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a nomad in the land of nizwa

~ an American English teacher in Oman

a nomad in the land of nizwa

Category Archives: Nepal

cbbh photo challenge: knobs & knockers

30 Thursday May 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Bhaktapur, CBBH Photo Challenge, Middle East, Nepal, Oman

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

CBBH Photo Challenge, Nepal, Oman

Thursday, May 30: Marianne of East of Málaga …. and more! has given us a challenge for the month of May to find pictures of knobs and knockers.  She writes:

Forget bells and intercoms – this month’s CBBH Photo Challenge is all about decorative door furniture, to make an entrance look perfect.

Of course, the purpose of a door knocker is to let the householder know there is someone at the door, but at some point in history they took on shape and symbolic meaning. I’ve seen protective dogs and lions, honorary wreaths, severed hands, mythological references to Medusa and Cleopatra, as well as elegant and ornate displays of wealth in polished brass.

I’ve taken many pictures of Omani doors in the 20+ months I’ve been here, and I’ve noticed that most of them don’t have knockers at all.  It seems Omani doors are all about safety and security.  Instead of knobs and knockers, they all seem to have metal bars, locks, spikes, and chains.  I could hardly find a knob or knocker anywhere in my collection.  I feel this tells a lot about Omani culture, much like the watchtowers that adorn every hill throughout the country.  It’s all about protection, keeping things under lock and key, keeping intruders out.

metal bar and lock on a metal door in Yanqul, Oman

metal bar and lock on a metal door in Yanqul, Oman

knockers on a door in the Ibra ruins, Oman

knockers on a door in the Ibra ruins, Oman

a lock and chain on a door in the ruins of Ibra's old souq

a lock and chain on a door in the ruins of Ibra’s old souq

more locks and bars in Ibra

more locks and bars in Ibra

Lock, bar and spiky deterrents at Nakhal Fort, Oman

Lock, bar and spiky deterrents at Nakhal Fort, Oman

Lock, bar and spikes at Nakhal Fort, Oman

Lock, bar and spikes at Nakhal Fort, Oman

Surprisingly, I found the same kinds of bars and locks in Nepal.

locks and bars in Bhaktapur, Nepal

locks and bars in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Marianne asks that we introduce two bloggers in this challenge.  I’d like to introduce Heather of artist. hippie. cali chic.  Heather has a serious case of wanderlust.  She’s traveled a lot in the past, but is now trying to save money to pay off her student loans.  So instead of traveling now, she’s doing the responsible thing and saving money.  That doesn’t stop her from dreaming of travel.  She describes herself thus: I am an artist/graphic designer/huge Audrey Hepburn fan and self-proclaimed giant hippie with a hopeless case of wanderlust living in Southern California.

I’d also like to introduce Lynne of On the Go with Lynne and her husband, photographer Ron Mayhew, of Ron Mayhew’s Blog. (All right, I know that’s two more, but they’re a husband and wife, so I want to include them together!)

Lynne writes of herself:

Wherever I am, I have learned to appreciate the moment.
To draw inspiration from the experience.
To write about the journey and not just the destination.

And to have fun…while I can still bend over to pick up a shell
And to cast without tangling my line.

Ron describes himself thus: Having been a professional wood sculptor  for over twenty years he has developed an eye for composition.  It’s  this artistic  background which has helped Ron achieve recognition regionally and internationally in photo competitions.  His photography is beautiful.

I especially love reading about their joint trip to Havana, Cuba.  Ron’s photos and Lynne’s stories are fascinating and capture a culture that few Americans get to experience.

 

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travel theme: pathways

26 Sunday May 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Cappadocia, Gongju, Japan, Jordan, Kyoto, Little Petra, Middle East, Nepal, Oman, Pathways, Pokhara, Sharqiya Region, South Korea, Suncheon Bay, Travel Theme Photo Challenge, Turkey, Wadi Bani Khalid

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

Japan, Nepal, Oman, South Korea, travel theme, Turkey

Sunday, May 26:  Ailsa’s Travel Theme this week is Pathways.  I’ve seen many beautiful pathways in my travels around the world.

Path of Bamboo in Arashiyama, near Kyoto, Japan

Path of Bamboo in Arashiyama, near Kyoto, Japan

path through Ihlara Canyon in Cappadocia, Turkey

path through Ihlara Canyon in Cappadocia, Turkey

path through Suncheon Bay Ecological Park in South Korea

path through Suncheon Bay Ecological Park in South Korea

snow-covered path through Gongju, South Korea

snow-covered path through Gongju, South Korea

Many people use the aflaf in Oman as pathways to walk on.  This one is at Wadi Bani Khalid in Oman.

Many people use the aflaj in Oman as pathways. This one is at Wadi Bani Khalid in Oman.

Pathway of enlightenment ~ leading to a Buddhist temple in Pokhara, Nepal

Pathway of enlightenment ~ leading to a Buddhist temple in Pokhara, Nepal

a pathway along a farmer's field in Pokhara, Nepal

a pathway along a farmer’s field in Pokhara, Nepal

pathway through Little Petra in Jordan

pathway through Little Petra in Jordan

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travel theme: the four elements

19 Sunday May 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Dana Nature Reserve, Europe, Greece, Jordan, Kathmandu, Middle East, Nepal, Oman, Santorini, Travel Theme Photo Challenge, Wadi Ghul

≈ 36 Comments

Tags

travel theme

Sunday, May 19: Ailsa of Where’s my backpack? challenges us this week to come up with “an homage to earth, air, water and fire.”

For earth, what else can I post but the mountains of Oman?  Because they’re usually vegetation-free, they’re considered a geologist’s heaven.  Here are the mountains that make up the sides of Wadi Ghul.

the rock-solid earth at Wadi Ghul

the rock-solid earth at Wadi Ghul

One evening, at Dana Nature Reserve in Jordan, the air looked quite unstable and threatening.

Air at Dana Nature Reserve in Jordan

Air at Dana Nature Reserve in Jordan

Water filled Santorini’s caldera after the volcano erupted some 3600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization.  This was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history.   Now it is one of the most peaceful and serene places you can imagine, except for the tourists.

water ~ the Mediterranean at Santorini's caldera

water ~ the Mediterranean at Santorini’s caldera

And fire has destructive power, but also provides much-needed warmth on a cold night in Kathmandu, Nepal.

fire at New Orleans Cafe in Kathmandu, Nepal

fire at New Orleans Cafe in Kathmandu, Nepal

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weekly photo challenge: from above

04 Saturday May 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Cappadocia, Greece, hot air balloons, Jebel Akhdar, Jordan, Kalambaka, Khor an Najd, Meteora monasteries, Middle East, Musandam, Nagarkot, Nepal, Oman, Pokhara, postaweek2013, Turkey, Weekly Photo Challenge

≈ 64 Comments

Tags

Greece, Jebel Akhdar, Jordan, Nepal, Oman, weekly photo challenge

Saturday, May 4: This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is From Above: Change your perspective on something. Share a photo of a subject which you shot from directly above.

From above at the Monastery of St. Barbara, Meteroa, Greece

From above at the Monastery of St. Barbara, Meteora, Greece

Looking down at Kalambaka from the Monastery of St. Stephen at Meteora, Greece

Looking down at Kalambaka from the Monastery of St. Stephen at Meteora, Greece

from above: Nepalese Vegetarian food: basmati rice, black lentils, vegetable curry, spinach green curry, pickle, papad (some kind of mushroom curry?), salad and curd.

from above: Nepalese Vegetarian food: basmati rice, black lentils, vegetable curry, spinach green curry, pickle, papad (some kind of mushroom curry?), salad and curd.

the view from above at the Hotel View Point in Nagarkot, Nepal

the view from above at the Hotel View Point in Nagarkot, Nepal

From above: flowers at Pokhara, Nepal

From above: flowers at Pokhara, Nepal

the view from above at the ancient Crusader castle at Karnak, Jordan

the view from above at the ancient Crusader castle at Karak, Jordan

from above: the curving staircase at Eikan-do, Kyoto, Japan

from above: the curving staircase at Eikan-do, Kyoto, Japan

From above in a hot air balloon over Cappadocia, Turkey

From above in a hot air balloon over Cappadocia, Turkey

From above: the "fjords of Arabia" in Musandam, Oman

From above: the “fjords of Arabia” in Musandam, Oman

Omani children at Jebel Akhdar, from above

Omani children at Jebel Akhdar, from above

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CBBH photo challenge: multi-colored

16 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Asia, CBBH Photo Challenge, Delhi, India, Kathmandu, Nepal, Oman, Pokhara

≈ 36 Comments

Tags

CBBH Photo Challenge, India, Muscat, Nepal, Oman

Tuesday, April 16:  Marianne of East of Malaga has a monthly photo challenge called the Conejo Blanco Blog Hop, or CBBH for short.  Her challenge for this month is: multi-colored.

According to this website: “Colour is a meaningful constant for sighted people and it’s a powerful psychological tool.  By using color psychology, you can send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, calm a crowd, or make an athlete pump iron harder.”

Talking of sales, Henry Ford famously declared that the Model-T buyer could choose “any colour, so long as it’s black.”   Thank goodness that these days, consumers are more discerning!

Here are some multi-colored photos from my travels around the world.

multi-colored boats in Pokhara, Nepal

multi-colored boats in Pokhara, Nepal

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

more multi-colored boats in Pokhara, Nepal

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

rowboats in Pokhara

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

a flower stall in Delhi, India

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

woolly multi-colored gloves in Kathmandu, Nepal

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

multi-colored flowers in front of the Sultan’s palace in Muscat, Oman

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

multi-colored trims for abayas sold at Mutrah Souq, Muscat, Oman

** One blogger I follow and love is Lynn Wohlers of bluebrightly.  Lynn blogs about “photography or philosophy, birds or flowers, zen, maps, psychology, travel… [her] mind roams.”  She takes stunning pictures of forests, leaves, flowers, and anything else in nature you can think of.  When I look at her photos, I want to jump into their magical worlds and stay there for a good long time.

**Another blogger I love is Roseanne of Wondering Rose.  Rosie works at an art museum in southern California and shares quirky and funny stories about her encounters at her cash register.  She always writes thought-provoking posts and comments.  I truly enjoy and appreciate her kindness and her insights.  Rosie had the life-altering experience of walking the Camino de Santiago.  I really hope to meet her if I can get to California this Christmas.

 

Related articles
  • Colours for two photo challenges.
  • CBBH Photo Challenge: Multi-Coloured
  • CBBH Photo Challenge: Multi Colored
  • A Multi-coloured Dream (for CBBH Challenge)
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weekly photo challenge: color

06 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Istanbul, Japan, Kathmandu, Kyoto, Nepal, Phewa Lake, Photography Challenges, Pokhara, postaweek2013, Seoul, South Korea, Turkey, Weekly Photo Challenge

≈ 46 Comments

Tags

Japan, Nepal, Oman, postaweek2013, South Korea, Turkey, weekly photo challenge

Saturday, April 6: The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is Color. Splashed on the walls of cities, in batches of flowers in gardens, in the doodles of students, and on the palettes of artists, color is everywhere: it may represent our mood, and it can affect our mood. In photography, you can use a spectrum of colors to bring a place to life, or focus on a single shade to make a bold statement. Conversely, you can shoot in black-and-white or remove color in editing mode for a different effect.

In a new post created specifically for this challenge, share a picture in which color takes center stage.

Click on any of the pictures below for a full-sized slide show.

Pokhara, Nepal
Pokhara, Nepal
more colorful boats in Pokhara, Nepal
more colorful boats in Pokhara, Nepal
Flowers in Crete, Greece
Flowers in Crete, Greece
lamps in Istanbul, Turkey
lamps in Istanbul, Turkey
the flower market in Istanbul, Turkey
the flower market in Istanbul, Turkey
Paintings by Omani students
Paintings by Omani students
Street art in Rethymno, Crete
Street art in Rethymno, Crete
More paintings by Oman
More paintings by Oman
delicate flowers on the University of Nizwa campus
delicate flowers on the University of Nizwa campus
colorful boats in Pokhara, Nepal
colorful boats in Pokhara, Nepal
Paintings of Oman
Paintings of Oman
a colorful carriage buggy in Kathmandu, Nepal
a colorful carriage buggy in Kathmandu, Nepal
Sweets in Istanbul, Turkey
Sweets in Istanbul, Turkey
Colorful doors and bedding in Kathmandu, Nepal
Colorful doors and bedding in Kathmandu, Nepal
Yarn in Kathmandu, Nepal
Yarn in Kathmandu, Nepal
colorful socks in Kyoto, Japan
colorful socks in Kyoto, Japan
Gloves in Kathmandu, Nepal
Gloves in Kathmandu, Nepal
Flowers on the University of Nizwa campus
Flowers on the University of Nizwa campus
Paper lanterns in Kathmandu, Nepal
Paper lanterns in Kathmandu, Nepal

Finally, in honor of South Korea, which is having a few problems with its bellicose northern neighbor right now, here are some colorful lanterns from a lantern festival in Seoul.

colorful lanterns at a lantern festival in Seoul, South Korea

colorful lanterns at a lantern festival in Seoul, South Korea

Let's hope everyone takes a deep breath and tries to diplomatically solve the problems between North and South Korea.

Let’s hope everyone takes a deep breath and tries to diplomatically solve the problems between North and South Korea.

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weekly photo challenge: lunchtime

16 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Asia, Cambodia, Crete, Fira, Greece, Middle East, Nagarkot, Nepal, Oman, Phnom Penh, Phoneography Challenge, Photography Challenges, postaweek2013, Santorini, South Korea, Weekly Photo Challenge

≈ 38 Comments

Tags

Greece, Nepal, Oman, postaweek2013, South Korea, weekly photo challenge

Saturday, March 16:  The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is lunchtime.  Michelle of WordPress writes:

Time to show us your lunchtime. This might seem like a pretty narrow task, but if you think of “lunchtime” as a theme, there are lots of places you can take it:

  • Show us what you actually had for lunch.
  • Show us what went into your lunch — a stunningly saturated pile of red radishes at the farmer’s market, or the process by which you construct the Ultimate Turkey Sandwich.
  • Show us what a mealtime is like at your house. Who’s there? What are they doing?
  • Show us a photo of someone truly enraptured by what they’re eating and capture the deep satisfaction of an enjoyable meal.
  • If you don’t have time for lunch or eat on the run, show us that.
  • Show us your favorite place to sit while you eat lunch, or your favorite place to prepare food.
  • Capture a candid photo of the guy behind the counter of your favorite greasy spoon.

This is meant to be another phoneography challenge, which I’m not at all keen on since I don’t have a camera phone.  Since I usually eat lunch at my desk at work, and since I didn’t feel like hauling my camera to work to take a boring picture of me eating lunch at my desk, I thought I would post some of my favorite lunchtimes I’ve experienced in my travels.

I’ll start with the smoked salmon, cream cheese and caper baguette I ate for lunch on Thursday at the Blue Marlin at Marina Bandar al Rowdha in Muscat.  I have to say I didn’t find the lunch all that exciting.  On the contrary, I found it totally uninspiring.  I probably wouldn’t go back to this place again to eat.

Smoked salmon baguette at the Blue Marlin

Smoked salmon baguette at the Blue Marlin

Only one time in the whole year and a half that I’ve been in Oman was I invited to an Omani’s house for lunch.  First they brought out this.

the snacks before an Omani lunch

the snacks before an Omani lunch

Those beans on the left hand bottom corner of the large tray were delicious.  So were those French fry-like things.  I ate and ate, thinking this was our lunch.  After I was fully stuffed, they brought out this.

the main course, rice and chicken and salad

the main course, rice and chicken and salad

Needless to say, I tried to eat as much as I could, but it was hard because I wasn’t hungry at all after eating all those beans.  (nakhal fort, lunch with an omani family & a wild drive up wadi mistal)

Here’s a hole-in-the wall lunchtime place, similar to many such places in Oman, that Mario and I encountered when we went exploring wadis on a rare day of flooding in Oman.

a "restaurant" on the way to Wadi Damm

a “restaurant” on the way to Wadi Damm

Here’s a “restaurant and coffee shop” (they don’t seem to believe in naming restaurants in the interior) in Ibra, where my family and I ate lunch while they were visiting Oman in January.

a typical Omani restaurant like most you will find outside of Muscat.  This one is in Ibra.

a typical Omani restaurant like most you will find outside of Muscat. This one is in Ibra.

My son Adam eats with his hands, Omani style.

My son Adam eats lunch with his hands, Omani style, in Al Hamra.

To be honest, I’m not all that crazy about Omani food or Oman’s Indian food, the only alternative outside of the capital.  I normally like Indian food, but in these types of restaurants, the menu is limited to Chicken Biriyani or Chicken Masala.  Both Omanis and Indians in this country are really fond of chicken.

Neither did I care much for Korean food when I lived in South Korea, but here is a typical Korean lunch of bibimbap I shared with my son Alex when he came to visit me in Korea.

Korean lunch of bibimbap

Korean lunch of bibimbap

Koreans have to wash a lot of dishes for breakfast, lunch or dinner

Koreans have to wash a lot of dishes for breakfast, lunch or dinner

However, in most of my travels, I adore the local cuisine.  Turkish and Greek food were my favorites, but I also loved the food in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.  Here are some pictures of my Greek lunches.

Sardines and capers in Fira, Santorini, Greece.

Sardines and caper leaves in Fira, Santorini, Greece.

Eggplant rolls in Fira, Santorini, Greece

Eggplant rolls in Fira, Santorini, Greece

Greek salad for lunch in Akrotirion, Santorini, Greece

Greek salad for lunch in Akrotirion, Santorini, Greece

Bruschetta & Greek beer in Fira, Santorini, Greece

Bruschetta with feta cheese and olives & Greek beer in Fira, Santorini, Greece

the owner of the Meteora Restaurant, who serves her customers right from the huge pots as we bring our dishes around

the owner of the Meteora Restaurant, who serves her customers right from the huge pots as we bring our dishes around

My delicious meatballs at the Meteora Restaurant in Greece

My delicious meatballs at the Meteora Restaurant in Greece

Here is a lunch I enjoyed at a riverside restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  I love this kind of food.  It seems so healthy. 🙂

Cambodian lunch of steamed fish with dipping sauces :-)  YUM!!

Cambodian lunch of steamed fish with dipping sauces 🙂 YUM!!

In Nepal, I ate a wonderful traditional Nepali lunch outdoors while enjoying a view of the Langtang range of the Himalayas.  This was my most recent special lunchtime break. 🙂

traditional Nepali food for lunch

traditional Nepali food for lunch

my view of the Langtang Range of the Himalayas during lunchtime in Nagarkot, Nepal

my view of the Langtang Range of the Himalayas during lunchtime in Nagarkot, Nepal

I love taking lunchtime breaks while traveling, but if I make the mistake of having a beer or wine with my lunch, I get really lazy in the afternoon.  I try to save wine or beer for dinnertime, but I’m not always successful. 🙂

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travel theme: mountains

16 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Al Ayn, Al-Dakhiliyah Region, Annapurna, Greece, Jebel Akhdar, Kalambaka, Meteora monasteries, Mt. Machhapuchhare, Nepal, Oman, Pokhara

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

Greece, Nepal, Oman, travel theme

Saturday, February 16: Ailsa’s Travel Theme for this week is Mountains:  She writes: It’s hard to beat the soaring majesty of mountains. It’s also apparently hard to define exactly what a mountain is. Countries around the globe use factors such as height, elevation, relief and volume in a vain attempt to define them. The Oxford English Dictionary settles for something suitably vague: “a natural elevation of the earth surface rising more or less abruptly from the surrounding level and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable.” Merriam-Webster doesn’t do any better: “a landmass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill.” Look up ‘hill’ in the same dictionary and you will find that it is described, helpfully, as “lower than a mountain.”

Some of the world’s tallest mountains are the Himalayas in Nepal.  Here is a view of the Annapurna Range taken from Pokhara.

the Annapurna Range seen from Pokhara, Nepal

the Annapurna Range seen from Pokhara, Nepal

Machhapuchhre, or "Fish-Tailed" at sunrise

Machhapuchhre, or “Fish-Tailed” at sunrise

Here are mountains, with monasteries built on top, in Meteora, Greece.

Meteora, Greece

Meteora, Greece

And finally, in Oman, where I have never seen snow-cover, are the mountains of Jebel Akhdar.

the view of Al Ayn and the gorge on top of Jebel Akhdar

the view of Al Ayn and the gorge on top of Jebel Akhdar

For more takes on the theme, see Where’s My Backpack? Travel theme: Mountains.

To see more of my trip to Nepal: catbird in south asia

To see more of my trip to Greece: greek wanderings

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weekly photo challenge: home

09 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Africa, Bhaktapur, Changu Narayan, Ethiopia, Lake Langano, Lalibela, Nagarkot, Nepal, postaweek2013, Weekly Photo Challenge

≈ 34 Comments

Tags

Ethiopia, Nepal, postaweek2013, Travel, weekly photo challenge

Saturday, February 9: The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is Home.

In a new post specifically created for this challenge, share a picture that evokes HOME for you.

It might be the place where you live, or a more abstract representation, or something completely different.

Here are some homes I discovered on a 15 km walk from Nagarkot to Changu Narayan in Nepal. 

a Nepali home outside of Nagarkot

a Nepali home outside of Nagarkot

rural home in Nepal

rural home in Nepal

a Nepali rural home with mustard drying on the roof

a Nepali rural home with mustard drying on the roof

another brightly painted roof on the way to Changu Narayan

another brightly painted home on the way to Changu Narayan

Here is a home near Lake Langano, Ethiopia.

tukul hut and family near Lake Langano, Ethiopia

tukul hut and family near Lake Langano, Ethiopia

And another cluster of homes in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

tukul huts in Lalibela, Ethiopia

tukul huts in Lalibela, Ethiopia

  • Ethiopia Trip Two (Part 2, December 1-2)
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kathmandu, i’ll soon be touchin’ you

16 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Annapurna, Kathmandu, Kathmandu Guest House, Mt. Machhapuchhare, Nepal, Phewa Lake, Pokhara

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

Nepal, Travel

Wednesday, January 16:

Katmandu, I’ll soon be touchin’ you
And your strange bewilderin’ time
Will hold me down

~ Cat Stevens: “Katmandu”

The day after my boys left Oman, on Saturday, January 12, the University finally announced that IF we worked REALLY hard invigilating final exams and marking papers during this week, we would get a semester break from January 17-25.  I have been waiting for this announcement and was about to give up hope that we would get a break at all.   I had researched 6 places I was thinking about going if we got a chance to escape: Sri Lanka, Prague, Kathmandu, Casablanca, Beirut and Zanzibar.  When it came to decision time, Kathmandu had the best price, the shortest flight, and the promise of cool, but not freezing, weather.  So, on Sunday, I booked a ticket to Nepal for 166 Omani Rials ($432).  I fly out tomorrow at 12:45 p.m.

I recently read one of Pico Iyer’s travel essays from Video Night in Kathmandu: Nepal: The Quest Becomes a Trek, which, inspired me to visit Nepal, much as his Lady and the Monk inspired me to visit Kyoto, Japan in January 2011.

My colleague, Mona Lisa, spent several months in Nepal and loved it.  She highly recommended the Kathmandu Guest House (Kathmandu Guest House), so I promptly arranged to stay there.  I downloaded to my Kindle the Rough Guide to Nepal and Lonely Planet Nepal and started reading.  I have not had time to do any planning, but Mona Lisa stocked me up with trekking essentials (which I’m not sure I’ll use since I don’t plan to do any long overnight treks), a city map, a walking stick, and miscellaneous other essentials.  She also sent me the link to some Tibetan incantations, music that will soothe my soul in Kathmandu, music that she says I will hear everywhere on the capital’s streets, music that captures the soul of the place.

Another colleague, Zida, told me she hated Kathmandu because of the filth, pollution and chaos, but she highly recommended Pokhara, which she says is stunning.  I think the Kathmandu Guest House will help me book a flight to Pokhara, home of Phewa Lake, Mt. Machhapuchhare and Annapurna.

I really have no plan and have no idea what to expect.  But I hope to bring home many beautiful pictures!!

If you care to follow my trip to Nepal, please follow me on: catbird in south asia. I won’t be posting about my trip on this blog. 🙂

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  • caracalla dance theatre: “kan ya ma kan” at the royal opera house muscat
  • travel theme: pathways
  • weekly photo challenge: in the background
  • a stroll through al qasha on jebel akhdar & a farewell to old friends
  • friday meditation: my top ten happy memories in the sultanate
  • travel theme: the four elements
  • weekly photo challenge: escape
  • friday meditation: on choosing one memory to relive for all eternity
  • a fond farewell to the gardens of wekan
  • on preparing for spain & portugal: first steps
  • sunday post: mother’s day
  • travel theme: beaches
  • weekly photo challenge: pattern
  • getting my green fix in the gardens of misfat al abriyyen
  • weekly photo challenge: from above
  • friday meditation: flow
  • a sepia kind of day in nizwa: rain, rain, rain & a shifting weekend
  • travel theme: light
  • friday meditation: “addicted to a certain kind of sadness” ~ a playlist of bittersweet memories
  • happy birthday to sarah!
  • pay day at the lulu hypermarket in nizwa
  • Ma’a salama to my GMC Terrain {trials & tribulations of selling a car in Oman}
  • weekly photo challenge: up
  • friday meditation: a question of fate
  • CBBH photo challenge: multi-colored
  • weekly photo challenge: change
  • breakfast at the chedi
  • a trip to wadi bani kharous
  • weekly photo challenge: color
  • travel theme: pale
  • friday meditation: star-spangling our solitude
  • jebel akhdar: an afternoon of brits & roses, wine & bubbly
  • 2008 GMC Terrain for sale!
  • sunday post: entrance
  • weekly photo challenge: a day in my life

Archives

  • December 2014 (1)
  • January 2014 (1)
  • December 2013 (1)
  • June 2013 (11)
  • May 2013 (18)
  • April 2013 (17)
  • March 2013 (19)
  • February 2013 (17)
  • January 2013 (20)
  • December 2012 (33)
  • November 2012 (27)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (44)
  • August 2012 (7)
  • July 2012 (37)
  • June 2012 (35)
  • May 2012 (38)
  • April 2012 (40)
  • March 2012 (29)
  • February 2012 (17)
  • January 2012 (21)
  • December 2011 (15)
  • November 2011 (14)
  • October 2011 (8)
  • September 2011 (4)
  • August 2011 (1)

Catbird in Oman Menu

  • home
  • About me
    • New Year’s Resolutions
    • Bucket List
    • Share Your World
    • Friday Meditation
  • Oman
    • Al-Batinah Region
    • Al-Dhahirah Region
    • Al-Dakhiliyah Region
      • Nizwa
    • Al-Wusta Region
    • Dhofar Region
    • Musandam
    • Muscat
    • Sharqiya Region
  • University of Nizwa
  • Africa
    • african meanderings {& musings}
  • Americas
    • nomad, interrupted: catbird in the united states of america
    • notes from north america
    • United States of America
      • Virginia
  • Asia
    • catbird in china
    • catbird in korea
    • catbird in kyoto
    • catbird in south asia
    • catbird in turkey
    • ride paddies and papayas
  • Europe
    • greek wanderings
    • in search of a thousand cafés
  • Middle East
    • a jaunt to jordan
    • catbird in cairo
    • United Arab Emirates
      • Abu Dhabi
  • photography
    • Sunday Post
    • Travel Theme Photo Challenge
    • Weekly Photo Challenge
    • whatever a moon has always meant
  • Fiction
    • land of make-believe

what happens when…

February 2019
S M T W T F S
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Blogs I Follow

Blog of the Year 2012

Kreativ Blogger Award

Genuine Blogger Award

Ligo Circle of Appreciation

Shine On Award

Oman Blogs

  • Adventures of an American ESL Instructor Teaching at an Omani University
  • Andy in Oman
  • Angry in Oman
  • Bethany Duffield
  • Desperate Housewife in Oman
  • Dhofari Gucci
  • English Girl in Oman
  • Hallucinations of a Kitten
  • How to live like an Omani Princess
  • Hunting the Lost Insurgency: Oman
  • Matthew Heines
  • Misadventures in HR
  • Mumoftheanimals's Blog
  • Muscat Confidential
  • Muscat Jet Driver
  • Muscat Mutterings
  • Oh Man…Oman is really nice!
  • Omani Book Mania
  • Omani Cuisine
  • Rural Route Runner
  • Samir's Home
  • Secret Salalah
  • Sleepless in Salalah
  • Sultanate Social
  • Susan Al Shahri
  • The Linoleum Surfer

Oman Information

  • Albahja Cinema
  • Background Note Oman: U.S. State Department
  • Bait Muzna Gallery
  • BBC News: Oman Country Profile
  • CIA World Factbook ~ Oman
  • City Cinema Shatti
  • Destination Oman
  • Embassy of the United States – Muscat, Oman
  • Lonely Planet Oman
  • Ministry of Information: Sultanate of Oman
  • Oman Daily Observer
  • Royal Opera House Muscat
  • Sultanate of Oman Tourism
  • Sultanate of Oman: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Travel Blogs

  • Dan & Jillian's International Teaching Adventures
  • Dude Travels to Go
  • The Cool Hunter: amazing places to experience around the globe
  • The Traveling Gypsy
  • Wildcard Travels

X-terraneous Stuff

  • CIA World Factbook ~ South Korea
  • Dawn King
  • Let me bite that.
  • Life in the Bogs
  • reinventing the event horizon

my photostream on flickr

Sunny but only 20 degrees today!uploaduploaduploadTaking a walk through the neighborhood#whpsentbymailNext door to port royal post officeNext store in port royalupload
More Photos

Goodreads

Top Posts & Pages

  • the balcony walk at jebel shams
  • the balcony walk from al khitaym to the abandoned village of as sab. {jebel shams}
  • musandam: a hidden cove, acacia "forest" & a mountain drive
  • the falaj daris ~ a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • the rustaq loop: nakhal fort & ain a'thawwarah hot springs. {1st stop}
  • camping on the beach near fins
  • a trip to wadi bani kharous
  • a glimpse at what teachers wear to the university of nizwa. {fall 2012}
  • al munisifeh: ibra's ruins from a wealthy past

InterNations

Weekly Photo Challenge

PostaWeek2012

share your world

a-z photo challenge

52 Pick Up

Sunday Post

Six Word Saturday

No Comfort Zone Challenge

I pledge to read the Printed Word

things i write about

"Happiness" 52 Pick Up 2012 A-Z Photo Challenge Abu Dhabi Abu Nooh Building Africa Akrotírion Al-Areesh Camp Al-Batinah Region Al-Dakhiliyah Region Al-Dhahirah Region Al Aqr Al Ayn Al Hamra Al Musanaah Americas Asia As Sifah Beach Athens Bahla Balad Sayt Birkat Al Mouz Cambodia Cappadocia Crete Daegu Ethiopia Europe Falaj Daris Hotel Family Foundation Institute Friday Meditation Geoje-si GMC Terrain Greece India Intercontinental Hotel Jakesprinter Japan Jebel Akhdar Jebel Shams Jordan Kyoto Lake Langano Lalibela Life Matthieu Ricard Middle East misfat al abriyyin Musandam Muscat Muttrah Muttrah Souq Nakhal Fort Nepal Nizwa Nizwa souq Oia Oman Oman Dive Center Phnom Penh Photography Challenges Pokhara postaweek2012 postaweek2013 Rethymno Royal Opera House Sahab Hotel Saiq Plateau Salalah Santorini Seoul Share Your World Sharqiya Region Sharqiya Sands Six Word Saturday South Korea Spirituality Suncheon Bay Sunday Post Travel Travel Theme Photo Challenge Turkey United Arab Emirates United States of America University of Nizwa Virginia Wadi Bani Awf Wadi Bani Habib Wadi Bani Khalid Wadi Damm Wadi MIstal Wadi Muaydin Wadi Shab Wadi Tiwi Wednesday Song Title Interpretation Weekly Photo Challenge Wekan Western Hajar Mountains

oh say can you see?

Free counters!

Tag Cloud

#capturethecolour 7 Super Shots 52 Pick Up @travelsupermkt a-z photo challenge Abu Dhabi Al Amerat Architecture Art Balad Sayt Birthdays Blogging books Bucket List CBBH Photo Challenge Christmas Daydream Saturdays DPchallenge Egypt Empty Quarter Ethiopia GMC Terrain Greece Hyundai Sonata Ibri InterNations Japan Jebel Akhdar Jebel Shams karma's photography scavenger hunt Life middle east Misfat Al Abriyyin Muscat Nepal Nizwa Nizwa Souq No Comfort Zone Challenge Oman Omar Khairat Optimism Pessimism Phoneography Challenge Picture the World! postaweek2012 postaweek2013 Roses Royal Opera House Royal Opera House Muscat Saiq Plateau Salalah share your world Shine On Award Six Word Saturday South Korea Spain Spirituality Story Challenge Sunday Post Tibet Travel travel theme Turkey United Arab Emirates United States of America University of Nizwa Wadi Bani Awf Wadi Tiwi Wedding wednesday song title interpretation weekly photo challenge Western Hajar Mountains Wordpress WPLongform wwwp5k

Blogs I Follow

  • ~ wander.essence ~
  • Living in Paradise...
  • John SterVens' Tales
  • PIRAN CAFÉ
  • Word Wabbit
  • Cardinal Guzman
  • Pit's Fritztown News
  • Fumbling Through Italy
  • Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek
  • snowtoseas
  • life at the edge
  • Slovenian Girl Abroad
  • Let Me Bite That
  • Running Stories by Jerry Lewis
  • Finding NYC
  • The World according to Dina
  • Cornwall Photographic
  • snippetsandsnaps
  • SITTING PRETTY
  • Storyshucker

Administrative Stuff…

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.com

Creative Commons Attribution

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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~ wander.essence ~

where travel meets art

Living in Paradise...

John SterVens' Tales

Thee Life, Thee Heart, Thee Tears

PIRAN CAFÉ

Notebooks from a trampfest. Travel tips, tales and images, online since 2006.

Word Wabbit

Wrestless Word Wrestler

Cardinal Guzman

Encyclopedia Miscellaneous - 'quality' blogging since August 2011

Pit's Fritztown News

A German Expat's Life in Fredericksburg/Texas

Fumbling Through Italy

Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek

snowtoseas

life at the edge

inspired by the colours of the land, sea and sky of Cornwall

Slovenian Girl Abroad

A blog about travel adventures written by an Slovenian girl living in Switzerland

Let Me Bite That

Can I have a bite?

Running Stories by Jerry Lewis

Personal blog about running adventures

Finding NYC

exploring New York City one adventure at a time

The World according to Dina

Notes on Seeing, Reading & Writing, Living & Loving in The North

Cornwall Photographic

snippetsandsnaps

Potato Point and beyond

SITTING PRETTY

Storyshucker

A blog full of humorous and poignant observations.

~ wander.essence ~

where travel meets art

Living in Paradise...

John SterVens' Tales

Thee Life, Thee Heart, Thee Tears

PIRAN CAFÉ

Notebooks from a trampfest. Travel tips, tales and images, online since 2006.

Word Wabbit

Wrestless Word Wrestler

Cardinal Guzman

Encyclopedia Miscellaneous - 'quality' blogging since August 2011

Pit's Fritztown News

A German Expat's Life in Fredericksburg/Texas

Fumbling Through Italy

Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek

snowtoseas

life at the edge

inspired by the colours of the land, sea and sky of Cornwall

Slovenian Girl Abroad

A blog about travel adventures written by an Slovenian girl living in Switzerland

Let Me Bite That

Can I have a bite?

Running Stories by Jerry Lewis

Personal blog about running adventures

Finding NYC

exploring New York City one adventure at a time

The World according to Dina

Notes on Seeing, Reading & Writing, Living & Loving in The North

Cornwall Photographic

snippetsandsnaps

Potato Point and beyond

SITTING PRETTY

Storyshucker

A blog full of humorous and poignant observations.

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