Tihar

Tihar is in full swing.  It is a Hindu festival but everyone celebrates it (including the Buddhists).  On each day a different animal is celebrated -- the first day is the crow, the second the dog, and the third the cow, and so on.  Yesterday the Hindus also worshipped the goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, by making little round altars of colorful sands, flowers, legumes (i.e., lentils and beans), and candles on the street and painting a red path from the altar leading into their shops or homes.  Small children continue to extort money from anyone willing or unwilling to donate to their cause -- whatever in the world that cause may be.  I think they take the money and run straight to the candy store.  It may be more efficient to dress them up in darth vader and holly hobby costumes and just give them snicker bars and milk duds.

Post-mortem on Pokhara -- It served its purpose.  We needed rest and that is what we did -- rested.  After a couple of days it wore on us a bit.  While the views of the Annapurna range are stunning from Pokhara, the town itself is not of much interest -- a town that caters to hungry tourists coming off of long treks.  I never thought I 'd say this but I'm glad to be in Kathmandu, getting ready for our next trek.

Kiera H. -- if you're out there, have a great trip down under.  Erin told me you were going to make the trip up the east coast -- if you do, make sure to go to the Whitsunday Islands, specifically Whitehaven beach -- it'll blow your mind.