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Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia, with 2 very big neighbours. China lies to the north and India to its south, east and west. The country is small in size, but has one of the world’s most dramatic elevation gradients. The lowland Terai plains in the south Nepal lie at under 100m above…
As I am stuck in Kathmandu because of high-intensity monsoon rainfall I thought it was the perfect time to write about the weather of Nepal, particularly the monsoon rains and how climate-patterns in the country are rapidly shifting. Currently, it has been forecast that the entire country will experience intense rainfall for the next 3…
Today we hit UNESCO sites 5 and 6 of Kathmandu Valley; Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Changu Narayan Temple. Actually Changu was not on our itinerary but I was keen to see all 7 sites, so enquired if it would be possible to visit the temple on our way to our hotel, which tonight would be…
Nepal’s flag is one of the most distinctive as it is the only non-rectangular national flag in the world! It is made up of 2 overlapping crimson-red triangles with blue borders. This is known as a double-pennon and is said to symbolize the Himalayas and the country’s 2 major religions; Hinduism and Buddhism. The crimson…
My second craft activity during my time in Kathmandu was to try my hand at painting a mandala. Mandalas are a Tibetan Buddhist tradition that serve as meditation aids, visualising divine palaces where deities reside. Since our time in Lhasa, travelling across Tibet and now in Kathmandu we had seen hundreds of shops showcasing this…
Wood-carving is a celebrated tradition in Kathmandu Valley, and is deeply embedded in the architecture, religion, identity and daily life of the city. Historically, the Malla era (12th-18th century) is thought of as the golden age of woodcarving in the region. The Malla kings invested a lot in the arts and architecture and this led…
I have a few days before I start my 10-day trip around Nepal and will be staying in the Thamal area of Kathmandu. My plan is to relax, eat good food, participate in some arts and crafts classes and potentially take a scenic flight over Everest. Thamal is the tourist district in central Kathmandu and…
I’m back in China and have a 6-week trip planned that will start and end in Beijing. First up I am going to head to Shanxi Province, west of Beijing, for 4 days, to visit the ancient cities of Datong and Pingyao. I will then join a small group tour heading to Tibet for 2…
Colette's Grand Detour 