South Asia

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Durbar Square after the quake

After five nights in Kathmandu, we still hadn’t walked around Durbar Square yet. The weather was dull but dry so we made our way there after dropping laundry off (NPR50 per kg) and having breakfast. The destruction at Durbar Square was really bad. Key stupas are gone; the wooden structures have fallen leaving leaving behind […]

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Patan (aka Lalitpur)

Having experienced a taste of the monsoon yesterday afternoon, we decided to repeat our early start in case the afternoon was wet and gloomy. We taxied to Patan (Lalitpur) which we didn’t visit last time. The taxi dropped us at the north end of Durbar square and where the ticket kiosk wasn’t (it just happened […]

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Cremation pyres and a big stupa

We set the alarm for 0615 and got going early for Pashupatinath, which we reached by taxi. We got dropped off before the stalls of trinkets and flowers which were aimed mainly at local devotees. We walked to the main temple area into which we weren’t admissible (but we knew that). We found our way […]

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Bhaktapur & Swayambunath

We woke at 0630 and were slow to get ourselves ready. After yesterday’s slow service at breakfast in the hotel, we decided to eat out. We found a garden courtyard not far away which served up the morning spread slightly more promptly. Nevertheless it was about 0830 by the time we set off for Bhaktapur. […]

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Assessing the damage by daylight

Breakfast in the hotel ground-floor courtyard was painfully slow. We walked to Thamel thereafter. The shops were a mix of hiking apparel/gear, souvenirs and cafes. During the walk, we saw a few of vacant lots with signs of destruction. All but one could have been interpreted as normal construction or demolition in a third world […]

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Preponed travel

We woke early to pack and tidy up the apartment before heading to see Mum at 0915 to discuss some family matters before my brother took us to the airport at 0945. AirAsia’s bagdrop was quick and painless today and we managed to get some time and a laksa in the lounge. Our flight to […]

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Historic Old Goa

After doing a yoga class next door, I checked out of my hut and had breakfast. I found a taxi for INR700 to take me to my hotel in Panaji, which took about an hour. I managed to get straight into my room at the Casa Paradiso even though it was before the official check-in […]

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Moving down the coast a little

Today I finished my five day Iyengar yoga course. After lunching and farewelling my coursemates, my guesthouse owner biked me to Mandrem, a quieter village about 10 minutes south of Arambol. It lacks the colourful people that make up Arambol. It is so quiet and laid back it makes Arambol feel like a town rather […]

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My time in Arambol

My five days in Arambol I woke at 0500; about an hour earlier than I had planned. It’s not too bad considering the 7.5h time difference that my body is on. I had a mango before going to my first yoga class here in Arambol. The yoga course consisted of five days of classes, starting […]

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Feels like a long road to my destination

Arriving in Mumbai We landed in BOM at 0115 and was bused to the International arrival hall bursting with people waiting to be processed. It took 1h30 for me to clear. I was feeling pretty tired and all I needed was for the ATM to not read my card (actually the guy in front of […]

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