Auspiciousness and Gut Instinct

"That's where I'm from."

"Sorry?" I said, half-asleep, as the girl sitting next to me pointed to my Lonely Planet guide of Kathmandu.

"I'm from Kathmandu.  I'm going home to visit my family.  My name is Lamdikee Sherpa.  My friends call me Neema."  

Awesome.

If there's one concept other than karma that's central to this region, it's auspiciousness.  Having been randomly assigned to sit next to Neema on the plane from SFO all the way to Kathmandu certainly fit that.  This girl reminds me of my dad- she left her home country to study hotel management, traveled and worked all over the US and Europe, including the Danish Embassy, met her spouse abroad, and now lives in Sonoma in the US.  She hasn't been home in five years.

Neema exemplifies what many say about Nepali culture: she's easy-going, friendly, genuine, and was great company during our 9-hr layover in Singapore. I data-mined her for travel tips & recommendations. She made sure to wake me when we flew by Everest on our descent to KTM & insisted I sit in her window seat so I could take pictures. 

We became fast friends, and plan to meet up again during my stay. Turns out we also have the same flight back to the US!

In other news, WE MADE IT. After 30+ hrs of transport, it was surreal to finally arrival in Nepal. A whirlwind of thoughts hit me at once: overwhelming emotion at seeing the Himalayas with my own eyes and finally being in a place I've thought about for years, similarities to other developing countries, feeling a bit anxious yet at home at the same time, and hoping I didn't get a DVT on the flight over.

On a whim, I had booked a little-heard-of hostel online for the first week. It wasn't in any of the guidebooks but had decent web reviews and kept coming up in my searches, and offered free airport pick-up. I decided to go with my gut instincts on this one (something I was reminded, during my Outward Bound solo, that I don't do enough). Like magic, Milan, the travel manager at my hostel, showed up with my name on a placard and drove me to my $4.50/night abode. Can't complain about a single rate for a double room with a private bathroom. It may be a bucket bath, but that's what I signed up for. No pansies allowed on my trips.

I later ventured out to find the CIWEC Clinic so I don't show up late to rounds like an idiot tomorrow morning, then ran essential errands like money exchange, iodine tablets, laundry detergent, etc.  Then it was time to get serious: where was I going to eat dinner?! I had heard so much about momos (dumplings) from so many people, this had made the top of my list. The suggestion was not wasted.

At the end of the day, I wandered into a park called the Garden of Dreams, which reminded me of that Henry David Thoreau quote, "Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake."  Fitting for this adventure.

All in all, things have worked out great so far, considering I had little time to prepare for this trip. Lessons learned: Karma and going with your gut can save your butt.