The FIRST TASTE of NEPAL

Let's imagine to wake up in your warm bed in a sunny summer day in a surfing Southern California beach city and ... BANG ... in less than 24 hours, land in a rainy and foggy and dirty day in Kathmandu, Nepal. How would you feel? I felt definitely tired and confused. So I did look for a decent hotel and I took a hot shower and I did hope that things would look better. But, after the shower I curiously took a look and I saw this ...... and ... I really had the feeling that probably I could stop to complicate my life with these funky backpaking trips. But, of course, after the initial "shock", as soon as you don't waste your time trying to avoid the unvoaidable mug in the streets and you actually see this wonderful people smiling around you, and you see these wonderful building, and cows crossing the road and these impossible kitchens (e.g. the two guys are choping vegetables in the court of a small temple for a local holiday) and shops ... you really feel that you are doing the right thing. You feel at home. I guess it is a strange feeling to describe ... but if I have nice people around me, I can even be on the other side of World, and I still feel at home ...And I really feel at home here in Kathmandu. I already love this people and this place. Today it did rain almost all day and of course that didn't help to make me fully appreciate the beauty of the city, but I think it is part of the game ... so here the adventure begins. Tomorrow morning Jake is supposed to land here in Kathmandu and the day after tomorrow we are headed to the Everest Base Camp trekking! But honestly, after just one day here in Kathmandu, I feel already sorry that I have to leave it. But I will have time after the trekking to discover it, I hope ...

The OTHER SIDE of the WORLD

How is flying for almost 24hours straight? I need to be honest? Mmmm ... if you can't sleep (and I didn't do it) it is pretty boring. You get into the stomach of these huge polluting machines ...... and you can't do nothing but eat, watch movies and try to convince your neighbour to stoop snoring ... but I guess it has its advantages. You get on the other side of the blog in less than 4 meals and 5 movies! And this is the Bangkok airport ... a very convoluted mix of western modernity and Thai tradition where in 4 hours stop over I managed to get lost at least 5 times. Must be the lack of sleep. Or maybe I am just retarded ...But what I loved the most is the flight Bangkok - Kathmandu. While I was on the flight I was reading this boo, in the chapter where the author described my same Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu. BTW, if you have the chance try to read this book. It is really easy to read, but most important it is really a fascinating and inspiring story. I would like to be that dude. And I saw the wonderful (from the sky) and probably poor (from the ground) Thai rice fields and the water lands of Bangladesh ...... and the green and house spotted land of the Kathmandu Valley. And of course the Kathmandu airport was quite a shock, but definitely more interesting than any other airport I am used to ... no finger to the gate, no gate ... just a strip of asphalt and a brick building that looked to me more like a Cuban bus Station, than an International airport ...... but here I am, finally in Nepal. Really excited and really curious to discover it.

NEPAL, HERE I COME

Here I am, at LAX ready to board on my 17 hours Thai Airways flight to Bangkok and from there an other flight to Kathmandu ...

... I should get in Kathmandu on the September 28th noon local time. I am definitely super excited about it. Last two days haven't been very relaxing, though. For some travel agency mistake I don't have yet a seat on my way back on October 28th. Today I was not able anymore to find my Green Card. In a word ... my usual last minute drama. But, here I am ... ready to go. The only regret is that NeNe, my soul mate can't come with me in this trip. An other reason to update my blog ... see you soon, next post from Kathmandu? I hope so ...

THANKS LEIF

We came back from our Alaska & Hawaii trips and Leif was gone. He is now back to Germany. Sad to see the house without him. But because he knew we got engaged in Alaska he left us a last gift. Here it is. Whats is it? Change. Little change, that he collected in his last days here in US. He gave them to Tina & I to start covering the costs of our wedding ... ahahahaha ... funny ka ba ... :) ... we miss you! And for all my other friends ... don't worry ... I think Tina & I are pretty much OK with Leif's gift for the wedding ... no need to chip in ... :o

SEPTEMBER SUNSET

Weird to be back home, after two wonderful trips to Alaska and Hawaii and still being impressed by a new beauty. Here it is. Today's sunset in Hermosa Beach, CA ... what I call home since 2003 absolutely stunning ...

BYE BYE HAWAII

It is time to leave Hawaii. We hae spent some amazing time here, squeezing the fun between my meeting, or maybe squeezing my meeting between the fun? Ehehehe. Anyways, here we is Tina at the Honolulu airport ...... we flew to LA thru Maui. First time there. Although we just spent 3 hours at the airport. Who knows. Maybe next time we will go to Maui on vacation ...:)

SURFING in WAIKIKI

One of the reasons why I love to go back to Honolulu again and again is Waikiki. Waikiki is Honolulu most famous beach and it simply perfect if you want to surf wonderful waves without breaking your neck. The beach is crowned by the bronze statue of Duke. Duke was the nickname of Paoa Kahanamoku and he was ans still is the most famous name in surfing, an Olympic champion, Hollywood actor and Hawaiian folk hero. Here is Tina in front of the statue. We rented a board for the entire day of Saturday. It is $40 for the entire day, but it is definitely worthwhile doing it. We had a lot of fun surfing. I did teach to Tina how to surf. And she loved it. And she did pretty good. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of her surfing, because my camera is not waterproof. And when she was tired, I took the board and I went to catch some bigger wave a offshore. Absolutely wonderfully gentle waves. I have some other pictures from the beach, not from the water. But still they are giving you an idea. I particularly love the kids surfing ...

... so what are you waiting for? When are you guys going to surf in Waikiki? I hope soon ... :)

OAHU NORTH SHORE

If you know a little bit about surfing, you probably know that Oahu North Shore is without any doubt the surfing Mecca. If you are a real champion you need to confront yourself with the monster waves of Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach, Banzai Pipeline. But this is true only in winter. When the north hemisphere swells are hitting hard the islands. In summer, and now it is still summer, the North Shore is as flat as an alpine lake. Of course in our tours of the island we stop by, just to take some pictures of the almost non existing breaks. But still its unique mix of little towns, and surfer dudes driven tourism is making this a magical spot in the island. Here some pictures for your enjoyment ...Again no waves now. But be sure that if you will come here in winter you will see monster waves and all the best surfing champions hanging out here with fear of what can happen out there once they start charging ...

HAWAII STREET FOOD

Street food. Street food. Street food. I love it. And even if Hawaii cuisine is far from being my favorite I can't resist to stop when I see a street food truck. For Tina is even easier, because she loves Hawaiian food. So here we are in the Oahu East shore enjoying a plate fresh Garlic Shrimps plate and some local smoothie ... everything was really good ... and we enjoyed it so much and at the end of our splendid meal we went also to pick up some flowers from a tree close by ...

VALLEY of the TEMPLES

The Valley of the Temples is definitely one of the best Hawaii kept secrets. It is in the Oahu island, but even if this my 5th trip here, and I didn't really know that I had missed such a beauty. We read about it on the Lonely Planet while we were driving around and we decide to go visit it. The Valley of the Temples is probably the nicest and peaceful cemetery I have seen in my life. Everything seems so graciously organized. So colorful. Almost a Paradise ...And on top of that there is a wonderful replica of a 12th century Japanese Buddhist temple in Uji, Japan. The temple here in Oahu has been built in the late 1960s. Its name is Byodo-In Temple. Byodo-In means Phoenix. In fact the temple features two majestic metal phoenixes along the top ends of the main temple. The Buddha is seating on gold lotus leafs ...So, if I can suggest something ... try not to miss a visit here if you will go to Oahu. It is really such a peaceful and inspiring place ...