Day 3 - Kathmandu, Nepal
Day 3, Tuesday, May 1st, Kathmandu, Nepal. 6.4 city miles of walking.
We land in Kathmandu around 9:30 local time and I can nearly count on one hand the hours of sleep I’ve had over the last 3 nights. Traveling halfway around the world is a new experience for me and now I realize I should have tried harder to get some z’s. I wait for that 3rd wind to kick in while our driver navigates the seemingly rule-less traffic of Nepal’s capital city.
After a brief shower break and a moment to catch our breath, we all go down the block from our hotel to a lovely garden-like lunch spot where we are serenaded by birdsong. I get my first bite of momos – tasty Nepalese dumplings which, from what I hear, we’re gonna be eating a lot of over the next few weeks.
From there we head out on foot to explore the nearby Thamel neighborhood and Kathmandu's Durbar Square (the area immediately surrounding the old royal palace of the Kathmandu Kingdom). Thamel is a sprawling maze of traditional old streets, shops and Buddhist Temples, many of which suffered tremendous damage during the 7.8 magnitude earthquake of 2015.
Walking through here is akin to navigating an obstacle course – fun, but not an easy feat for a sleepless jet-lagged mind. Two things stand out immediately to me – the vibrancy of the colors and the crazy amount of overhead powerlines and internet cables. The subject material for photography is unlimited and it’s interesting to see where the attention of my fellow companion photographers eyes are drawn matches my own and where it differs.
Another quick visit back to our hotel and then we’re off for a welcome dinner, which many of us are too zombified from jet lag to really take in. One more day in town tomorrow and then we’re off for higher ground.
