I did not expect to lock eyes with a living goddess in Nepal. But Kathmandu pulsates with prayer, ritual and surprises, despite its reputation as a party stop en route to the mountains. On Everest Day, as climbers and summit counts dominate the conversation, it feels like a good time to look away from the mountain straining under record crowds, and struggling to survive its own popularity. Instead, I settle in Kathmandu to explore the richness of the valleys below.
Trekkers at Mount Everest
| Photo Credit:
fotoVoyager
From Thamel, boisterous with nightclubs, hiking stores and fit climbers in ‘Annapoorna Base Camp’ T-shirts, I head to historic Durbar Square, weaving between believers, TikTokers and tourists.
