Kathmandu, Nepal

Such a beautiful city in the foothills of the Himalaya!

Nepal was such a breath of fresh air! After India, we were thrilled to be somewhere 30 degrees cooler and it was still 80 out. We stayed right in the tourist part of town and enjoyed quite a bit of English and accessible laundry. Flying in, we got spectacular views of the Himalayas as they thrust up through the air—much taller than the surrounding clouds. There was plenty to see and do right in the city—even within walking distance of our place. There’s something magical about standing under those prayer flags as they flutter above you. I couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous views framed by red, green, blue and yellow supplications to deity. Most people had red powder on the center of their foreheads to demonstrate their devotion.

We decided to go on a white water rafting trip and thoroughly enjoyed a day outside the city. We wound our way through only the foothills of the Himalaya and couldn’t believe the heights. Hanging bridges span narrow canyon edges that people rely on as connections. I LOVED the rafting! Approaching the giant waves scares me every time—giving me a rush, but the boat handled it well every time. The views all along the river were stunning with waterfalls spilling down the tropical edges and hanging bridges draped overhead.

Afterwards we had the choice opportunity to take a public bus back to the city. A 3-hour journey that took 5 with the SAME song playing the entire time. I thought I was being brainwashed. Ha ha!

The next day we visited the large shrines called Buddhist stupas. Perched on a hilltop, huge golden spires jutted into the sky with strands of prayer flags reaching out in all directions. Walking beneath the prayer flags flapping energetically in the wind was a spiritual moment for me. Walking counterclockwise around the shrine, you run your hand along the spinning cylinders ornately decorated in prayers, passing beneath a canopy of flags. I felt connected and grounded during that moment, like a thirsty part of myself finally got a cool drink. Striding past a giant gong reaching two stories high, we walked into the courtyard where the Kumari appears at times. The Kumari is a living goddess–a young girl who houses the spirit of a god until puberty. We didn’t get to see her, but our curiosity was piqued nonetheless.

We enjoyed watching the monkeys walk tightrope style across the prayer flag strands and admired the rows of candles lit in front of the golden gods. One monastery we came to I was not permitted to enter with my knee length shorts on. The door guard was kind however and lent me a wraparound skirt so I could go up. Monks wrapped in deep orange robes strode about, calmly going about their tasks. No signs asked visitors to stay quiet, but the grounds compelled us to speak in subdued tones. A full view of the Kathmandu valley spread in front of us and we watched green parrots and emerald butterflies fly past.

Nepal was a great time. We enjoyed the views and had the chance to go to church too. The people treated us well and we were able to do a lot in a short period of time. I would like to return someday and do a big trek up into the Himalayas.

Jaipur

Jaipur was a beautiful city!

How to describe India? Hands down the most exotic place I’ve ever been. Exotic people—most of the women wear a saree. Those beautiful shawl coverings all embroidered with shimmering threads into gorgeous designs. Exotic places—the tiger safari in rathambore, the Taj Mahal, the leopard safari in Rhajastan…even the names of these places are exotic. The plants and animals were different than I’ve ever seen. Peacocks displaying around every corner. Monkeys climbing all over the old ruins. Parrots chattering overhead. The spotted deer had antlers the size of an elk. We were lucky enough to see a mother tigress and her cub. I absolutely loved being in the back of an open air vehicle, bouncing along looking for awesome wild animals. It was like the Indiana Jones ride, only more exciting. When the guides shout “monkey warning call!” and the Jeep peels out as you take off full speed in pursuit of the leopard—that is living.
And the Taj Mahal! Underrated if you can believe it. It is a place that takes your breath away. I had no idea the intricate inlay stonework that went into it. We dragged our jaw along with us as we gaped up at the gorgeous building. I absolutely loved it.
The amber fort in Jaipur and the Red Fort in Delhi looked like movie sets too good to be true. We had a blast poking into every nook and cranny and hiding from our guide. The architecture of these buildings is just beautiful. Exotic food—the curry there is amazing. We always got one half portion of curry and a roti to go with it and were stuffed every meal. Let me tell ya—these people know spicy! I learned very quickly to order the mild and I’d still be sweating. Exotic temperature—the lowest it got was 100. Usually around 110. The weather app said 110 and unhealthy dusty. The forecast for the day was smog.Exotic smells—your nose just tingles as you walk along the spice market. I kept sneezing as the air was full of the smell of spice. Imagine sticking your nose inside your spice cupboard and breathing in deeply—that’s how it was. Also exotic smells—the place is filthy. The most dirty and disgusting place I’ve ever been. I thought China was bad…I could hardly believe just how much grime coated everything.Overall I really enjoyed my stay there! It was so very completely different from anywhere I’ve ever been. Unfortunately the people are generally pretty rude. They were argumentative and abrasive and we didn’t often feel very safe. We were super careful but I have to say the people weren’t the kindest to us. An incredible place to visit. It certainly had its difficulties, but was an interesting and exotic place to be.

After looking at all the leopard safari companies, we went with World of Wilders and had a great experience. Mr Rohit was great to work with—responded quickly and answered all my many questions. It’s right outside Jaipur and the easy to get to. They also offered hotel pickup for a fee, but we just took a taxi.
We did the morning and evening safari. No leopard sightings in the morning but saw one in the evening. It ran right in front of the Jeep!
They stop the Jeep a lot and wait for the leopards to come out. It takes some patience, but in our experience this was the best method to be able to see them. Trust your guides—they know what they are doing.
Plenty of wildlife to see on both safaris—owls, deer, peacock, beautiful birds, mongoose. The Jeep was comfortable and had a great view.
We had also been to Rathambore and found this to be a MUCH better experience. Jhalana leopard reserve is organized and comfortable.

Agra and Ranthambore

We made it to the Taj Mahal! And saw some tigers too!

How to describe India? Hands down the most exotic place I’ve ever been. Exotic people—most of the women wear a saree. Those beautiful shawl coverings all embroidered with shimmering threads into gorgeous designs. Exotic places—the tiger safari in rathambore, the Taj Mahal, the leopard safari in Rhajastan…even the names of these places are exotic. The plants and animals were different than I’ve ever seen. Peacocks displaying around every corner. Monkeys climbing all over the old ruins. Parrots chattering overhead. The spotted deer had antlers the size of an elk. We were lucky enough to see a mother tigress and her cub. I absolutely loved being in the back of an open air vehicle, bouncing along looking for awesome wild animals. It was like the Indiana Jones ride, only more exciting. When the guides shout “monkey warning call!” and the Jeep peels out as you take off full speed in pursuit of the leopard—that is living.
And the Taj Mahal! Underrated if you can believe it. It is a place that takes your breath away. I had no idea the intricate inlay stonework that went into it. We dragged our jaw along with us as we gaped up at the gorgeous building. I absolutely loved it.
The amber fort in Jaipur and the Red Fort in Delhi looked like movie sets too good to be true. We had a blast poking into every nook and cranny and hiding from our guide. The architecture of these buildings is just beautiful. Exotic food—the curry there is amazing. We always got one half portion of curry and a roti to go with it and were stuffed every meal. Let me tell ya—these people know spicy! I learned very quickly to order the mild and I’d still be sweating. Exotic temperature—the lowest it got was 100. Usually around 110. The weather app said 110 and unhealthy dusty. The forecast for the day was smog.Exotic smells—your nose just tingles as you walk along the spice market. I kept sneezing as the air was full of the smell of spice. Imagine sticking your nose inside your spice cupboard and breathing in deeply—that’s how it was. Also exotic smells—the place is filthy. The most dirty and disgusting place I’ve ever been. I thought China was bad…I could hardly believe just how much grime coated everything.Overall I really enjoyed my stay there! It was so very completely different from anywhere I’ve ever been. Unfortunately the people are generally pretty rude. They were argumentative and abrasive and we didn’t often feel very safe. We were super careful but I have to say the people weren’t the kindest to us. An incredible place to visit. It certainly had its difficulties, but was an interesting and exotic place to be.

Amboseli

Our Afternoon in Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

Wow.

Just, wow.

Safari means “journey” in Swahili and it was every bit as magical as I had ever imagined. I’ve been very fortunate and have had a lot of incredible experience in my life. This has been my favorite.

In the Masai Mara, the animals are everywhere. Not just a grouping here and there, but everywhere. You can’t look a direction and not see an animal. Birds shone like turquoise jewels in the sun and the wildebeest covered every green surface. We circled cheetah and walked beside hippo. We ducked right beneath giraffe, wove between zebra, and sat with the elephants. I couldn’t believe the diversity and abundance of wildlife. An occasional splash of vibrant red as the Masai people walk past, nudging their valuable cows with shiny-worn sticks.

We had the chance to visit one of the Masai villages and learn about their way of life. We danced together and sat as guests in their small mud hut. I ducked into the dim room and sat by his fire that he said has been burning for 6 years. He said the boys go out and live in the bush for 5 years and cannot return until they have killed a lion. He said 5 died in the last batch. What an interesting and unique culture!

In the Masai Mara, the roads are more like suggestions. I looked at our van, doubtful in its ability on the rough dirt tracks. Boy was I wrong! Those vans can get through ANYTHING. Roads I would hesitate to tackle in our 4×4 were nothing to these safari drivers in these vans. I learned very quickly to have the utmost respect for these drivers that bounced and bumped their way over the Serengeti. We even edged our way into Tanzania for a moment or two.

In Lake Nakuru, the foliage is much greener and supports herds of water buffalo. Flocks of flamingo stood twiggy legged and pink in the blue water. A large male rhino walked right past the front of our van.

Amboseli is set against the striking backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. The translation means “Hide and Seek Mountain”. It often hides behind clouds but we got an incredibly clear view during our bush walk in the morning. Weaving beneath the umbrellas of acacia trees, we inspected giraffe track and examined bone-white hyena poop. Our tent was right in the bush with little antelope bounding last our porch. The game drives here brought impressively large herds of elephant and prides of lions gathered around fresh kills. We even got a great look at 3 small cubs as they finished their meal and were led around our van and into the tall grass.

I loved it here. We soaked up every minute of this incredible safari.

Other thoughts:

People walk here. Everyone, everywhere. It’s a walking culture. Its a culture that has probably been strong since ancient times.

I didn’t know you could have so many kinds of potato in one meal. And to shake things up, they add plain plantain. Which tastes just like potato.

Our budget safari went to the exact same places as the expensive ones. Just sayin.

Lake Nakuru

Alsops at Lake Nakuru in Kenya. We LOVED the rhinos!

Wow.

Just, wow.

Safari means “journey” in Swahili and it was every bit as magical as I had ever imagined. I’ve been very fortunate and have had a lot of incredible experience in my life. This has been my favorite.

In the Masai Mara, the animals are everywhere. Not just a grouping here and there, but everywhere. You can’t look a direction and not see an animal. Birds shone like turquoise jewels in the sun and the wildebeest covered every green surface. We circled cheetah and walked beside hippo. We ducked right beneath giraffe, wove between zebra, and sat with the elephants. I couldn’t believe the diversity and abundance of wildlife. An occasional splash of vibrant red as the Masai people walk past, nudging their valuable cows with shiny-worn sticks.

We had the chance to visit one of the Masai villages and learn about their way of life. We danced together and sat as guests in their small mud hut. I ducked into the dim room and sat by his fire that he said has been burning for 6 years. He said the boys go out and live in the bush for 5 years and cannot return until they have killed a lion. He said 5 died in the last batch. What an interesting and unique culture!

In the Masai Mara, the roads are more like suggestions. I looked at our van, doubtful in its ability on the rough dirt tracks. Boy was I wrong! Those vans can get through ANYTHING. Roads I would hesitate to tackle in our 4×4 were nothing to these safari drivers in these vans. I learned very quickly to have the utmost respect for these drivers that bounced and bumped their way over the Serengeti. We even edged our way into Tanzania for a moment or two.

In Lake Nakuru, the foliage is much greener and supports herds of water buffalo. Flocks of flamingo stood twiggy legged and pink in the blue water. A large male rhino walked right past the front of our van.

Amboseli is set against the striking backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. The translation means “Hide and Seek Mountain”. It often hides behind clouds but we got an incredibly clear view during our bush walk in the morning. Weaving beneath the umbrellas of acacia trees, we inspected giraffe track and examined bone-white hyena poop. Our tent was right in the bush with little antelope bounding last our porch. The game drives here brought impressively large herds of elephant and prides of lions gathered around fresh kills. We even got a great look at 3 small cubs as they finished their meal and were led around our van and into the tall grass.

I loved it here. We soaked up every minute of this incredible safari.

Other thoughts:

People walk here. Everyone, everywhere. It’s a walking culture. Its a culture that has probably been strong since ancient times.

I didn’t know you could have so many kinds of potato in one meal. And to shake things up, they add plain plantain. Which tastes just like potato.

Our budget safari went to the exact same places as the expensive ones. Just sayin.

Masai Mara

This Safari is so incredible!

Wow.

Just, wow.

Safari means “journey” in Swahili and it was every bit as magical as I had ever imagined. I’ve been very fortunate and have had a lot of incredible experience in my life. This has been my favorite.

In the Masai Mara, the animals are everywhere. Not just a grouping here and there, but everywhere. You can’t look a direction and not see an animal. Birds shone like turquoise jewels in the sun and the wildebeest covered every green surface. We circled cheetah and walked beside hippo. We ducked right beneath giraffe, wove between zebra, and sat with the elephants. I couldn’t believe the diversity and abundance of wildlife. An occasional splash of vibrant red as the Masai people walk past, nudging their valuable cows with shiny-worn sticks.

We had the chance to visit one of the Masai villages and learn about their way of life. We danced together and sat as guests in their small mud hut. I ducked into the dim room and sat by his fire that he said has been burning for 6 years. He said the boys go out and live in the bush for 5 years and cannot return until they have killed a lion. He said 5 died in the last batch. What an interesting and unique culture!

In the Masai Mara, the roads are more like suggestions. I looked at our van, doubtful in its ability on the rough dirt tracks. Boy was I wrong! Those vans can get through ANYTHING. Roads I would hesitate to tackle in our 4×4 were nothing to these safari drivers in these vans. I learned very quickly to have the utmost respect for these drivers that bounced and bumped their way over the Serengeti. We even edged our way into Tanzania for a moment or two.

In Lake Nakuru, the foliage is much greener and supports herds of water buffalo. Flocks of flamingo stood twiggy legged and pink in the blue water. A large male rhino walked right past the front of our van.

Amboseli is set against the striking backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. The translation means “Hide and Seek Mountain”. It often hides behind clouds but we got an incredibly clear view during our bush walk in the morning. Weaving beneath the umbrellas of acacia trees, we inspected giraffe track and examined bone-white hyena poop. Our tent was right in the bush with little antelope bounding last our porch. The game drives here brought impressively large herds of elephant and prides of lions gathered around fresh kills. We even got a great look at 3 small cubs as they finished their meal and were led around our van and into the tall grass.

I loved it here. We soaked up every minute of this incredible safari.

Other thoughts:

People walk here. Everyone, everywhere. It’s a walking culture. Its a culture that has probably been strong since ancient times.

I didn’t know you could have so many kinds of potato in one meal. And to shake things up, they add plain plantain. Which tastes just like potato.

Our budget safari went to the exact same places as the expensive ones. Just sayin.

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