I’m normally extremely skeptical of photography contests, and for several reasons. For one, my rational black-and-white thinking brain doesn’t know how to handle the subjective world so well. It always goes bonkers whenever people make a fuss over photos I’ve taken that I felt were mediocre.
It’s been nearly a year now since I returned from my epic Asian journey, having completed my first multi-month solo female travel adventure.
Do I miss life on the perpetual road?
On one of my last days in Nepal last year, I took a day trip to Bhaktapur: a well-preserved medieval town not too far from Kathmandu. It marked my first time riding on a public bus in Asia as I was introduced to seats far too narrow to accommodate my average-sized American limbs, windows wide open and blowing all sorts of dirt and dust inside.
I’m allowed to flash back to a place I’ve been to within the past year, right? Or is that too soon?
I wanted to give Kathmandu a little love, since I never really wrote much about it.
I pride myself in crafting excellent, if not over-planned, trips. But planning a 5-month long trip to Asia was beyond anything I’ve endeavored before.
Not to toot my own horn, but I think I did a pretty damn good job researching and planning out my route.
The ‘Best of Nepal’ photo gallery below is a collection of images I took in February 2013 while in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, and on the Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal.
We weren’t even supposed to visit Junbesi; our Everest Base Camp trekking schedule had us taking a quicker route up to Lukla so that we’d completely bypass the village. But I remembered reading something online where lots of people kept recommending a rest day here and thought – surely it must be worth a stop, then?
In February of 2013, I quit my job and set off for my biggest trip to-date: backpacking through Asia.
The whole impetus for the trip was hiking the Everest Base Camp Trek, something I’d been saying I’d do the next time I was in-between jobs and could afford to spend at least 3 weeks in Nepal.
The traditional Everest Base Camp trek begins in Lukla. Fortunately for you, I’m not traditional, and that’s definitely not my style of travel! The off-the-beaten-path Everest Base Camp trek that I completed begins SOUTH of Lukla, in Phaplu or Jiri.
First thing’s first: no one camps while trekking in Nepal. That’s because all of the trails are populated with affordable guesthouses – aka tea houses – so there’s really no need to.