Kathmandu, Nepal

Namaste! (That's hello in Nepalese) I arrived in Kathmandu yesterday afternoon and am slowly getting settled in, even though I'm likely leaving in 2 or 3 days for Pokhara, where I'll stay for the remainder of the trip. The drive from the airport to the homestay here was crazy! Nepali people don't pay much attention to lanes, and there is constant honking (it's more of a "hey I'm here" than the "get out of my way" Vegas kind of honking). But I arrived here with no bruises or scrapes to speak of. Yesterday a few of the girls and I went to Boudha, an area in Kathmandu where there's a Buddhist temple and loads of shops and things. I bought some prayer flags for 50 Nepali Rupees, which is less than one US Dollar. They are said to bring blessings to those who hang them. Today, however, there is a large strike going on in the heart of the city, so we've been advised to stay close to the homestay. (Don't worry, it's not violent or anything, we're just erring on the side of caution). We did go out to lunch though-I had a buffalo knaan (a pita-like bread with spiced buffalo meat inside) and it was quite delicious. Tomorrow, we have the Mt. Everest flight at 6:00 am and I am unbelievably excited for it! I'm going to take loads and loads of pictures! Then, we are taking a tour of the city, which will include the Monkey Temple, some monasteries, and other tourist attractions, so it will be a FULL day tomorrow. The weather has been pretty mild, not really humid or anything, but the monsoon is likely to start in 2 weeks or so. Hooray! :( I'll try to get some pictures uploaded ASAP, sorry for the delay.