Week 21 (Nepal,UAE,South Africa)
15th to 23rd of December
We've been travelling for nearly 5 months. With a bitter sweet taste in the mounth, we entered into the last week of this life changing adventure. For now I'll just report on our travel experiences towards the east of Kathmandu, Nepal and finaly Dubai, but I will need to write another blog on reflections...which might also interest you keen followers of our blog!! So first things first!!
Heather and Mika, once again, blessed us in all our needs for dry washing and good Nepali food (Big thanks to Babetha) and helping us with good reliable taxi drivers.
To my oppinion, you cannot visit Nepal and not lay eyes on the tallest mountain on earth....so we plucked up courage (you need a lot of it to negotiate the traffic and crumbling national roads, mountain-break-neck passes and the throwing-up factor accompany this whole ordeal...!!!) Our first port of call was the authentic city of Bhukthapur, still party down in the Kathmandu valley, but heading in the "right" direction.
The town of Bhuktapur was just such a delight. We've met another traveller in India. He reflected back on his first experience of travelling in Nepal, some 20 years ago. According to him, Bhuktapur, in all is carved wooden delight, is just but a reflection of what the rest of Nepal looked like then. Narrow cobblestone streets wind between the red-brick houses, joining a series of squares and courtyards that are peppered with temples, statues,cisterns and wells. We had to pay a steep entrance fee of $15pp, but we paid it with a smile since it goes towards protecting and maintaining the temples.
Ancient Bhaktapur grew up to service the old trade route from India to Tibet. At the peak of the Milla dynasty(14th to 16th century) the city boasted172 temples, 172 pilgrim shelters and 152 wells. An earthquake caused major damage in 1934, but the locals manage to restore most of the buldings. A German funder stepped in 1970 and the streets of Bhuktapur were paved and extensively restored. They also established a proper sewerage and waste-water managment system.
We were absolutely delighted with our family room above a small inner courtyard in the Kumari guesthouse. It was on a side street, just off the popular Dunbar Square. The low ceiling provided a cozy atmosphere...messing with our minds, since the cute little woodcarved shutters were letting in heaps of (how shall I put it?)'fresh' air.
Our afternoon stroll around this ancient jewel included a visit to a rooftop restaurant and a go on the biggest manually driven pottery wheel I 've ever seen on the Potter Square. With the help of a very kind local potter, myself, Thomas and Alana created our very own little claypots. Unfortunately we could not take them with us, but Mr Potter gave us a smaller, already baked, money jar. Nina was on the receiving end of the gift and she named her present: Mr Boem-Boem. We also had a demonstration of the whole firing process: first they stack all the freshly made pottery items on a big heap, cover it with straw and then seal the heap by strewing ash over the top. Now the straw gets lit up to burn through the night. Next morning result: neatly created pots, cups, moneyboxes and all the rest.
15th to 23rd of December
We've been travelling for nearly 5 months. With a bitter sweet taste in the mounth, we entered into the last week of this life changing adventure. For now I'll just report on our travel experiences towards the east of Kathmandu, Nepal and finaly Dubai, but I will need to write another blog on reflections...which might also interest you keen followers of our blog!! So first things first!!
Heather and Mika, once again, blessed us in all our needs for dry washing and good Nepali food (Big thanks to Babetha) and helping us with good reliable taxi drivers.
To my oppinion, you cannot visit Nepal and not lay eyes on the tallest mountain on earth....so we plucked up courage (you need a lot of it to negotiate the traffic and crumbling national roads, mountain-break-neck passes and the throwing-up factor accompany this whole ordeal...!!!) Our first port of call was the authentic city of Bhukthapur, still party down in the Kathmandu valley, but heading in the "right" direction.
The town of Bhuktapur was just such a delight. We've met another traveller in India. He reflected back on his first experience of travelling in Nepal, some 20 years ago. According to him, Bhuktapur, in all is carved wooden delight, is just but a reflection of what the rest of Nepal looked like then. Narrow cobblestone streets wind between the red-brick houses, joining a series of squares and courtyards that are peppered with temples, statues,cisterns and wells. We had to pay a steep entrance fee of $15pp, but we paid it with a smile since it goes towards protecting and maintaining the temples.
Ancient Bhaktapur grew up to service the old trade route from India to Tibet. At the peak of the Milla dynasty(14th to 16th century) the city boasted172 temples, 172 pilgrim shelters and 152 wells. An earthquake caused major damage in 1934, but the locals manage to restore most of the buldings. A German funder stepped in 1970 and the streets of Bhuktapur were paved and extensively restored. They also established a proper sewerage and waste-water managment system.
We were absolutely delighted with our family room above a small inner courtyard in the Kumari guesthouse. It was on a side street, just off the popular Dunbar Square. The low ceiling provided a cozy atmosphere...messing with our minds, since the cute little woodcarved shutters were letting in heaps of (how shall I put it?)'fresh' air.
Our afternoon stroll around this ancient jewel included a visit to a rooftop restaurant and a go on the biggest manually driven pottery wheel I 've ever seen on the Potter Square. With the help of a very kind local potter, myself, Thomas and Alana created our very own little claypots. Unfortunately we could not take them with us, but Mr Potter gave us a smaller, already baked, money jar. Nina was on the receiving end of the gift and she named her present: Mr Boem-Boem. We also had a demonstration of the whole firing process: first they stack all the freshly made pottery items on a big heap, cover it with straw and then seal the heap by strewing ash over the top. Now the straw gets lit up to burn through the night. Next morning result: neatly created pots, cups, moneyboxes and all the rest.
I, well and truly, fell in love with the amazing Nepali Masala Tea (Actually sitting here with a cuppa now!!). This brew is created by slowly cooking equal amounts of milk and water on a stove, with one scoop of Neapli tea granuals mixed in. Once ready to serve, you add a pinch of masala spice to it. A ture winter warmer....And I desparately needed some warming up!!!! The icy winds from the north were cutting through our bones, BUT we had nice Nepali hats to cover our ears!
At last we were on our way towards Sagarmatha,or at least as close as we could get to her at Nagarkot. Peaceful Cottage and Cafe du Mont is positioned on on of the highest hills in the are. The added bonus of climbing up on top of the roof of the 3 story building, gave us a complete birds eye view of the Annapurna and Manusla Range, Ganesh Him Range, Langtang range, Jugal Range, Rolwaling Range, Mahalangur Range (Everest range) and Number Range with splendid views of the Kathmandu Valley and Shivapuri National Park. 8 out of the 13 of the Himalyan ranges...not bad!!!
Well, we had a love hate relationship with the stay here in Nagarkot.... So we were placed in the ‘newly built’ block, which is quite a number of steps down the hill from the main restaurant and warm cozy gas fire. Well, besides the long hike to our rooms (at least the walking heated us up a bit) it ws ABSOLUTELY ‘BALTIC’ in the rooms. We so totally appreciate the staff’s concern for our frostbitten state...by 8pm on our first night there (we were all tucked up on bed, dressed in gloves, scarves,wooly hats, bed socks and ALL of our warm clothing) there was a knock on the door. At first we were thinking to ignoring the unwelcome guest, but then Arno braved the elements and opened the door. To our surprise, a ‘runner’ was sent to deliver a hot water bottel to each of us. Wow. We were so thankful.
Another sweet memory moment presented itself shortly after our arrival in our rooms. After months travelling in the East, we were well accustomed to the petite wet rooms as an excuse for an en suite (shower over the loo...whole bathroom turns swimming pool after a wash session...). So at the Peaceful Cottage we were taken to our rooms. On inspection we were called over to the washrooms by the excited shrieks of the crew: “Mum!! Dad!!! Real bathroom!!!!!!” They were sooo delighted with the size of the bathroom and the fact that the shower was separate from the basin and loo. Well, their excitement just lasted until we were all jumping around naked, trying to keep the blood circulation going while we were praying for the water to heat up.... well, needless to say, the next night we did not even bother with the shower...baby wipes, you've served us well!!!!
What we missed in central heating systems, the mighty mountains made up in displaying creation in it's breathtaking splendour! Today, I can still see those mountains form our view across the valley - these pictures will be in me..... with me ....forever...
A few last Dahl-baht( '24hour, no bath, no shower' courtesy of Shree, expedition leader) -dinners, and a final 'Namaste" left us all with a bitter-sweet-travellers-good-bye-tear-in-the-eye! We absolutely fell in love with Nepal. I pray that we will have more opportunities to explore this country and her people in the future...the Mustang and Basecamp will always keep calling my name....The short 2h hour flight back to New Delhi gave us one last chance to feast our eyes on the snow covered hilltop country.
An overnight stay in a cheap, close to the airport hotel in Delhi, was just an inconvenient truth. Initially we would have stayed in the airport for a 4am departure to Dubai. The flight time got changed and we had to overnight in India, one final time....back to the swimmingpool bathroom..
Now we were starting to get very excited about our last stop...not just for the fact that we were in the last week of this epic journey back to our roots, but we were soo looking forward in seeing our friends, Scott, Sam, Zac and Mia. This family has relocated here from Scotland at the end of 2012. What a privilege to have started this adventure all those months ago in the presence of our Scottish pastor-buddies in South Carolina, USA and to be spending the last 4 nights again with kindred spirits, faith building and zealous adventurers. I just love it how God connects people, for a specific purpose and goal. Nothing is a coincidence!!!!
We were met by Scot at the Dubai International Airport. It's is just such a joy to be looking out for a familiar face!! And it was warm again!!!!!! Yay!!!!!
At home( a mere 10min away) Sam was waiting, welcoming us with big warm hugs and it took the kids all of 5 minutes to settle down, playing with their friends - like it was last week since our last meeting!!!
We were spoiled with trips to the Mirdith Mall, Jump-Box(trapoline world), Dubai Mall, fountains by night AND by day, a trip to the beach, an adult-only coffee night out, intro to Nesspresso coffee (flavours galore),machiatto and chilli-mocha, a super car scouting trip, hours of just talking and great fellowship! Thank you friends! We came away from you, refreshed and and re-charged for the next adventure awaiting upon us!!
Our last day had a special surprise waiting:The Birj Kalifa. At 829.8 meters this is the tallest artificial structure in the world. In a few seconds we were whisked up to the 124th floor (453 meters) to have a nice look-out over the ever-changing vista over of the city and ocean. BIG.
It was was with a churning of emotions, that I started the process of packing our bags for the final time. We aquired a few soveiniers in the UAE and also had to find space for our tailor-made wardrobe, which was couriered here from Vietnam. This 'packing' has the potential to freak a normal person out...but we were now WAY beyond being a "normal" family, with 'normal' things in their luggage...for a start we've been carrying a Vietnamese rice hat with us for more than 2 months, a plastic pipe protecting a rolled up oil painting, we've got an inlay marble platter,a football.... from swimming goggles to ski-jackets and too many pairs of shoes for the counting.
My heart was not really racing because of the art of remembering WHERE each item will need to be sqeeuzed into ...I think it was just more the realisation that we've seen an almost 'impossible' dream through. We've lived with it for the last 2 years and now we've tasted the pure joy and exhilaration of accomplishing exactly what we envisioned, planned for, worked towards and now experienced.
We've done it!!!!!!
By the grace of God, his protection around us and running ahead of us, we've tased success in accomplishing our dream of travelling around the globe with our 4 kids and we loved it!!!
Our last 8 hour long flight, took us from north to south over our beloved Africa. we were eventually also treated with an aerial view of the Tulbagh Valley(my place of birth) and then...very exciting...a view of the Kasteel Berg and the Riebeek Valley, our new home!
A friendly official welcomed us back at the immigration counter and then the best surprise...a life size African Elephant statue. I nearly started weeping. The last few months were scattered with elephant encounters....Asian Elephants though..... and here we are being welcomed by our own!!! This was God's sign to me that we have made the best decision!
We were home again.....