Aarvika knew she’d fall in love with Kathmandu. She didn’t know how much, but she had a feeling it was going to be somewhere extraordinary from the moment her parents agreed to let her go on a holiday trip to Asia with her friend Jessica on her 18th birthday. And she is right.

As their plane circled the Kathmandu Valley, waiting to land, the early morning sun glinted off the city’s walls. Urmila, Jessica’s cousin, and her family greeted them warmly. After a long flight, both girls are exhausted and decide to take the day off.

Aarvika was so tired from jet lag that she skipped dinner as well. They made a delicious breakfast the next morning. An omelet, bread, a stunning red jelly, and ‘hash browns,’ or cold curried potato fried with onion and tomato. Coffee with yak milk was delicious. Since Urmila and her parents are so polite and welcoming, Aarvika’s love for Nepal grew much stronger, considering the fact that she has yet to see it in daylight.

Now that they’ve been fed, Aarvika exclaims, “It’s time to hit the streets!”

Aarvika felt a tinge of curiosity from the moment they walked outside. “Aarvika, I believe we will need a couple more weeks to explore Nepal since this is your first visit here.” Jessica walked by her, taking pictures of the beautiful local kids on the street.

“Yes, I would love that,” Aarvika says as she looks around the bustling streets of Katmandu. They chose to live at a slower pace and travel while exploring whatever there is to do in Kathmandu, the greater Kathmandu Valley, and farther afield in Chitwan National Park and other regions. It took a lot of energy for them to walk the rode so high and far.

The girls, on the other hand, were ecstatic with what they saw. Nepal is a beautiful place, and Kathmandu, located in the Himalayan foothills, has maintained that theme. Volunteering at a monastery in the Kathmandu Valley is a major part of their trip through Nepal. Aside from that, they spend their free weekends exploring everything Kathmandu has to offer.

“Holy smokes, Kathmandu has a lot of history!” Aarvika also enjoys the breathtaking view of the mountains.

“Yeah, there are so many things to do and sights to see that I doubt our six weeks of weekend exploration will be enough.” Jessica agrees while scrolling through her Instagram, and the girls finish their day with some local street food.

Urmila returns home with a plate full of sel roti. It is a traditional homemade ring-shaped rice bread from Nepal that has a sweet flavor. “Aarvika, spend more time in Kathmandu, and you can become unconcerned about the absolute craziness of traffic in South Asia.”

The next day, the girls go to discover Nepal’s squares and stupas, as well as the main tourist attractions in Kathmandu. “I adore the pace of Nepal. It has some cultural nuances in common with its southern neighbor, India, but without the intensity.”

Aarvika smiled and felt relaxed because the Nepali people are fun and sweet, and every shop is happy to help them practice their Nepali. The only parallel she can think of is the distinction between Laos and Vietnam.

“Do you know what Nepal’s best selling point is?” Jessica smiles at Urmila and takes a random shot of her, and Aarvika joins her from behind, pouting.

“Wait, what?” Urmila arched her head.

“The acceptance of tourism, for example, we visited India previously, and I thought there are certain cities off the beaten path that see very little tourism. In Nepal, this is not the case.” Aarvika describes going on a ride across the valley.

“That’s because of the number of travelers hiking the Annapurna Circuit and Everest; foreigners are mostly offered little more than a passing glance,” Urmila says as she drinks water from the bottle and hands it to Jessica.

“Exactly, it was not the case in India. Despite the fact that I was overwhelmed. Men and women gazed, touched, and followed us from Gandhi’s ashram to the Taj Mahal. Nepal is a welcome change of scenery for any traveler coming from India!” Jessica gasped as she closed the bottle lid.

“Oh my...my... This is one of the places that I fall in love with right away.” Aarvika spreads her arms wide and basks in the cool mountain breeze.

They return home after spending the day near a tranquil valley and the bustling streets of Katmandu. Aarvika WhatsApps everything to her lovely Granny right after their walk through Kathmandu’s dusty streets before going to bed.

Dear Granny,

How are you? I miss you so much. I know you must have fallen asleep, but I can’t hold up to myself. I don’t know from where to start... I mean, I am in love with Kathmandu. It is a perfect place. I love everything: the tight streets with the thin buildings, the shops selling the most beautiful scarves and crafts, trekking gear, and teas; the fellow travelers walking around with beards in a uniform of baggy trousers and dusty vests (but not like in Thailand), looking like they love it too.

The juice stands, the little rickshaws, the people, the restaurants, and even the dust. It is my kind of place, and I am already dreading leaving.

Our accommodation is nice. Urmila and her family are also nice, friendly, and sweet. Breakfast was delicious and very filling. We’re now back in the room after a wander of heaven.

It was so colorful and pretty.

I kept having to stop to take photos and probably irritated everyone behind me. The streets are so thin, and footpaths are pretty nonexistent, so we end up walking in a line flush against the shopfronts to let cars and bikes pass.

We’re going to go back out soon and hopefully sit in a pretty garden or rooftop bar and just take it all in. Every second is a photo op, and I just want to capture it all.

This is the first time it has tempted me to buy stuff. I’ve already spotted so many scarves I need, a few statues, like a gorgeous Hindu one in turquoise, cool pipes, silver jewelry, and boxes for tea. Sigh of contentment, this is amazing!!

Kathmandu just got better and better, especially when we tried buffalo dumplings at dinner! Although the dust did eventually get old!

I love you a lot and can’t wait to see you again, Granny. Gn. XOXO

After having a good nap, in the morning girls are fully charged to roam the city again. They eat a tasty breakfast and pack their belongings for the tour. “Where are we going today?” Aarvika requests that her damp hair be blown out with a hair dryer.

Urmila looks at her as she takes the breakfast plate from the table and says, “Pashupatinath Temple.”

“That sounds cool; I’ve learned a lot about Lord Shiva’s holy temple,” Aarvika says as she walks around searching for her shoes beside the couch.

“Let’s go, ladies, I’m ready.” Jessica enters the room carrying a floral pink frok, and both Aarvika and Urmila praise her look before they depart to resume their journey.

Pashupatinath Temple is a holy place for Hindus and cannot be visited on a whim. Aarvika viewed the temple from the opposite bank of the Bagmati River. The location across the river, which is also a UNESCO site, helps you to watch from above as they conduct ceremonial cremations in the Ghats on the river’s edge on a regular basis.

Pashupatinath is also a sprawling complex, so the bird’s-eye view of the temples and ashrams is unlike any other temple in Kathmandu. But it’s all worth seeing up close, so cross the river at some point to see the photographs and buildings.

Urmila leads them through the temple, explaining, “Both of these sites are right in the Kathmandu Valley and are believed to contribute not only to the Valley’s creation and growth, but each one is specifically related to the country’s Buddhist and Hindu spirituality.” Isn’t the religious mix of this part of the world special and very harmonious?”

“Yes, see those temple complexes, the stupa; it seems to be a Hindu building, with influences from neighboring India, I believe.” Aarvika strolls along, taking photographs of people and architecture as she goes.

“You know, ladies, the temple is made of three kinds of architecture and multiple religious traditions all sharing the same place,, and all of the worshippers commingle without conflict,” Urmila says as she sits on one of the steps and looks away to the other side of the river. It’s a curious blend of cultures and religions that pervades Nepali culture and society.”

Aarvika was so engrossed in her exploration of the temple that she forgot to check her phone. Aarvika feels alive again as they enjoy the last ray of sun from the top of the mountain, and she wishes she could be here with her grandmother someday.

Jessica’s voice snapped her out of her reverie: “I think it’s your call.”

Aarvika blinks at her and says, “Oh, yeah.” As she checks her cell, she notices a few missed calls from her parents, grandmother, and Derek.

“Come on, it’s time to go.” Urmila walks in front of them, taking the lead.

As they get home, they eat dinner, and Urmila tells them about the city’s nightclub. They all plan to go tonight because Urmila received VIP passes from her friend Blake.

Aarvika spoke with her parents and grandmother over the phone, but she was not in a positive mood due to her fight with Derek. She wanted to cancel the night, but she didn’t want to disappoint Jessica; after all, they were here to celebrate and have fun.

Derek, she believes, would abandon her because of their frequent fights and because he is a very possessive boyfriend. She, on the other hand, does not want to miss him. She throws her bad attitude out the window and tries to spend the night.

When they arrived at the bar, it was still crowded. They proceed to the upstairs private suite, which is full of elite people. Jessica told her to relax and forget about Derek for God’s sake; she also wants her to end things with Derek because she senses it’s become a toxic relationship for Aarvika.

Urmila embraces Blake and exchanges a few words with him before introducing him to Jessica and Aarvika.

“Hello, Blake here.” He extends his hand with a friendly smile.

“Hello...” Jessica beams.

“Hello there, good to see you.” Aarvika waves, and they shake hands.

“Enjoy the party ladies, and Urmila, let me know if you need anything.” Blake gives her one more hug before returning to his other friends.

Sure...” Urmila goes to the pub, orders drinks for them, and informs them that today’s party is being hosted by the owner himself. Aarvika gets a thrill and wonders, “Who is that crazy person in the room?”

Urmila informs her of Jayson Soni. This is Soni’s club, and tonight is a special occasion for him, so he is throwing a party. Aarvika sips her beloved red wine mixed with vodka, and she begins to lose her senses.

That wine gave her the courage to flirt with Jayson. She watches him calmly. He is conversing with his friends while sipping his drink. In the room, he stands out as unique and endearing.

His brown almond eyes are stunning, and his well-shaped physique complements his overall appearance perfectly. She sees him going to the far corner of the room and peering out the window at the people on the dance floor. She steps towards him, taking two more shots.

“Congratulations!” She has no idea why, but because he has thrown this party, her general meaning is that it’s a good word to start a chat or hit on a guy you like.

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