Sri Lanka (Colombo)/Nepal - Week of March 8, 2026

Ayubowan 🙏 Namaste 🙏

Greetings from Resunga, Nepal! Warm welcome and heartfelt thanks for visiting my blog! I feel honoured you have taken your time to catch up on my recent travels!

Happy Spring! The official transition to spring in EDT was 14:45 on Friday, March 20. Warmer weather is surely on the way!

I've already decided I want to return to Nepal next year for, perhaps, three months. I'd like to spend more time living in a village with the hope there is some way I can contribute to the village's welfare. I like the people living in rural Nepal. Their energy, work ethic, simplicity and sense of community are qualities I'm looking for in my life. A simple, yet powerful example of Nepali hospitality, is greeting a guest by tying a khata, ceremonial scarf, around your neck and leaving a blessing on your forehead. The potential for a strong bond with the respective communities. There are many more communities like this in the world that I've visited. Fingers crossed I'll have the chance to spend more time in each of them in the years ahead.

I think Mount Everest might be in this photo!

When I was in Nagarkot looking at the Google Maps weather forecast I discovered the air quality map in the screenshot below. I was surprised by the poor air quality. I subsequently learned Nepalis burn vegetation at this time of year which results in this type of air quality. I look forward to sharing a recent air quality heat map showing the dramatic improvement in air quality.

Forget breathing fresh mountain air during this week!

Nepal, like Taiwan, is a country where the earthquake threat is a real risk. Most places I've now visited have buildings built into the side of rather steep hills. The roads are built into the mountain sides with sheer faces I suspect are prone to landslides. Fingers crossed Nepal's updated building codes are being adhered to. Please keep all of us in Nepal in your prayers. Here's a little background on Nepal's earthquake risk:

'Nepal is particularly prone to earthquakes. It sits on the boundary of two massive tectonic plates – the Indo-Australian and Asian plates. It is the collision of these plates that has produced the Himalaya mountains, and with them, earthquakes.'

Humbling is a word I'm repeating to myself frequently as I meet local people throughout my travels. I get constant and consistent reminders of how hard people work and how ambitious they are to improve their situation with far less resources than I am used to having. I'm reminded about how fortunate I am to have the flexibility to travel. The list goes on. My daily thanks to the universe for the blessings I have received in the past and their ongoing presence in my life each and every day! 🙏

May the universe bring endless blessings and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏

Travel Administration

Simple this week. Remember to pack medicine for those 'Imodium' moments - that nasty travelers diarrhea. Yes, I had a double reminder this week about the potential hazards of eating local cuisine. It was also a reminder about how blessed I've been in my travels to avoided this discomfort until now. Also keep a roll of toilet paper handy for your Nepali travels.

Travel Update

Surprise! Surprise! My travel plans have changed once again. I've decided against traveling to Bhutan because of the 'travel restrictions' and cost. I'm now flying to Lukla for a five day trek to Hotel Everest View where I hope to enjoy a closer look at Mount Everest while enjoying a cup of tea.

Bhutan requires foreigners to have a local guide to visit any historical, cultural or religious site. What this means is that you need to join a tour or, if your budget allows, hire a local guide and vehicle for your visit. Forget about being an independent traveler in Bhutan; which is a serious issue given my travel lifestyle. On the cost side, Bhutan charges a discounted rate of $100 USD/day to visit their country. This fee is scheduled to increase to $200 USD/day in 2027. I was looking at paying about $500 USD/day (visitor fee/hotel/food/guide/car, etc.) for my proposed five night stay in Bhutan. Overall, I felt it was a high price to pay to be shepherded around to places I have limited interest in combined with being forced to learn more about the country than I was interested in.

Travel Maps

I arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday morning after a 3.5 hour flight from Colombo. I was whisked to Nagarkot for four nights, returned to Kathmandu for one night and traveled by tourist bus to Gahateri Village in Tanahun District on Friday to start my four night village visit.

Nepal: March 8 to April 6, 2026

Sri Lanka

My latest Sri Lankan visit was the best visit so far. I found in this last visit I transitioned from being a tourist to enjoying the gift of getting to know Sri Lankan people more intimately and deepening existing friendships. Sri Lanka is another country that is starting to feel like home...

Parting thought

Surprising the signs required in washrooms to guide people's behavior.

Found in airport washroom

Nepal

Himalayas - First View

Seeing the Himalayas was high on my Nepali to do list. The universe was benevolent in providing clear skies as we approached Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. I know Mount Everest is visible in a photo below as it was pointed out to me. It's a follow-up for me to confirm the various peaks in my photos. The Himalayas immensity is breathtaking! Enjoy their majesty while I figuring out the different peaks!

Kathmandu - First Glance

As I previously mentioned, I'm deliberately avoiding staying in Kathmandu. Everything I've read left me with a negative impression. You'll need to check out other online resources to experience the city's tourist highlights.

Kathmandu - Aerial view

Tribhuvan International Airport

This is the first airport I've visited in my travels where disembarking passengers have to clear a detailed security check prior to claiming their baggage. After retrieving your luggage you walk down a long curving ramp lined with shops, foreign exchange counters and ATMs. Remember, unlike me, to visit an ATM to get local cash - guaranteed you'll need some cash in your travels. The airport infrastructure is also somewhat dated and tired as compared to most international airports. Timely reminder that Nepal is one of the 44 least developed countries in the world.

First airport 'Welcome to Nepal' sign I could find!

Nagarkot

My first Nepali destination is Nagarkot, a key tourist destination that is about a 90 minute drive from the airport. The area is known for its stunning views of the Himalayas - on a clear day. The hotels are built on the hillside overlooking the Kathmandu Valley with the Himalayas as a picturesque backdrop. Unfortunately, a clear day evaded me over my four night stay.

Village

Driving to the village from the airport was an uphill journey from the airport (1,324 meters/4,344 feet). My hotel lays claim to be sitting at ear popping 2000m (~6500 ft) above sea level. Definitely a mountainous country with loads of opportunity to walk uphill! I do pray for the universe's benevolence in keeping earthquakes away from this country given the multitude of buildings on hill/mountain sides. Yikes!!!

In spite of Nagarkot's popularity with tourists, it is still a small village in many ways. The people I met readily shared their Nepali kindness and hospitality, a blessing I immediately appreciated.

I learned from speaking with my newest Nagarkot friends that Nepal, like many countries reliant on tourists, is still recovering from Covid's devastation. The travel chaos caused by current Middle East war is compounding the country's tourism challenges.

Zipcoaster - combo of zipline & roller coaster

Hillside hotels

Road leading to village

Approaching village center from east

Walking towards village from zipcoaster

New housing development

Village center

The Fort

Welcome to my hotel's beautiful hillside setting overlooking the Kathmandu Valley. I've decided to incorporate the flora and fauna into the one story instead of having a separate section as in previous posts. Magnificent gardens abound on this property to enjoy the outdoors and the Himalayas - on a clear day! I experienced four days of continuous cloud cover! Hey ho!

Himalayas are behind the cloud cover

Morning sun

Morning sun trying to break through clouds

Divya Salon & Spa

Needing a haircut, I was blessed to find this salon on my first afternoon of exploring the village. I was impressed with the salon's clean and professional appearance. I met Sanjay, the owner, who gave me a wonderful haircut along with a head massage. What a great experience overall! We also had a chance to chat after my haircut as well as I met his wife and three children - twin five year old girls and the cutest little boy. I worked with Sanjay to set up his salon on Google Maps. This setup was the first time I learned about what was involved to 'claim' the business. Any Google Map user can set up a business independent of the business owner! 'Claiming the business' allows the owner, Sanjay, to administer the site including responding to customer reviews. The 'claiming' process, which is in English, is involved so would be challenging for anyone with English as a second language. On a positive note, I'm slowly expanding my Google Maps skill set!

The one service Sanjay offered, under the spa banner, was massages (head, foot, full body) in the comfort of your own hotel room. More details about why I decided to avoid this personal service he offered to me in the 'friends' section below!

Storefront

Product display

Professional setup, right?!

Interior

Full range of products

Adika Cafe

I found this cafe at the foot of the road leading to my hotel. I ended up stopping by on three different days for the best cup of masala tea I've ever had! I also met the owner, Buri, who had a good command of conversational English. The universe's benevolence continues.

We had the best conversations over my visits. I learned he had been in business for 30 years, married with two adult children. He had two grandchildren through his daughter. The cafe was named after one granddaughter. He had rebuilt his cafe after an earthquake in the late 1990's. He shared how his granddaughter was born in a tent on hospital grounds in spite of his best efforts to find a hospital bed inside a hospital after visiting multiple hospitals. He was great to talk with. These are the moments in my travel that I thrive on.

Being on a mission to help shop owners to establish their presence on Google Maps, I worked with Buri to set up his cafe on Google Maps. I also had the chance to assist him to 'claim' his business so he could manage the content including responding to customer reviews. I was able to help Buri respond to a customer review that was posted by a guest who had enjoyed several meals at his cafe. I now have more experience with the 'claim a business' process and requirements for a shop and cafe owner. I'm now also aware that as helpful as I think I'm being in setting up a business on Google Maps, there is so much more to do with the owner to take advantage of the setup.

Cafe entrance

Cafe entrance - note cafe name plate

Road leading to village (~800m/.5 mi downhill)

Outdoor seating

Cafe plus convenience store

Cooking area - left rear

Interior

Outdoor eating area view

Outdoor sitting area

Interior

Looking out to main road

Friends

Sanjay

Sanjay is the first friend who I've broken with my practice of sharing a memory pic. I had three conversations with him, leaving me progressively less comfortable with his energy. My overall impression is that he was very manipulative. He's the guy who'd let other people do things for him when he's capable to do the same things himself. My last conversation with him was completing the Google Map set up for his business.

Pasang

I completely forgot to take a memory pic after meeting Pasang; maybe it was the circumstances. I met Pasang as I was walking down a road in search of what I thought was a nearby village. Pasang was driving by me on his motorbike when he stopped to offer me a ride. I learned from Pasang the village, his village, was another seven kms away. I decided the village in question was much further than I was willing to walk knowing the return trip was entirely uphill. Pasang offered me a ride part way back towards my hotel for which I was grateful. We exchanged WhatsApp info at his request and he was off. We've subsequently exchanged a few texts.

Buri

Now onto the friends I have photos of. Buri, the Adika Cafe co-owner, is one of those people who leaves an indelible impression. Friendly, personable and hard working. What a blessing to have met him!

Neirosha & Martin

Please meet two fellow Canadians I met at my hotel who are living in New York City pursuing their careers as professors. Martin grew up in Montreal, Neirosha grew up in Toronto. The best way to describe their field of study is the intersection of science and the universe's energy. Science does a reasonable job trying to describe how the body works, the missing ingredient is understanding what life and consciousness is resulting from these chemical reactions. I have a keen interest in this area so I'm grateful for the universe's benevolence to bring us together, over dinner, in a Nepali hotel. They were in Nepal, by invitation, to attend an intimate three day session hosted by a leading authority in this topic area. Martin had connected with this person at a conference in Madison, Wisconsin where Martin was giving a presentation. Apologies the vagueness and ambiguity in this description.

What truly sets this chance meeting into a mindblowing episode was when I mentioned a podcast I had listened to about cell mitochondria and the mystery of how life energy was transferred at the cellular level that I thought they might be interested in. The mindblowing part - the podcast I referred to was hosted by Neirosha. How freaky is that?

Martin, Dave and Neirosha

Kathmandu

On Thursday, I begrudgingly made the 90 minute ride to my hotel in the Kathmandu's Thamel district, the city's key tourist area. I believe I made the right choice in avoiding Kathmandu based on the sights and sounds I experienced during my trip. Overall, I've developed a general dislike for large cities with one notable exception - Tokyo.

Being in Kathmandu gave me the first chance to meet with Bimal and find out the details for our four night village tour that started Friday morning. Bimal, who's primary profession is running a trekking company, has been working with the Weymouth and area Rotary groups (including Mark & Ruth) since 2002 to bring water to Tanahun District villages where Bimal's village is located. I also met Babu, a Sherpa, who has worked with Bimal for the last fourteen years as a cook/porter. Babu, full name is Ang Babu Sherpa, was to be our village visit cook/porter. Our village visit itinerary involved an eight hour bus trip to Gaherti, then walking to Okhle and Tutepani plus an extra walk from Tutepani to the fourth village. Brief reminder - my initial reason for my visiting Nepal was to visit Gahateri village (and villagers) where I had partially funded a water project that was completed in 2025. Seeing the Himalayas, Mount Everest in particular, were also on my to do list.

I also visited The Pumpernickel bakery where I enjoyed the best apple flan ever. When I mentioned how much I enjoyed the flan, I was told the bakery staff were working with an experienced Dutch bakery to learn the art of the perfect apple flan!

Sample street

Sample street - opposite direction

Tourist area lit up

Thakali meal - sadly I think this meal
caused my second Imodium moment!

Village Visits

I chose to travel to the first village by a tourist bus instead of incurring the cost of $150 USD for the optional (and most likely more comfortable) personal vehicle. Babu thankfully coordinated the bus ticket purchase and locating the right bus on Friday morning. BTW - Nepal also has local buses which Nepalis ride to get around. These buses are smaller and are less comfortable to ride - speaking from personal experience! Our road trip started on a paved highway with the road getting progressively less developed between leaving the highway and reaching the Kilimati bus stop. We did have a few stops along the way for toilet breaks and have lunch. The paved highway had several sections of construction with incredibly rough sections that needed to be negotiated carefully. In summary, traveling in Nepal is an adventure in its own right!

Gahateri

The village of Gahateri, our first village visit stop, was a 30 minute tuk tuk ride from the Kilimati bus stop over the bumpiest road ever. I was surprised to learn a daily bus travels this same bumpy road I thought was difficult to travel by tuk tuk. It's mind blowing the road conditions that buses in Nepal are willing to navigate daily. I also know there are far worse Nepali roads than the roads I was on. Thank goodness we traveled on a rainfree days!

Village and Area

Gaherti is a village of 105 inhabitants who now have access to clean water from taps near their homes. Gone are the days of the villagers having the daily task of climbing up to a spring above the village and carrying water to their homes. We stayed at Robin's home where I had a room with a single bed with the hardest mattress ever. Robin is the key local person who oversees the water project execution throughout the district. I was blessed with a western style sit down toilet. I missed out on having a hot shower as the power was off for most of my visit.

Valley below village

Sunrise through clouds and smoke from
fires deliberately set to clear land

Clear day - Himalayas are visible!

Home where I stayed. My room was attached to the
left side of the house (out of view)

Neighbor's house

Bus and road traveled - this is good
stretch!

Terracing is common throughout the areas I've
visited in Nepal

Yangsing is a small village. The
welcome/thank you for coming signs
are a nice courtesy on a road rarely traveled
by anyone other than locals!

School

Terracing

Tree limbs are cut for firewood leaving
the tree to regenerate new branches for a
future cutting.

Rotary Water Project

Project completion

The following photos were extracted from a report Mark prepared for the Rotary team to review the work completed, the village benefits and financial accounting for the funds spent. A simple concept - build a 20,000 litre water tank using rebar and concrete to store spring water, lay pipe to each villager's home and let gravity do the hard work!

Celebration

I learned I had the privilege of cutting the ribbon, on behalf of the Rotary team, to officially 'open' the water project for the village. Thank you to the universe for this amazing honour!

Babu, Bimal and yours truly

Ribbon cutting

Reading the commemorative
plaque

Thank you

Villagers

My garland

Okhle

We reached Okhle, our second village, after a brief 90 minute walk on the road connecting the villages. Okhle is Bimal's home village. We stayed at Bimal's mom's house for the night. I had a chance to visit the water project that services the village's lower section. A government water project is underway to provide water to villagers living in the village's upper section.

I learned an interesting personal fact about Bimal during our stay. He had served a five year term as Ward president which gave him overall responsibility for administering the 13 areas within the Tanahun District. He knew (and talked to) everyone as we walked between villages. Another interesting social fact was he avoided telling the Okhle villagers that he was visiting. Like many other cultures in this part of the world, the minute the villagers were aware of his presence he'd have an obligation to visit or they would visit with him.

I had my first chance to use a squat toilet as Bimal's mom is waiting for an ongoing government water project to bring fresh water to her home. Maybe my next visit will include the chance to use a flush toilet!

Apologies for the lack of photos. The topography is very similar to Gaherti. A subtle difference was the homes in this village were built much closer together than in Gaherti.

Flora for you!

Sunset

Fauna - flying ants

Ants develop wings in the last phase of their lives.

These ants will soon die

Next Week

Busy travel week ahead! I'll be driven, by jeep, from Tutepani to Pokhara to start a three night stay. I will then travel by local bus to Rusanga, a city about 178 km southwest of Pokhara, that is off the beaten tourist track. My Rusanga adventure promises to be interesting given the many blank expressions I get when I mention this destination!

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David's Great Adventure - Oct 2024 to Present Day