Nepal

Last week I took a trip to Nepal. I must say it’s one of the most diverse and richly cultured countries in Asia. I only experienced a fraction of them, but it was an incredible experience. If you ever visit this little gem wedged between India and China here is my little experience. I took this trip thanks to Global United, an organisation which seeks to inspire, connect, and equip youth leaders to start and grow movements for conflict transformation. This organisation which launched in Sri Lanka is active in 13 counties, and my trip was to share my knowledge on social media and using social platforms as a pathway to peace building and working with Nepal Unites.

The first thing I noticed about Nepal was its people. Kind and friendly, ready to help someone in need. This may be a cliché statement you hear from most travellers regarding the country they travelled to. However, I’m saying so because of what I’ve witnessed between the citizens themselves, rather than how they treated me as a visitor, they were so kind, so kind to the point a cab diver who got to know I’m from Sri Lanka wanted to give a discount because we are in economical turmoil - which is sad and he was surprised to know I even have an iPhone. All the people I met during my trip made me feel at home and made my journey an unforgettable one.

I must say transport looks scary, and the way they drive makes us in Sri Lanka look like angels. Nepal also has a great street food culture. The Royal family is still spoken about although they were killed 20 odd years back and many many conspiracy theories remain. It’s safe to say - no one still knows the truth. The Nepalese Royal massacre occurred on 1 June 2001 at the Narayanhiti Palace. 

In my short visit I went to see Swayambhu, which is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. Its believed to be founded by the great-grandfather of King Mànadeva (464-505 CE). This temple is also knows as the Monkey Temple.

In total Nepal is a beautiful country with so much of diversity, and 3 nights was just not enough to see it all.