WHAT TO DO IN KATHMANDU.

Kathmandu had been etched onto my bucket list ever since the 1970's when Bob Sega had sung out to me that he was going to K-K-Kathmandu. It conjured up images of an exotic faraway land, exempt from the pressures of real life, somewhere near the top of the world. I had never met anyone who had been there and not left without a big smile on their dial and an encouraging "You just gotta go there." And l was certain that one day that l would.

The problem with going to a place that has been on your bucket list for a long time is deep down, there is a nagging doubt or fear that it may not live up to expectation. Expectation leaves itself open to disappointment. But with Kathmandu, I already knew l was going to love it. l just didn't realize how much.

My $4.50 pn hostel was located in the Thamel area which has been the centre of tourism ever since the hippie era. As l entered the labyrinth of back streets & alley ways, l was suddenly swept up in the exhilerating energy & immediately felt alive. Anticipation accelerated at every corner and as corny as it sounds, it was like stepping into another world, like stepping back in time. The ornate ancient architecture seemed to hold secrets that no Westerner would ever be privy to. And yet l felt strangely at home.

My soul & senses were singing and l didnt want to waste one moment stopping to eat. So l grabbed some momos, (traditional dumplings) and kept walking and wandering, swept along with wonder & awe. The hobbit-sized shops hunched near grand palaces and the bustle  from the markets was amplified in the serenity of the temples. The vibrancy & variety of wares fuelled my curiousity, l was totally lost in the atmosphere of the moment, as well as literally, and l just didn't care.

I stumbled into the courtyard of Nepal's only living goddess, Kumari. She appears on certain days at certain times but only very briefly. As the crowd waited for her divine appearance on the balcony above, people called out to her, requesting her to appear. At first fascinated, l became bored with the temperamental goddess and was allured back out into the colourful streets. The Kumari is a young girl, chosen after much deliberation by royal priests and astrologers. She reigns in her small palace until her first menstruation when she becomes mortal again and is then married off. It is considered bad luck to marry an exgoddess but there is an adequate dowry involved. Some outsiders say that the bad luck comes from dealing with a spoilt and demanding adolescent. She is occassionly brought out for a ceremonious spin around town in a chariot at special festivals, her feet can never touch the ground. On the way back past, l was prepared to give Kumari another chance & was rewarded with her sacred presence on the balcony. No blessings were bestowed upon us mere mortals from her lofty height and no photos allowed. But it is considered good luck to lay eyes upon her. I left feeling very pleased for my future good fortune & that l could now boast that l had seen a living goddess. But for some reason l also felt a little sympathy for the young girl.

Kathmandu continued to entice me. I wandered for hours and found my way to Swayambhunath, a holy 5th century temple commonly known as the Monkey Temple for obvious reasons. Climbing the 365 stairs I was overtaken by a man running up them with a bag of rocks on his back. I was informed that he was in training to join the elite Gerka Army. On reaching the top, l watched & listened to the the monks chanting ancient mantras & spinning prayer wheels as they circumnambulated around the immense stupa. Looking out over the evening lights of the city with the backdrop of mountains against a sunset sky, Kathmandu took on a magical & mysterious aura. I was in total bliss. I could have left Kathmandu that evening and been totally satisfied with my trip to Nepal.

Eventually exhausted, l hailed a tuk tuk back to my hostel. At ease with the world, l ordered an Everest beer and felt no need to join in on the conversations around me. I listened to the excited chatter about trekking to Base Camp & the Annapurna Circuit. How could it get any better than this? From the snow capped summit of the Himalayas to the steamy jungles of Chitwan, my cup runneth over. 
Nepal was not a once in a lifetime experience because l am compelled to return. And now l am the one who is encouraging, "You just gotta go there."