I’d heard a large variety of answers when I asked people what the Annapurna Circuit cost. I usually budget $30 a day for my travels, and after talking to several people who had done the trek, I realized it was well within my budget as long as I carried my own bag and went without […]
The Best Nepali Dishes to Try While Trekking
Something I always hear when people get back from trekking in Nepal, is how surprised they are at how many choices are on the menu. For some reason, everyone expects three to five selections, but the truth is you can order plenty of options in the mountains from pizza to chow mein. Although you can […]
The Funniest Signs Along the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal
I usually try to post things that are informative or tell a story, but sometimes you just see funny things and want to share them with the world. While trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, I kept seeing funny signs and taking pictures. Eventually I had a ton of them, and it only seemed appropriate […]
Learning About Nepali Culture in Bardaghat Village Near Lumbini
There are places you go to see things, and there are places you go to be a part of them. For me, Bardaghat and Lumbini were the latter. I’d heard that Lumbini was a crowded town with an Indian vibe. It was described to me by people who knew my experience with India was unpleasant. […]
Book Review: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
I downloaded Siddhartha by Herman Hesse after a friend recommended it to me. To be honest, I didn’t really know what it was about and had wrongfully assumed it was the story of Buddha. My friend had described it as “simple but profound” and he was right. Siddhartha tells the story of a boy (who […]
Book Review: Annapurna Circuit by Andrew Stevenson
I had decided to trek the Annapurna Circuit with less than 24 hours’ notice and was scrambling for books to download on my kindle before leaving the comforts of guaranteed WiFi. My friend recommended Annapurna Circuit: A Himalayan Journey by Andrew Stevenson. I wouldn’t really recommend this book unless you’ve done a trek in Nepal […]
A Glimpse into the Lives of Nepali Women
Having spent over three months in Nepal, it was kind of shocking that I really hadn’t spent any time with Nepali women. They seemed so mysterious to me. On my last trip to Nepal, I spent a month in Pokhara, and while I met lots of guys, it seemed women never went anywhere unaccompanied. Groups […]
Book Review: Brother One Cell by Cullen Thomas
I signed up for a travel writing course in New York City a little over a year ago. I always forget to look up professors before attending the class and was pretty surprised when Cullen Thomas walked into the room. Unlike the other teachers who gloat about their published works, he quickly asked that no […]
Why Do People Hike?
One of the most common questions I get before a big trek or hike is “Why do people hike?” or “Why do people trek?” It’s a funny questions because why do we really do anything? The quick answer is, “I enjoy it.” But, that’s always followed by another, “Why?!” I constantly complain about how uncomfortable […]
Watching Cremations at Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal
When you ask your friends their vacation plans, you’ll rarely hear one tell you that they are spending the day watching open air cremations. In Kathmandu, Nepal cremations have become a bit of a tourist attraction, and while that may sound appalling, it’s actually extremely spiritual. Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal is a UNESCO World Heritage […]