Exploring Chitwan

Today, I took a bus ride to Chitwan. The ride itself wasn't that long, but it was ultra uncomfortable. The sits were so small that I could easily fall off. Nonetheless, I'm here now! I went for a bike ride that afternoon and breathe some fresh air.

The fields were filled with yellow flowers, not sure what kind of flowers those were, but it was beautiful. You can see people doing their daily chores, or relaxing, and kids that will wave at you. It was just an easy and relaxing afternoon :)

Kathmandu: Part 3

Here's the fun part; walking through the narrow and chaotic streets. There is so much going on at every corner. Crossing the roads here can be a difficult mission, but I felt safe and comfortable here, and everything is so cheap! Having traveled quite a lot; I can say that this is a rare combination.

I spent the afternoon here, shopping for postcards, sneaking into temples, bargaining for cheap clothes, exploring abandoned buildings and the gigantic labyrinth that Thamel is.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Later that evening, I went to a bar called New Orleans (everything in Kathmandu comes from a foreign place), with one Aussie, one Scottish and one English. Despite the near-zero temperature, people were sitting on terasses with their puffy jackets and beanies on, near open fire and Christmas trees. We had some hot rhum punch, which was so good, especially in this cold temperature. I loved the atmosphere :)

Kathmandu: Part 2

I woke up at 4am this morning, but I'm very glad I slept because I haven't done so in the past 40 hours or so. I didn't sleep on the plane like I usually would because I really liked the movie selections Qatar offered, and I learned something new about myself; I discovered that I actually like science-fiction movies!

I went to this breakfast place on a rooftop near my hotel. It was quite chilly and foggy. There were some early birds, like myself, sitting outside in the cold, having conversations over their hot drinks with all that fogginess created by warm breath hitting cold air. It is what I've imagined Nepal to be.

After that huge breakfast, I went to do some sightseeing. I went to the Swayambhunath Stupa, which I really liked. Those stupas look so mysterious and magical, and it is what attracted me to Kathmandu. I've always wondered what those colorful prayer flags were and I finally got to see them up close.

This place is also known as the monkey temple, because there are lots of them! I was also able to see parts of the snowy Himalayas from afar.

Not sure what those are, haha.

This is taken at the stupa on top of the hill. It's a nice place to hang around, shop, watch monkeys and people praying, enjoy the nice view of Kathmandu Valley.

Next, I had to see the biggest stupa in Nepal of course. This is Boudhanath Stupa. This place feels magestic. There are people just sitting around meditating, monks taking group photos, people cleaning, people shopping, and tourists like me snapping pictures. It has a cool atmosphere.

Finally, I took a little trip to Pashupatinath which is situated in a village not far from Kathmandu. I saw a cremation ceremony on the river bank, and people standing on the bridge watching, It is the first time I see something like that. This place is one of the most important Hindu site in Nepal. You would think that Nepal is a Buddhist country, since Buddha is born here, but Nepal is actually the country with the largest Hindu population, which is quite surprising. This is definitely a great place to gain some insight on Hindu culture.

Kathmandu: Part 1

"Wherever we go, we see", the cashier says as I pay for my sandwich and expensive airport water, and I smiled back at him. I'm travelling to Nepal with Qatar Airways. This is my second time flying with them and I love it! It was a long, but quite comfortable journey. Maybe Qatar could be my next destination, who knows!

I arrived in Kathmandu, without much complication, after 20-something hours of travelling. It was slightly complicated to get a visa, but nothing dramatic. People at the airport were very friendly and helpful. The guys at the taxi booth were funny as well; they were joking around and teasing each other. I'm already starting to love this place!

I'm staying in Thamel, which is a busy place with narrow streets lined with restaurants and shops of all kinds. It's colder than I expected; this type of weather reminds me of Kyrgyzstan. It's not the usual type of cold as in Canada...but a type of cold that you feel in higher elevation areas. I like this weather. I'm a bit worried that I might not have enough warm clothes, but...I'm Canadian, so I should be fine.

I was still at work yesterday, filled with stress...and now I'm here, in Kathmandu, on the other side of the world, home to the highest mountains in the world. All this seem to be going by so quickly and unexpectedly; it's pretty crazy.

Life, we came to live it...

"Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't"

This is why.

2014

2014 passed in a blur. I admit that I'm mildly confused.

2014 acted like a thick wall between everything that preceded it and the present. The past is actually in the past now. All the stories that were interlinked, the emotions and motivations that were carried on year after year suddenly stopped there. All relationships severed, all ties cut, all mental blocks removed...

I've felt very tired in 2014. I have a career that many would envy, but it leaves me exhausted. I sleep my weekends and evenings away. Is this a life I want to live? In 2015, I hope I will find something that I will actually enjoy doing.

I've been hiking more often in 2014, both alone and with friends, which was my main enjoyment in 2014. There are many other mountains I'd like to hike, and many landscapes that I dream of. In 2015, I hope to discover much more.

I've been dating a lot in 2014. Some that I think I would be happier if we never met, some that I think I would be happier if I could fall for them...but I can't and I'm left to wonder why. Why is sometimes the person right, but timing isn't...and other times, it is the other way around. In 2015, I hope to meet the right one at the right time.

I've travelled to Central America in 2014, made friends with locals in Guatemala, explored Honduras on a horse, climbed a volcano in Nicaragua, partied it up Costa Rica and learning about Panama's fascinating history. I hope to keep on travelling in 2015. In fact, I'm going to India and Nepal in 2 weeks.

There has been no drama in 2014, no empty aches...they say that it's a sign of happiness and maturity, but I don't feel overwhelmed. Nothing. I'm left with silence. I'm not sure if I'm satisfied....I'm not sure what is supposed to happen next...

What science says

I recently learnt something new; impulses originate in the amygdala, which is where emotions and motivations originate from, especially those related to survival. It’s where emotions are at its purest form as it is unaffected by external factors. Then, emotions are processed into rational thoughts in the frontal cortex …not the other way around. That means that humans are motivated primarily by emotions but, they will use conscious decisions to justify their unconscious decisions.

Mark Manson, author, explains that “our frontal cortex may paint a colorful picture of the person and the situation, but the amygdala's initial reaction is what chooses the color palette to begin with."

Although, he said he was a mind-type of person, the truth is that he was following his heart from the beginning as well, just without realizing or admitting it. In return, all I do is more analyzing…I’ve been slowly falling into a slave of my own mind, just like he did. Our emotional reactions are a combination of so many factors, both unconscious and conscious that we'll never pinpoint them all with any certainty. However, I guess it gave me a sense of security by doing so...

…And most of the times, following your heart will just earn you the label of crazy person. Unlearning...is removing mental blocks rather than constructing new models of information. It is what I’ve been trying to do…