Well folks, we’re leaving our good friend Nepal tomorrow, after one heck of an incredible 5 weeks here. Why it seems like only yesterday we were stuck in Leh trying to convince Jet Airways that no, actually, they really should get us to Nepal like our ticket suggested they would do and looking forward to what that wild, woolly land of the Sherpas might hold in store for us.

The last days in Nepal were an awesome whirlwind of more wonderful Kathmandu food, Ray getting our first care package from his parents, visiting beautiful Bhaktapur, having a fun lunch and hanging out in a HOUSE again with Heather and Maike, a great American and Fijian couple that Ray had met on the bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu, visiting the Monkey Temple, and sending our first package of souvenirs and unneeded items back home. I hate to crunch it all together like this, but time constraints necessitate it. Check out the album for some great pics of the last days in this great land!

Dear Nepal, you held all that we hoped and then even more! From visa headaches (put an ATM IN the airport if you’re going to demand foreign currency, maybe?), to meeting Luis, to the giantest stupa I ever did see, elephant bathtimes and rhino safaris, Buddha’s birthplace and evil long bus rides, driving as dodgy as India (or moreso!) which I never thought possible, a long cold that would not die, pedal boats across the lake in Pokhara, a fantastic 4-day kayak clinic and its accompanying heart attacks (of AWESOMENESS!), some great Nepali guides -Santosh, Sayas and Bhanja- and friends and other super helpful people – what what, Kelly from Canada at Paddle Nepal, the bunnies at Yeti Guest House, a long and beautiful bike ride racing with the local boy who RAN home to get his bike so he could pedal with us, finishing off with an amazing and wondrous rafting journey through gorges and jungles and past villages, then hangin with our cool new friends Heather and Maika and sight-seeing some beautiful things in Kathmandu, especially Bhaktapur square.

But let’s not forget the most important thing about you, Nepal. You eat cows. Thank you for everything…especially that. I thought we might have to go home about 2 1/2 years sooner than planned just for want of a Philly cheesesteak. But you have refilled our iron count, and now with steely determination…

ONWARDS, back to INDIA til January!!!!

Check out the photos of beautiful Bhaktapur and the photo album of lunch with Heather and Maike and the visit to the monkey temple.