apologies for it taking me so long to get round to this but I have been sooo busy I have just not had time. As it stands this may be a half entry as I have to go in 45 mins but I'll see how I get on and hopefully add some pictures (and maybe videos, depending on how long they take to upload) later.

So I'll start from the beginning! I managed to get the 3 connecting flights and did not end up in Timbuktoo as I had feared. My luggage also made it :D I was absolutely exhausted after the flights but from the moment I arrived in Kathmandu I was too excited about EVERYTHING to sleep! The transfer from the airport to the hotel was amazing. There was just so much to take in I just didn't know where to start. Everything looked, smelt and sounded different. As we left the airport, on every horizon were beautiful hills. I have to be honest, when I got into Kathmandu I did have a bit of a shock. When I had previously thought about Nepal all I had thought about was beautiful mountian ranges, I hadn't stopped to think about what the citys would be like. I was fully prepared for India being complete insanity, but not Kathmandu. It sounds daft, but I didn't associate Nepal with being a 3rd world country. Some of the conditions that people live in are unbelievable. I don't think pictures or my descriptions can convey that. They spend as much time with electricity as without and it was days before I had a warm shower. Still, unlike Britain, this is normal for them and they just accept it. Life doesn't grind to a hault because there is no eletricity. The people are fantastic, the majority of them speaking a decent level of English. Everyone will say hello to you, especially children. (Everyone also wants to sell you something and the price is increased x5 because you're white). Still, bartering is part of the fun. The shop keepers know they are completely taking the piss. For example- I got a rickshaw to my hotel. I knew the journey should cost around 20 nepali rupees as I had taken the same journey the day before with my Napali tour leader. The rickshaw driver asked me for 200 rupees! I told him no chance and even he laughed because he knew it was so ridiculous. In the end I gave him 50 rupees as it is only a matter of pence to me.

Whilst in Kathmandu I visited 2 Buddhist temples and a Hindu Temple. All very beautiful. At the Hindu Temple they had cremations going on on the side of a river that flows to the Ganges (their holy river). It was very bizarre but very interesting. After I had got over the initial 'oh my god thats a dead person over there about to be burned in public', I found it really interesting and since have spoken to many Hindus about the ceremony. I spoke to an Indian boy earlier today and asked him if he was scared by the cremations. He couldn't understand why I would be scared as to them it is normal and it symbolises the passage into another life. I have also been blessed by a Buddhist monk and a Hindu Holy man. later I learnt that the holy men that we see in public are not infact holy men but actually beggars posing as holy men (I will put pictures up) to make money. The real holy men have devoted themselves to god and will be far away from the public.

On our last night in kathmandu we went to a traditional Napolise restaurant. They have traditional food, decor, music and dancing from the Newari community of Nepal. I even gave the dancing a go myself and think I have found a talent. My favorite move is something once described to me as 'changing the lightbulbs'! Unfortunately, as delicious as the food was, it didn't agree with me and I woke up the next day a bit runny :( Not pleasant. 4 immodiums later, problem solved! (We had a 9 hour coach journey so i wasn't going to take any chances!). I have also been sick...this was equally as unpleasant. I have learnt the hard way not to take malaria tablets on an empty stomach...let this be a lesson to you all! The smell on incense and poo was too much for my delicate stomach to handle.

Ooo I haven't even talked about the trafficR! Its brilliant! The best way to describe it is a free-for-all. No side of the road, no lanes, no pavements, no traffic lights (not that anyone takes any notice of anyway)...just chaos. The louder you honk the better, and if your horn is broken, make as much noise as possible! They don't seem to have realised that in order to ease conjestion, someone actually has to give way to someone else...honking does not help! There are cars, busses, cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, cows, goats, dogs, pedestrians, people pulling random carts...all looking out for themselves! 'A give way what?' would be the reaction you got here if you asked someone if they knew what a give way sign was!

The 9 hour bus journey took us to the border town (between India and Nepal) of Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. We drove through breath taking scenary- lots of windy, green hills- something I didn't associate with Nepal (I always think snowy mountains). I have to be honest, the actual stone where he was born is a bit of an anti-climax, but it is in a monastry in absolutely beautiful tranquil surroundings. This is a sight of pilgrimage for many Buddhists and Hindus. Many countrys have built monastries in the same park as Buddhas birthplace.

On the 5th day we crossed the border into India. Immediately there is a noticable difference between Nepal and India. Just over the border there are hundreds of people trying to whisk you off so Im glad I was with a tour guide as I didn't know what the hell was going on. Again...chaos! This was followed by a 10 hour bus journey to Varanasi. The oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and the most holy Hindu city. Although the long bus journeys sound a nightmare, they are really not that bad and don't seem to take half as long as they do. There is so much to take in that the time just flies by. This morning we took an early morning (6am) boat ride along the Ganges. With the sun rising in the back ground Varanasi and the opposing bank of the river had an almost mystical feel to it. There were people bathing in the river (as it is considered holy water) which to me was unbelievable as this water is gross...everything goes in this water (Although I was informed today that the sewage no longer drains straight into the river (this is a relief!)). Cremations were going on at designated cremation sights (this happens 24hrs a day). Oh and by the way, once the body has finished burning, the ashes are pushed into the Ganges too. Tonight we are going to watch a ceramony where the Hindus thank mother Ganges for providing them with water and then will take the same boat ride as this morning as Varanasi is supposed to take on a completely different feel by night.

I have to go at the mo. Im sorry I have rambled on for so long but Iv got so much to tell you and its only been a week...and Im sure I've missed lots of stuff out! I will be back later, hopefully with some pictures. Big love to you all, Me XX