Work work work

I am browsing through the photos taken during the 10-day trip to Kathmandu, Nepal last month. Took 430 photos altogether. Only now I just realised that they’re all work-related photos!

I wanted to take at least some photos with the new lens (uh huh – ultra wide lens), but didn’t have time. Or maybe I just didn’t put in effort to go out. Its been so long since I just take photos that I like (and actually have time to process them). Maybe that is why this blog is slowing down too. Haven’t even been downloading, sorting and filing photos too.

Gotta start doing it sometime… maybe next week.

Here’s a work-related photo from Nepal. Animals, of course.

Not rice fields

Living in Malaysia, you can see rice fields everywhere (maybe not much these days though). So you take it for granted when you go somewhere else and see fields of green. Automatically you think its rice. But then you realise there’s something different about it.

 

 

Its wheat! (in Nepal)

Donkeys in Kathmandu

Donkeys are so cute.

And curious

But in Kathmandu, they’re used for work. They work here at the brick kilns.

 

 

Many donkeys suffer by having to carry heavy loads each day and being beaten by the donkey carers (who are mostly very young kids, who belong in school anyway).

But at least there are some people working for these donkeys.

Donkey treatment by car light, looked on by kids.

 

And abandoned donkeys have somewhere to go. 

More information available from Animal Nepal.

May Peace Prevail on Earth

I saw this in front of a church in Tanzania. I took this picture because I thought some words in Swahili was quite similar to Malay (see if you can figure it out below).



And then I went to Nepal, and saw this same signpost again!




Something mysterious going on here. What is this peace pole? A quick search on the internet, and I found the World Peace Prayer Society and their Peace Pole Project. Now I must go looking for it when I travel ;)

Climbing up to World Peace Pagoda in Nepal

Notice how the “easy way” is scratched off… 

The route up… 

There it is! Aahh… should have taken my helicopter…

 

Hmm… was a cloudy day (rainy season mah)

 

And finally you can see the nice view of Pokhara and the lakeside from up here. Too bad it was cloudy, otherwise you can see snow-capped mountains in the background! For clear skies, don’t come during rainy season (May – Aug)

Paragliding in Pokhara, Nepal

Paragliding seem to be very popular in Pokhara. This is mainly because you can sail around the mountains of Annapurna, which has some of the highest peaks in the world.

It normally costs USD 100 for 30 minutes flight, but I got a 10% discount due to low season. It was monsoon season, so the area was pretty cloudy. The mountain was hiding behind thick clouds for most of the ride.

So they will drive you up the Sarangkot hills for take off. This is also a popular hiking spot to view the mountains.

Birds flying in the air. Which is usually a good sign, because they use the thermals to glide around – which is used by the paragliders to float upwards. 

The getting ready and just before take off is the most scary part of the whole thing (like the feeling just before hopping onto a roller coaster). 

They strap stuff on you (apparently, its your “chair”). Then the guide says “when I say walk, you walk. When I say run, you run. Don’t sit before we take off”. When its time, he says “walk” and “run” and you’re trying to do as he says, but the sail pulls you in so many directions all at once. Before you know it, you’re hurling yourself off the cliff!!

The sights are fantastic. You float over Pokhara city and the lake, some countryside with paddy fields, and of course, with the mountains in the background (or just a glimpse through the clouds).

 

My feet in the air!

My pretty sail.

 

Some part can be a bit nauseating, especially when your guide brings you round and round or worse – doing some aerial stunts/acrobat! If you’re queasy, be sure to warn them before hand! But before you know it, time is up. Then you move towards the landing spot, just beside the lake.

Your guide will tell you how to land. Apparently, there are 2 ways – you can land on your feet or land on your bum (which was what I did, apparently not enough wind or something).

The whole paragliding experience was worth it! And you even got a certificate after flying. Best time to go is after the monsoon season (September onwards) when the sky is clear and you get nice mountain views. But book early!

Namaste in Nepal!

Namaste! Here are some random sneak preview of Nepal

 

Harvest Time in Kathmandu

Although a city, Kathmandu and its surrounding are still very much a rice-planting society. This is harvest time... (I'll let the pictures speak for itself)

 

Kathmandu @ Swayambhu Temple

Swayambhu Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal - at about sunrise (yes, I did wake up for sunrise!)

View of Kathmandu Valley.

View of the mountains from top of the temple (too bad its not Everest, or a snow-capped mountain. In fact, Nepalese just call it "hills").

Lots of pigeons at the temple

Prayer flags all around the temple

 

View of the temple from below.

Preview of Nepal

I'm in Nepal now, where things are inconsistant - such as electricity, mobile phone service, and Wi-Fi. And since the Wi-Fi is good today, I'm giving you a snapshot of Nepal.

This was taken while visiting a village (for work). The mountains!

Its not Everest, but its still so pretty.