Rain, rain, rain, oh and rain again??? I had a different imagination in my head if I am honest, but what to do. ^^. The it will be a rainy Motorbike tour through Vietnam also special experience and definitely wet^^

After 10 days that felt like waterfall showers all over the way, I can see a yellow round ball sticking out half of the clouds, and I can’t feel any wed drop anymore. Off course at that moment Helga (our motorbike) had a complete breakdown she was on the end of her nerves, what is kind of ok for an old lady. Thru that it was Vietnamese New year, where good beware nobody is working or moving at all. So, we stopped or where stopped in the middle of nowhere somewhere on the road, we were so lucky to find the only one in the village that spoke at least a few words of English and he really managed us somebody to fix Helga, so we are back on the road again. That was a small miracle, and how we could figure out after woods our big luck.

Finally, we ended up at the place that we imagined in our heads the whole time, in Bobby’s home. Bobby is from Sweden and settled half down in Vietnam since close to 10 years by now. A beautiful house with pool and terrace directly at the beach, and all-inclusive service plus private 5 star cook, Bobby loves to cook for his life. It is even better than a luxury 5-star hotel and much cheaper as well^^^.

And I am finally back at the ocean again, good I missed it so much never though so before until I finally reached it again after 6 month, already to breath the air of it without seeing it is making me incredible happy. This time my travel and my travel vibes are completely different than ever before in my life, I am travelling with a group what I never did before on purpose and on a motorbike a quiet long way, and third point as I mentioned lightly at the beginning in flooding rain and to the forth point I am not really exited or curious about what I am doing.

In the meantime, Saugat and I separated us from the other too, and create the whole trip a little more relaxed, what means not spending everyday 8 hours per day with 60 Kmh thru the rain to see every viewpoint. Now we just drive to a place that seems to be nice and stop there, maybe stay or go  just as it comes J.

After the second day after our split up we landed at bobby’s place, as I already mentioned a small paradise on earth. And, booby his own special kind of human being, and we have the pleasure, or the not chose able option to picture the life of Swedish motorbike club, just out of lot of story’s but well with his own charm.

On the way thru the dessert in the direction to Mui Ne, a wonderful panorama, kilometres of sandy made up hills next to the ocean, Helga is losing her energy once again. Just with luck we are reaching the entrance sign of Mui Ne. In the same second the police are so friendly to stop us, and leads us thru the next police station. Off course we both don’t have an international driver licence and as Saugat tells the officer he is from Nepal and the officer thinks in mistake Nepal is in Amerika, they put old Helga in chains. After farther going discussions we could buy her free for 1 Mio. Dong and she is making it to the city centre.

The first impression from the high recommended holiday place is, we found small Russia Resort in Asia. The small fishing village is still a bit surrounded by its old charm but seems to be a bit lost in the world next to tithe Beach stripe after the village is more a garden of popped up resorts and from the beach and the ocean is not really a lot to see. Anyway, on the next day we make it to a tiny part of the beached that is not owned by a resort giant and finally after 7 month my bikini gets to see the sunlight and I can dive into the wonderful blue ocean. J

Maybe we picked out the wrong travel time, over Luna new year that is celebrated on the 27^th of feb and all prices raise up to 30 % more and half Vietnam is making holidays at the ocean

After we left small Russia behind and fixed our metal luggage carrier of the bike, that broke down two minutes after we left the hotel, we are reaching a wonderful coast road to nowhere. Off course the also here the half of the road is spitted by resorts, but in-between there is a beautiful coastline to see. It’s too sad that we are afraid to stop, because Helga doesn’t sound good again, so stops are just allowed where a Motorbike hospital is located next door. After 3 hours with nearly no stop we reach our final destination for the day La gi, a small farm in the middle of nowhere. I am wonderful relaxed and chilled out here, no other tourist to see at all, if you don’t count the mass of the Vietnamese’s ones. ^^

After a four minutes’ drive from the farm to the beach, we are surrounded by a spectacle that I have never seen before. Hundreds of people, drinking, making a barbecue and scrawling around the beach with Ochs cars are crowding the coastline, with a loud techno beat in the background.: D Incredible never saw something like that before, Saugat and I get watched as we are from a different planet. It is fascinating to see this, it is still Vietnamese new year and the locals are celebrating since over 7 days already.

After Helga since a long time just had a mini break down in between we are on the way to Saigon. We discover that google maps is pretty useless here and making a round around the city that just takes us 1 hour longer but brings us on a fairy and thru tunnel^^. After the stories of a few relatives I had a different picture in my head, I got told the traffic is massive and crazy as also the people. I need to say I found the surrounding quite normal for a big city.

After two days Sightseeing I am on my way back to Nepal with middle stop in chia again, as I already realized at the incoming flight, a smile is nearly impossible to get over here. Already as I left Vietnam the trouble started: “Where do you fly to? Nepal!”, “Really is this country existing?” and the main joke was: “The Visa you have in your passport is a face that can’t be a real visa of any country. I would have loved to say: “Oh yeah sorry I am flying to fantasy land with my fantasy Visa in my passport!”. After a longer discussion and I discover that the guy in Nepal that issued my visa made a mistake and made 13 day out of 30, even if my visa expires in the 17.02, I could check in. But just with the comment: “Your passport is so mighty because you are German, so we can’t do anything else about it” ^^

As soon as I arrive in Nepal a huge smile is coming in to my face. As I show my passport and my visa to the control man, he tries not to lose his face, after 10 minutes staring at my visa and me back and forward again and the question why I am not staying longer Nepal is such a beautiful country, he is reaching my passport back to me and wishes me a pleasant stay. I just waited that he would take out his pen to change the number of days in my visa to cover up the mistake of his college. I just love this country, it really feels like coming back home again so wonderful.

Resume…

After close to 2000 kilometres on Helga thru Vietnam from Hanoi down to Saigon under every weather condition to think of and repair consequences either of me or Helga, I’m definitely much richer with a few experiences. Vietnam is not my dream country and none of them I really need to return to. Said in an easy simple way not my world. The country is beautiful, the food is super delicious just amazing. But there is rarely a country that ever catched me so less before, I can’t really pick a point why. The Journey was like an extreme roller coaster ride, I took a few extreme intense experiences out of it, that I don’t want to miss and off course a good new fantasy story to tell 😉

So, my Christmas celebration, how can I say, Christmas is not existing in Nepal like we know it from home. But in the year 2016 I had it 3 times right behind each other. The first celebration was already one weekend before the 24^th, because a few of my friends wouldn’t be there on the actually date. So, we had hot wine and traditional Nepalis schnapps one week before. I even got a Traditional Nepalis plastic Christmas tree, I was so touched by this that I started do decorated with small wool animals^^ lovely special Nepali Christmas tree on my balcony J

The second Christmas date was then my real one on the 24th and I managed it to make my first Nepali duck in my lovely small electric oven. I need to say I was really surprises, she got close to perfect, I was not so sure about it at the beginning. For the Kings ending of the meal we had Kays (my volunteer college from keep) highly recommended apple crumble. Both off us where extremely delighted that with was working in my in-between down shutting mini oven. However, my biggest Christmas wonder /present was my shower that started to work on Christmas morning. After I got expert in showering under the kitchen water cooker for two weeks, the shower was not only working, she was warm not only warm the water was boiling hot. That was a Christmas miracle awesome.

The third Christmas celebration was placed on the 25th. As Kay celebrated my main day with me off course I was celebrating her main day traditionally with her as well. So, on this day a friend of mine arrange a big Christmas get together at her house. I didn’t know that champagne was the main drink being served on the 25^th in the UK. I found out this is a wonderful tradition, that I will definitely stick on to. So, at the end we had a wonderful tipsy Christmas celebration. Even with a Santa dancing in a bar later^^. If I am honest I think I never celebrated Christmas so intense before than I did in Nepal even if this is not existing in their traditions. A lovely experience.

Finally, back to the ocean 

After my intensive month as teacher Ms. Maie, I am trying to catch up with all the work that I left in-between, what is slightly said a lot. But I have a goal to picture, that is named three weeks Vietnam on a motorbike a small dream is coming true. Friends of mine are already over there and I am following soon.

Kathmandu is freezing cold, off course not as cold as Germany and we have daily sunshine, but something that we call heater I just simple not existing over here. So yesterday night I had the pleasure to wake up by -1 degree in my bed, now it is colder inside the house than outside. Maybe I should drag my bed on the balcony but I guess my house birds would wake me up really kind and friendly every morning.

However today I already have the luck to hitchhike with the helicopter once again. So, I will spend the next 3 days before I fly to Vietnam in beautiful Pokhara, with my lap top on my knees and my office at the lake side in the sun. I’m excited about Vietnam, finally get back to the ocean again, I am missing it more than I can speak out….

Flying with the dragons of the Himalaya

After this amazing adventure and impressions and a free helicopter lift over the clouds, back again to civilisation. Loud, dirty and the smock is coming like a blanket over the helicopter while getting closer to the city, but I am back home again. The 1000 steps up to my apartment, are like an impossible mission for me, my legs just don’t want to move anymore like I want them to.

After the Family meeting on Nepali, German went harmonic and I got over my horror adventure with the cable car (even the view was wonderful, and we could see mount Everest in a mini version), we are making our way up to the edge of heaven into the clouds, flying over the Himalaya range, indescribable impressions are opening up. With the yellow and red racing dragon we start in Pokhara to see Shang ri la from above. I never thought I will ever have the possibility to do this but the best dad in the world makes it possible J

The Flight tourism in Nepal is nearly not existing, but who is searching will always find. After a few wonderful and relaxed days, including meeting with a Russian helicopter builder and his let’s say young and energic companion^^ how likes to show that he has slightly a culture shock problem, our way is taking us back home to Kathmandu with a short stop in Bandipur. Bandipur is a wonderful small Mountain village and before Nepal had a main road it was the main meeting point for salesmen from all the world. The Newar architecture and the biggest cave of Asia are making it to an attractive stop. The silent up here is lovely and Jerry that has his small coffee up there and as he says is serving the best cake in whole Nepal is a nice when also intensive conversation partner and host.

Sadly, our stay gets overwhelmed from sad news, one off the pilots from the Ultralight company Avia, where we had amazing moments with and a good time went down on a plane and didn’t survive this accident. Now the company needs more support than before, I really hope we can help them with the article for the German flight magazine and support them in good way.

After the small vacation into silence and peace its going back into the big brown cloud, by now the winter also arrived in Kathmandu and it is getting colder day by day. I am learning to hold the German heating system in high regard, a shower that is working, so as warm water. It is warmer outside than inside, and to wake up in your bedroom that has the temperature of 7 degrees is not funny anymore. Also, the showering under the water cooker is getting more adventures from day to day, but by now I am quite good in it….

Teacher over backways

After my short break and wonderful holiday with my dad, this is finding an end and I get the information, that I will be a teacher for porters and guides for one month.

It was at least really friendly to tell me this 2 to 3 days before my course starts, so I can get used to this information 😉

My course is set together out of 17 students, including two volunteers that are there to help me out as I discovered on my first day as a teacher. I never really had the intention to become a teacher, at least not in the direction of language. Even if I didn’t want to become it true in my head I was nervous before the course was starting. I think I was much more excited and nervous than my previous students. Even more intense because before I got announced to an English teacher I got told the course needs to be held from a native English speaking person. As far as I know I am not a native speaker at all^^. By know I can just say my expectations that I head got far exceed and I am surprised by myself. After four weeks 24/7 hours of working a wonderful experience came out of it. I never thought I could have so much fun while teaching and my English will be enough for that. I put a lot of effort and work into the course and at the end a great outcome. At the end of my course I got blessed with eight respect scarfs, if I can believe my two volunteers this is the highest as you can get. If I am honest I would do this course definitely again, the guys, my students in-between 21 and 65 where wonderful in there Nepali being and way.

Thru my three-month learning process, how to deal with the nepali mentality the best way, I had the incredible luck to go on a trekking tour with my underworking company Magical Nepal. The thoughts behind this trek was a documentary as a teambuilding structure over the company and beautiful Nepal. My let’s say boss^^ that is my best friend in Nepal at the same time, gives me the possibility to be free and flexible in my working style and time what is great. The set-up tour was going over 21 days thru Tsum Valley which trekking rout is just existing since three years and thru that it is still a quiet unknown area as also closed to untouched, the rest of the trek will lead us thru the more famous Manaslu trek, that is already a lot more developed. My own journey was just the part of the Tsum Valley area and I loved it. No Mass tourism or waiting in a line to climb the Mountain still so quiet and original. The Group that was doing the trek was set together by 8 clients around the Age of 60 from France and the UK, they after we noticed after a while more raced thru the mountains then having a nice walking tour thru the Himalaya. While I was miles away from running, and walked slowly with the boy in the back, Sanjay and Aphantar our camera team was highly motivated thru this was also the first real trek for them like it was for me. So, we stopped on every little corner for smoking a cigarette and catching the beauty of our surrounding on film. For me this was an awesome experience, not only because this was one of my first bigger treks, also because I had the luck to see everything out of another perspective and document it out of a non-tourist way. Thru Saugat and Prakash our Tour guide I had the possibility to discover the real Nepali Mountain life, to dive in to the local perspective and see the Tourist one from the top.

But you should know that the Nepalese have a completely different understanding and view from the word trekking than we do. They walk as long as they can and until it is getting dark, and they get lost. And when you are lucky you will find a place to sleep. Plan, rout or Map who needs that? At one point, somehow you will reach anywhere anyway^^

The “Streets” in the mountains are if you see it like that “Autobahnen” (Highways) for donkeys, they always are racing you from the side without setting a light for blinking. So, you need to watch out like a fox not to roll down the mountain on the wrong side when they pump into you. The most used term of greeting you here is “Namaste Choclate?” or if you get higher “Namaste, Ballon?”

This is he road to hell…

Day 1. Why I am doing this again?

On the way thru the mountains, on the first, so I thought street to death, in a still quiet luxuries Jeep in the back on the bags. Already now everything of my body is hurting^^

Day 2. Why do I do this again?

Two more hours’ drive thru the mountains on the real road to death. Also, called the Bus drive thru Nirvana. Realisation of the day: I will never carry my own Back pack again with the wait of 12 kg thru the mountains. But anyway, already after the second day I had the full respect of our 9 headed Porter crew, that was carrying the luggage of our clients all the way. Everybody would like to try my back pack in-between to give me the comment it is really heavy. Oh, yeah thanks I didn’t notice that by now^^

Day 3: Why I am doing this again? Arrived in the Manaslu Resort area…

Five hours walking without a real break, today we need to watch out that we stick to our retired Marathon group, it is an eight-hour walking day, what means for us 10 hours^^ It would make a lot of sense to reach our destination still thru daylight. I have the feeling I need to die, and my back pack is getting heavier and heavier every minute, I think somebody is putting stones in it just when I am not watching. On this day, I’m happy about my stubborn habit and at the end I am getting all my last energy reserves out of my pocket (I am really struggling and fighting with myself). The boys got lost somewhere in the dark (as I said Nepali way of trekking). But to our luck we have our live saving porters that are coming back to find and help.

Realization of the day: I won’t walk back this way by myself doesn’t matter what will happen.

Day 4: This is he road to hell- Chichopani (cold water)

The first short day, only 3 hours of walking, so for us just 5 hours ^^I think my feeds and my hips died in the last few days. Wonderful camera and film shootings with me in the main role, I get told not to look so tired all the time and to tell my hair it shouldn’t always stand up like a sun flower. By now I think I’m walking my realization path as a pilgrim for beginners, because I am getting told this is one of the easy route in the Himalayas all the time. Okay maybe for sporty and healthy, non-drinking and smoking, there live enjoying people this might be true. Anyway, it is also a lot of fun, especially with the team, the feelings are similar, so we hold each other up together, and work intensive on our deep dark sarcastic humour.

Day 5: On the donkey railway to Chimbling

It still feels half like the road of hell, even if I think this won’t be as beautiful as the surrounding I am walking through. We are climbing from 1000meters up to 26000, even if it goes down. The up-climbing part is let’s say it like this the topping of the last few days, my personal Limit, maybe I just should role down the mountain again together with my back pack, would be something as well^^But the lesson for today teaches me, if nothing is going on anymore, just smoke another joint this puts everything in a different light. As already the days before you need to be aware of the busy traffic of the Mountain roads, since two days it is not possible to get up here by a normal vehicle anymore, so the only possible transportation are donkeys so it is full with donkey traffic everywhere, if you hear a bell ringing from far away watch out and search for a safe place to let them pas, never pick one on the wrong side of the road. Lesson of the day: Even in the mountains there is an offroad road from the offroad road existing. Because we don’t have enough adventure so far, we are trying our luck with a short cut way, to not to lose the other half of the group completely, climbing adventure over a raising river. Also, I am overtaking my fears everyday new, today the way leaded me over a one kilometre long suspension bridge, as I arrived in the middle of it the half of the bridge was gone. They told me at the moment it is in repair work, so I just should step on the tiny steal sticks that where still left over and weren’t looking save at all, but even the donkeys are making it so why shouldn’t I? For the topping I needed to pay bridge toll for the repair work on the bridge, but at least after that a local was so friendly to help me over the dangerous part of the bridge, because I left the boys far behind and the other half of the group in front of me.

Never in my life before I have seen such an amazing as beautiful sky full of stars, I was aware that star twinkling is existing but I never saw it like this before, it was just breath taking. The Milkiway was stretched around our heads and the Galaxy was shining like an ocean of lights twinkling down to us on earth. As reward for my adventures day, I was allowed to sit in the private kitchen together with the guys and porters, around the hot fire oven and a glass of hot mountain Rum in my hands.

Day 6: Walking thru weedland and the meeting with my first stoned cow

Nepal is one of the biggest exporter’s for Weed I thought I was dreaming as I walked to fields full of weed, that where three times as big as I am. The half of it dried at the side way, or eaten by smacking happy mountain cows. The reality is the people here see it more as disturbing weed, so it’s free for everyone who wants to take it, this let me stand-up again after my half breakdown under my backpack. By know we made it up to 3000 meters, what makes you feel like you are carrying five times the weight on your back that you in reality do. But right know you start to see the beautiful small and nonsense things in life in a different light. Know I have the opinion that a shower and the washing of cloth has a to high priority in life. Especially under the aspect if the shower is a bucket filled with cold water and the toilet just a small hole in the ground. It is much easier just to keep the sweaty close on and to use them as a combination out of night dress and day outfit.

Day 7: My Shangri la in the clouds/Mu Gompa 3700 Meter

On this day, we get to see the real beauty of the Valley, the Landscape around us is indescribable and breath taking beautiful. The steps get slower every minute, even if you try to go quicker it is impossible, I never thought you can feel the high so extreme in your bones. We are climbing up to the Monastry Mu Gompa where the monks live a solitary life, really high on the top of a mountain. Already from far away the cold wind is blowing the sound of bells down to us and you get the feeling to dive in to a new magical world. In the night as I am sitting on the roof of the Monastry surrounded by white Mountain peaks and watch the stars I am speechless. I already saw a lot in my life and off course it will still get more, but I never thought I will find myself one time in such a place, On the roof top of the world, the Himalaya surrounded by so amazing and beautiful people.

We were lucky to get a small “room” with to small beds where we could sleep in with 7 people and could try to forget about the cold thru the beauty that surrounded us.

Day 8: The whole thing backwards and up again

On the way, back we are taking a different route than before, on that we pass a second Monastry or let’s say nunnery. The Monastry is held alive with 60 nuns, they are all dresses the same way than their male colleges When I heard the word nun so far, I always needed to think about the women that are dressed in black and white. Up here everything is so different colourful and happy, the Tibetan Buddhism has its home and heart here. Today we stay a little bit back from the main group again, we have time so I have the possibility to see and feel the life on Nepal’s Mountain streets intense. If I write it down by know it sounds more like a beginning of a joke. A nun, a Sherpa, a boy from the city and a completely hammered farmer with his cow meet on a street in the middle of nowhere J  Not to forget the huge Mountain Yaks that are passing by the whole time. I got told if they are mad with you at one point, they will let you know for the rest of their life. They walk up to the peaks of the mountains, where the farmer needs to get them down, if you are able to find them and get them dragged down under pressure.

Day 9: Back to rum and fire

If you see it like this my last day with the group, after that we will split the ways, I will try to run down the mountain as quick as possible, and the other half of the group will continue the way to the Manaslu trek in the next morning. One of our eight funny and lovely oldies (5 times as fit as we are^^) is not feeling well. He is already a little moody since the beginning, I think he is homesick after his wife as really having an urgent sickness. I am tacking my first garden hose shower under cold mountain water under the sun after seven days and it is feeling incredible great. In the evening, Richard, our Homesick client decides to stop the tour for him, because he isn’t sure if he can make it up the next part of the trek with his cold. In this moment, a great option is popping up for me, I could either walk or run down three days the mountain by myself or I could catch this moment to get my thumb out and tramp with Richard on the Helicopter that will come to pick him up. After intense thinking of my possibility’s I made my decision after 2 seconds

Day 10: Hitch hiking by Helicopter

In the early morning, the Helicopter is coming to pick us up, you need to see it like this, the helicopter is the bus in the mountains when nothing else is going on anymore. There is no other possibility, if you don’t want to get carried down on the back of a donkey or walk down the Mountain. So, I had the luck to experience this special adventure to get a 40-min free flight over the Himalaya. As we arrive in Kathmandu the Ambulance is already waiting at the airport, they are so friendly also to give me a lift, so I don’t have any stress with the security control at the airport and get a free drive close to the city.

In everybody of us lives a „HINDU “here….

A few days ago I went for a story telling lesson to my Nepali home with uncle and Anti again. After the lesson before was about rituals and the sense of the Tihaar celebration, this time we slided into the life itself. On this special day I learned that all human being including myself are HINDU, doesn’t matter where they are from, which race they have, land or religion. Let’s say I found the best explanation why all people are the same.

HINDU= life

The H in Hindu stands for the sun, the creator of life, without we all couldn’t exist at all, so in this case everybody believes in the sun and her strengthens.

The INDU in Hindu is standing for the moon, also without him nobody on this planet would exist, he is bringing us wealth, healing and strengthens. His light is giving the whets the power of healing and makes us than them strong.

So in total all human beings are HINDU!!

Exactly out of this two, the H and the INDU, the Nepali flag is created if you look closer at her, it like the ying and yang. One can’t survive without the other, so rest around it not at all.

Also we get our life energy out of the HINDU being. Our nostrils are Moon and sun, the right one represents the sun and the left one the moon. If both of them are not working for the normal breathing process, something is wrong and we will get sick, because the equal exchange off breathing is our power of life and healthiness.  In this case the energy of the sun and the moon are meeting each other in the middle, on the point on our forehead between the eyes, also called energy or lightning point. Together they flout to a point on our behind head, where the energy is getting bundled. Thru that knowledge know it makes sense to me, if somebody here shaves his head always leaves a small bundle of hair on it, it is protecting exactly this energy place, to keep he energy and are protected from bad influences…

To prove this theory just try one day to close one of your nostrils for ca. 15min and the next day the other one. You will feel how your energy is changing thru this.

Next challenge:

Trekking to 3700 meters to Manaslu and Tsum Valley, Including producing a video. Im getting a movie Star now: D

To be continued…..

The Light festival or the Festival of Flowers
Tihaar also known as Diwali (festival of flowers) or Jun Parmeswar (Moon god), is taking place in Nepal over five days. Tihaar begins one days after New Moon and every day is for a different subject. As already mentioned before you can picture it a little like New Year, except that it is much longer and more intensive. The biggest days of the festival time are held for the god of death called Yamraj and for the goodness of wealth and luck called Lakshmi.
Day 1:
Day of the crow
The first day of the festival is held for the crow, she is getting worth shipped with food in special leave bowls. She is known as the ambassador of Yamraj, and brings life or death to the people.
Day 2:
Day of the dog
In Nepal the dog represents Strengh, he is the protector of homes and the protector of the gates to death belonging to Yamraj. He is the god of strengthens Vairabh. On his day of celebration he is getting a bracelet made out of flowers around his neck and a Tika placed on his forehead, to give him good wishes as also to bless him.
Even the police dogs are having a special ceremony, it doesn’t matter if the dog is from the street or a poppy in a home, and they are accepted as a fully family member and treated really well. As mentioned before to picture it better, the housedog of my Nepali family is called Didi what means big sister and is also treated this way.

Day 3:
Day of the cow
On this day the most holy animal in Nepal is getting blessed, the cow. She is the symbol of Lakshmi and the soul leader of Yamira the lord of the underworld. Like the Dog she is also getting a neckless out of flowers and a tikka on her forehead. Because the cow is the symbol of Lakshmi this is the big day of the goodness. For her blessing and to give her a warm welcome, all the houses in whole Nepal are decorated with lights and candles, it is blinking and shining everywhere also in Kathmandu. Lakshmi the goodness of wealth and luck is living in the middle of every mandala, so from the early morning on, the streets are getting cleaned up and washed to place a mandala on them after woods. Everywhere around you see colourful Madlas in every size. When the darkness is falling into the land in the evening, Lakshmi will have the perfect welcome guided by lights and colour. Most of the time the Mandalas are placed directly in front of the main door, and the windows are shining bright from the lights, so she is able to find the entrance and bring luck and wealth to every single house. Even all the shops and streets are getting decorated with orange flowers, flags and glitter, in the evening big parades are taking place all over the city, with traditional dances, fireworks and groups that are singing traditional Tihaar songs.

*My Mandala
I had the big luck to create my own big Mandala in front of a bar of a friend, a beautiful and meditative experience. After over 3 hours exact and fine work it was finally ready. Thru this I got to explore even more traditions and rituals from another ethnic group the Ghorka.
They are placing small footsteps with colour on the ground that are leading into the house where the money used to get placed by the owners, so Lakshmi is able to find this places quicker. She has already enough to do on this evening so it’s better to lead her the way and make it as easy as possible for her. For musical surrounding we got visited by three groups of street musicians, most of the time kids that are singing special Tihaar songs. At the end of their promotion, you give them a few rupees to thank them and show the respect for their work. At the end of my third day of Tihaar, I found myself singing and dancing in the street over and over with mandala colour, singing with the kids from the orphanage home to get them small amounts of money. Thru my Nepalese friends, by now my small family, I had the chance to have this amazing and beautiful experience and be part of the real Tihaar, this made me incredible happy.

Day 4
Day of the Ochs, Mha Puja (Newari New Year)
The Ochs it’s the most strongest and powerful animal, he is the creator /maker and protector of all the herbs. He is also carrying you on the way to the Nirvana on his bag over the river you need to cross to get to it.
For the Newar this is a really special day, it is Newari New Year. Special rituals are taking place to worth ship yourself, to clean, thank as give respect to your soul, body and mind
Newari New Year
As I found out by now, in Nepal are existing 7 dates and celebrations for New Year, one of them is belonging to the Newar culture. Off course every New Year needs its own date and year, otherwise it would get boring, and at the moment I’m living in the year 2074. If you think about it, it seems to be quiet logical, it gives us the opportunity to travel in time so easily. This morning the city was filled with loud noises, Music, drums, horns and loud motorbike sounds. A not ending parade of pickups, scooters and motorcycles was blocking the main streets of Thamel for at least 2 to 3 hours. Off course every pick up and car had a music box on the roof and 10 tipsy Newar people in the back singing along with it. Thru that there was a crowd out of flag waving dancing and screaming people surrounding the parade. To say it like this I have never seen something like this in my in tired live time. Thru that this year the Newar New Year is on the same day as Halloween ,so in the evening time the city is a mix out of New year and Halloween celebrations, what looks kind of funny.
This evening I was invited to a special Newar New Year Ritual and dinner in a house of a friend, to worth ship myself, my body, soul and mind. For this first of all as many mandalas as people are getting placed on the ground in front of every seat. But this times they are really simple not like the ones the day before. The colours of the Newar are red and yellow, the mandala has six circles made out of red and yellow colours that are surrounding each other. To do so first of all you are painting the circles with oil on the ground so the powder can better stick to it. After that five small thingies out of corn, seeds, rice and herbs are getting placed on it, looks a little like a five on a dice. At the end for the topping fruits are getting placed on them
When the preparation of this is finished the ceremony can begin, first off all the Lunt’s of the candles are dipped in oil before they are giving to everybody and get fired to take place on the mandala. After your own mandala is set in the right light, the tikka is given to everybody. But before that you have to give a hand full off rice and water over your mandala as a sign of respect. After all guests got there Tikka on the forehead from the Landlady, plates with presents are given including Nuts, bread and fruits. After that a small bowl filled with an egg fish, meat and bread is following as also homemade Roxi. When you finished that you worship you small god of your inside, with small acts and a Namaste to the universe at the end, the mandalas that where created before are getting wiped away to wash your soul clean.

Day 5
Bhaai Tika, Day of brothers and sisters
This day is belonging to the Myth of Jamura, she got Yamraj the god of death to replace the date of her brother’s death. She gave Flowers, Fruits, Sweets and good blessings to his younger brothers Also this is maybe the only day Yamraj gets a little bit time for himself and can leave his office for a while. The Sisters are hanging there brothers flower bracelets around the neck, give them nuts and seeds. The brothers most off the time give money and flowers to present their thanks fullness and love.
*As I found out there is a special place for those who have no brothers or sisters, a temple surrounded by a big lake and it is just open for this special day. Sadly this temple got damaged by the earthquake and it is not possible to enter it at the moment.

*In the whole time of this festival not only people or animals are getting blessed, also the whole interior design as Tables chairs and so on are getting there special time. If you see it out of a different view everything was created out of something liveable before.

*Normally Tihaar is just lasting for 5 days, but this time the president of India decided to come over for a visit. So the government decided to give a 6th day of public holidays. Even so the people where not really happy about that to close their businesses longer.

My own individual special mandala party:

Off course all so my home was full with lights and shining like a star, I bought my first bling bling glitter tree of my live. He is pretty awesome^^. I created my own small version of Tihaar and my small big Nepali family is making it perfect as too a wonderful time. By know I really feel like I’m arrived at home. The culture and the life of the people around me show slowly but constantly what family means, they are there for each. There is no judging, no big fight, or talking ages about a mistake that you made, every day is a new day, and everybody does in his live once in a while smaller or bigger mistakes. But past is past and future is future. You can’t go back but forward and in the best caste together. The community, kindness and friendliness is letting me wonder and learning every day again. Your family is your family and you should respect all off them, they will be with you for your whole life if you want it or not, this are the people that always will (or should) forgive you. I got take in, in a community that is giving me this feeling, without hidden thoughts, without expecting something that is just there and loves me like I am.

After my excursion to Jurassic Park and my huge amount of good blessings for a good life, my body thought it would be time to take a break. So in that case I couldn’t leave the house or better my bad for over 4 days, and that in my holiday time. My theory on that is: I got so many good blessings and wishes on me, so every evil thing was taken away, but all this evil stuff first needs to get out of the body and that takes time. This is representing itself in 40dgrees fever and the feeling you have to die^^ But after that, I hope so belonging on my theory, I will feel like a new born person. I’m not on that point by now, but I deeply believe in it. The evil is a really long lasting guest.

Kathmandus air and let’s say it like this „light turbulent “surrounding is not really the best place to get better, calm down and get some peace. So I made the decision after I could look at least so so straight again, to leave KTM and go to the country side for a few days. What is the best against a heavy cold, warm and up to subtropical climate. The final place that popped up by that is called Chitwan.

Shortly to makes it clear for all unknown (including me); Nepal it’s not just existing out of the famous Mount Everest our rocky and hilly landscapes. It has close to as many exotic regions and animals as Africa. Chitwan is one of them, it is placed in the sup tropic terrain close to the boarder of India. During the time of my stay, a small feeling of homesickness was sliding thru my head, everything was so “flat” and wide, and not one mountain to see anywhere. Already in the first 10minutes after I arrived in Sauhara, a crocodile and a few elephants where crossing my way. The highlight of the evening than was definitely the rhino on his “catwalk”. During the dinner on a rooftop, a rhino step in a comfy walk over the main road of the “city”, real in fully size. Straight on the middle of the street, and didn’t let itself interrupt from anything while his late window-shopping session, even though nobody would have interrupt it anyway.

On the way back to my guest house I first bumped into our House Elephant named suse. I thought this where already a lot wild animals for one day. But one hour later (I think the windowshopping was ended plenty), I heard a delicious grunt coming from the other side of my window. As I slowly took the current beside, I looked at the before mentioned rhino standing directly in front of my room, smacking clearing the rice field of the neighbour farmer. This Farmer tried to get the rhino from his field with wild shouting making sounds like “oula, oula” and a lot of noise. To my enjoyment and his anger it didn’t work out at all, and the rhino just showed him his big grey ass. Rhini blessed us with his visit for ca. 2 hours more before she made her way slowly back to her cosy home in the national park.

My conclusion of this is, if you want to see wild exotic animals you don’t really need to fly to Africa or go on a safari. It’s enough to visit a city or town of Nepal, even in the capital city I’m fighting with ay balcony monkey every day, who steels my coke and nuts.

Cheers sincerely Manija

Dasain is one of the biggest and longest Festivals in Nepal and one of the reasons that just Saturday is the only free day during the week. As I said with over 100 Celebration and Festival days quiet understandable. Dasain to picture it better for you is a little like charismas at ours, accept that it takes place 15 days and is celebrated nearly by all culture groups and Religions. It is one of the longest festivals and pretty time consuming from New Moon to Full Moon. It is a really family attending celebration, including kite flying, long card playing nights, and happenings as get together. On one day there is a big Kite happening and competition in one of the holy temples “Swuyambu”, the kites are simple and out of paper and wood sticks, you can see them already crossing the beautiful blue sky days before. But the rope of the kites is everything else than normal, as better and sharper the rope as more chances to be the last one see your kite crossing the air. The pilots of the kites try to cross the way of the other kite, to cut the rope and bring him back to the ground. Already days before, there where small kitepartys taking place in the whole city, to be trained for the big day.

On the first day of Dasain, called „Ghatasthapana“, a seed “jamura” is getting planted in a “Kalash” (holy vessel). The seed, than already a small plant is getting removed on the 10^th day of the festival and placed in the hair while the blessing ceremony is celebrated.

The first week of Dasain is more used to get prepared for the big upcoming days, the 9^th, 10^th and 11^th day. That’s why by now normally the Dasain holiday time is cut down on 5 to 7days, not like up to 15 days as it was before. But the kids have one month school holidays in this period.

On the ninth day “Navami”, all kind of sacrifices are getting brought by. Most of the time this are gauds, that you can see already weeks before everywhere along the streets and houses. At Kathmandu Durba Square is a temple located, that is just opening it gates once a year for the sacrificing ceremonies. The blood of the animals is getting placed over all kind of vehicles, also on airplanes. The reason for that is that it is giving them strength and power, so they will carry and protect their owner forever. The Ritual itself is for giving honour to the killing of the daemons and the triumph from the good over the evil.

* My unkle (Host dad) already began weeks before the Dasain Festival, to make it to his duty and task, to go against this old sacrificing ritual. With a small punch of people out of his home temple, he created flyer and walked from temple to temple, to make the people aware of this non sense killing of animals as to stop it. In his opinion this principle of wild killing is overtaken in this time and world we live in by now, nobody needs to suffer hunger or something in this direction anymore. A hard and close to impossible task, because over here they are holding on heavily, strong and close to the old rituals. But I have the biggest respect in front of what he is doing, with how much energy and effort he is standing to his opinion and thoughts, even though the most people and priests are titling him as a stranger, it’s not really seen here positive and in a nice way if you start to go against this and when you doubt on the old traditions and rites.

The 10th day „Bijaya Dasain“, is celebrating Ramas triumph over the daemon Ravana. Ravana is somehow representing the devil. This day is a big Family day, the younger people are visiting the older ones and are getting blessings thru the Tika ritual as also thru the Jamura that was been planted on the first day, that is getting placed in the hair of the blessed one.

The Tika is existing out of rice mixed with red or yellow colour, she is giving from the older to the younger people as blessing and placed in the middle of the forehead. At the same time the grass is getting placed in the hair of the blessed person.

I was extremely lucky to be part of the Ceremony at a friend’s house together with his family and getting blessed all over, so that it should last now for a long time.

The Tika is always given from the older to the next younger Family member, we were ca. 30 people I guess. The persons that are already blessed are taking a seat next to the one that blessed them at the end and so on… So it takes a while until you passed the big circle with blessing people, especially if you belong to the younger generation and pass all the older ones before you get to be seated. As I was on the row to make my Tika blessing round, there were already a lot of people seated and waiting to put me the Tika on my forehead, sticking holy grass in the hair and give me so many good blessings as possible. In-between I felt quiet unwell, I didn’t know before that the girls and women are getting small amounts of money, the option not to take it would have been unbelievable respect less. Even the smallest ones that couldn’t even do one step by themselves, are giving money ( but the most of the time they are getting it back and in a magical way it’s getting more than it was before^^). The money is given for the later life and marriage, as also some of the blessings and wishes. To make fun of my costs, I got pretty taken up in-between the ceremony. Anyway I guess I’m definitely enough blesses now for lots of kids and a soon coming up marriage. ^^

After the ceremony is over, it’s eating time, time for talks and off course for playing cards. Where either you stuck up your Tika money or lose all what you have. At the end of the day I went home with the double blessing amount of money, what looks like I had a million in my hands by the size of the money.

After the visit at the parents’ house of the man is done, the visit of the house of the woman’s parents is following. Here also the guys are getting a little bit Tika money from the older ones. On the second stop of the day, ten people surprised and over rolled me at the same time with  good blessings and wishes and putting more tikas on my already over  full forehead filled with rice.

The next big festival is coming up soon, called „Tiha“ the light Festival, this is more comparable with new year I guess but it is lasting over 5 days. Everything will be covered with lights, so KTM will look like a huge blinking shooting star.

To be continued out of my full hard

Sincerely you’re over blessed Manija