Back to School

The sight of smiling schoolchildren has the power to warm the heart of anyone, anywhere. Even if the young ones are strangers from a strange land, it's hard not to hope that they are receiving a quality, well-rounded education in a productive learning environment. In the developed nations of the West, our relatively strong public school systems have allowed many of us to almost take this as a given. But in my travels I've come to appreciate that most people in the world cannot take a solid education for granted. Nothing in my travels brought this reality closer to home than a visit to Shree Saraswoti Kunja Primary School, just outside of Pokhara, Nepal.

The Top of the World

The mighty Himalayas loomed behind as I walked down the tarmac to the tiny sixteen-seat propeller plane that awaited. I stepped onboard, took the seat directly behind the pilot, and stuffed my ears with cotton balls in preparation for the quick but noisy flight ahead. Minutes later the lakeside city of Pokhara was but a fading oasis below. I soon realized with a startle that tremendous snow-capped mountains had suddenly risen above both flanks of the plane. We were literally flying through some of the tallest mountains on Earth, in mere minutes passing rugged terrain that would take days to cover on foot.

Wandering these Ancient Streets

A lone woman emerges from the intricately carved window above me. She surveys the scene below her, a scene no doubt similar to ones that she has witnessed before, but always with some new detail to observe.  Crowds weave their way through the narrow rubble-strewn street, dodging bamboo-crested rickshaws, speeding motorcycles, and maniacally-piloted taxis. Proud women file past in immaculate, brilliantly-colored dresses. A tired porter trudges by, his back-breaking cargo strapped onto his forehead and many miles to walk still in front of him. The pungent aroma of exotic spices reaches her welcoming nostrils, offering a brief respite from inhalations of the polluted city air. She quickly glances down at me as I make my way towards the ancient temples glimmering in the afternoon light. Directly ahead of me is Durbar Square, the beating heart of Kathmandu and by extension, all of Nepal.

Singing on the Roof

Is there a better place to strum a carefree song than on the rooftop of a Nepali bus?  Tired of being stuffed inside cramped coaches, a fellow traveler and I decided to ride out the final leg of our journey to Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha, on the roof rack.  I took out my trusty guitar to commemorate the auspicious occasion.  Here's a little bit of Jason Mraz' "I'm Yours", played off the cuff!