SHIVAPURI

Since I was a child I've always longed to see what's around the next bend, over the next mountain.  Growing up in a (then) undeveloped part of South Africa gave me every opportunity to explore, climb, satisfy my curiosity but that feeling has never left me.  Last Friday was a special day in the Buddhist calender so I only had my morning class and then the boys had to spend the day praying and chanting.  I left the school with my bag of books and was going to go home but thought I'd just walk to the end of town where the road winds up to the highest mountain.  From there of course every bend called to be explored so on and on I went until I was looking down on the golden roof of the gompa (monastery) that I see up on the mountainside from my bedroom window.  It was SO hot and I hardly had any water but I just had to keep going and eventually found myself at the gate of the Shivapuri National Park http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal/around-the-kathmandu-valley/shivapuri-national-park. .  Obviously I couldn't go just that far and no further so I paid my entrance fee and went in.  After following a road that led up the mountain I branched off onto a path that led up - and up - and up ...  Only stubborn determination  kept me going as it was hot, I was thirsty and my knees towards the last part were in agony.  Somehow I made it to the top of Shivapuri Peak, hoping for that glimpse of the Himalayas that you can sometimes see on a clear day.  Alas the day was not clear.  It was incredible though - the lush smell of vegetation, the incredible amount of birds and butterflies, the monkeys crashing through the treetops overhead.  Even though I never did see my view it was worth it.

Back down again, knees protesting at every step but I thought never mind, there were microbuses at the gates when I arrived so I'd just get one of those back to town.  True, but not at 7pm which is when I got back to the gate.  A long slow limp all the way home where Mandu was waiting for me with sympathy and a large cup of pikka cha (black tea).  Mild heatstroke, very sore legs afterwards but I'm so glad I went.  Apparently these mountains were once completely bare and it was the former king who decreed that trees should be planted and the forest created.  Sadly the amount of people flooding here from the countryside means that the population is pushing further and further into the forest and I can't see this government (what there is of it) doing much to stop it.