Poor Nepal! The government and the country are in turmoil. They can not decide who should run the country – the Maoists,a democracy or a monarchy, All the while the city is over run by people, cars and trash. Nearly everyone is poorer than they were 20 years ago. Although things are similar in Tibet, there is no underpinning of excitement, intrigue or eastern mystique here. It just seems dirty, hot, poor and crowded.

India light – just preparing us for next month.

The people however, are quick with a smile even though they are caught between a rock and a hard place – some wanting the opportunity to change but most mired in the past unable to escape. The recent civil war may be over and people freely move around only to be caught in a system where the only way anything gets done is with a bribe.

Hindu and Buddhist come together in Kathmandu. Since I have just completed Buddhist 101, the Hindu religion is a welcome subject. It is all so fascinating.

We visited the Swayambhunath Lotus Temple (Monkey Temple) early in the morning to mingle the worshippers, both Hindu and Buddhist. We walked a few rounds of the Kora, as the incense and candle smoke swirled in the air. Hindu Priests and Buddhist Monks were handing out blessings, prayer wheels spun and all the while humorous wild monkeys played in the back ground chasing each other around like hyper children on a playground.