Incense and curry: Our first week in Nepal
Our first week in Nepal is already over. We have started school, are slowly settling into new routines, and are getting more and more accustomed to the smell of incense and curry.
This text is translated using AI.
View the original article here.What's incredibly nice about traveling to the study location Pokhara in Nepal is that you first have to land in Kathmandu and then travel to Pokhara from there! In other words, you get a very nice stop in the capital Kathmandu first.
We were a great group of prospective students who traveled down and met for the first time at Gardermoen. In the spirit of the poor student, we had chosen a cheaper route with somewhat long layovers, which laid a good foundation for getting to know each other better!
We had two days in Kathmandu and had checked into a hostel in the Thamel area. There we quickly got into a cozy boarding school atmosphere, with all the students in the same dormitory.
And even though two days in Kathmandu are definitely not enough to explore everything, we managed to get a little taste of the culture and experience a lot of different things in the capital.
In other words, I recommend everyone who is going to Pokhara to spend some time in Kathmandu on the way to the university town, but the opportunity is also there if one is traveling further after the study, or on the way back home.
Another advantage of arriving in Kathmandu first was to sort out much of the technicalities such as withdrawing money, arranging visas, and purchasing a Nepalese SIM card.
We felt that it was easier to "settle in" when we arrived in Pokhara, with all the practicalities taken care of. But do not despair, we also managed to experience many other exciting things in Kathmandu.
The area we stayed in, Thamel, was very nice for us. It's central and characterized by a large number of young tourists and backpackers. Ravenous, we went out for lunch in the neighborhood and ordered two local dishes that quickly became big favorites.
Momo is a type of steamed or fried 'dumpling' that is very popular in Nepal. Pakoda is also a delightful dish, and with this combo, we were ready for Kathmandu.
In the spirit of the big city, there are endless stalls with all sorts of things to look at. On a short walk, one passes about 10 stores with the same outdoor equipment, all imitations of well-known brands, but it's definitely part of the charm.
One amazing thing about Nepal is that even though there are many people and a lot of noise, no one is stressed or in a hurry, and you fall into a comfortable existence with minimal stress.
This often also means that the waiters or chefs at dining places have plenty of time, so the food doesn't come out immediately.
As good tourists, we had gathered restaurant recommendations in advance, so there we went, eight Norwegian girls looking for a recommended restaurant that we never found.
In the end, we believed we had finally found the recommended restaurant, and with happy and contented smiles, we made our way up the stairs. Accompanied by an unnaturally cheerful and sly guard, we moved up the floors past a strip club.
We started to suspect something was amiss, but not enough to turn back. Except for three Danish men with their individual jägermeister shots, we were the only ones in the restaurant. But – against all odds, the food was good, and the myth of the recommended restaurant lives on!
The rest of our time in Kathmandu was largely spent enjoying more Momos, some Masala Chai, and visiting a number of temples. Some were Hindu, some Buddhist, and some a combination of both, just like the religious life in Nepal otherwise.
After two intensive and eventful days in Kathmandu, we continued on to Pokhara. One can choose to take a bus or a plane, and half the group chose each mode of transportation. Following an idyllic flight over the Himalayas, we arrived in Pokhara, and just a bumpy taxi ride later we stood outside Hotel New Darshan, ready for a new adventure.
Lakeside Pokhara is an idyllic place at the foot of the Himalayas and a beautiful lake, with very few tourists at this time of the year and with a warm local community that welcomes you.
So it was immediately time to embark on our actual goal of the journey, namely to study peace and conflict studies. The classroom is located a short walk from the hotel and with a swimming pool in the garden, it easily tops the list of the finest classrooms.
This, in addition to the combination of continuous refills of coffee, tea, and Oreo cookies, makes it easy to get to school. The first week is an introduction week to the program, which provides a gentle start to student life in Nepal.
We have already managed to embark on several field trips, including a trip to the Shiva statue and a peace stupa (a Buddhist peace monument) up in the mountains.
I am very pleased after the first week, and looking forward to the rest!
