Kathmandu

It's such a difference being here versus being anywhere in Northern India - it's quiet, low-hassle, clearer air, and the people are quite simply much nicer. It's wonderful to be here. On top of that, we're in the Himalaya, which I don't think anyone could possibly complain about. From a rooftop cafe here you can see the surrounding mountains of the Kathmandu valley, and beyond them you can see snow-capped peaks! Lovely - they're not even sprinkle-of-snow-on-top type peaks, they're glacier-snowfield-technically-difficult-ice-climbing-at-altitude type peaks :)

Just finished reading Chris Bonnington's account of the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna in 1970 - and tomorrow we're flying to Pokhara, and from there will be walking right in his footsteps on our way up to the base camp his expedition established. I am *very* excited.

To top it off, we spent the last couple of days at Chitwan National Park, where we were lucky enough to see a Rhino in the wild, very close, from our seat on the back of an elephant. Wow.