Trip to India and Nepal

The last two weekends in November, I took a trip with GAP Adventures to India and Nepal. It was a real experience. Rich with culture and scenery, and very memorable. Met a lot of people from other countries on my trip which made the trip that much more special. I was shocked by the level of poverty, pollution, noise, overcrowing and unsanitary conditions in India. And I was even more shocked at how well people were able to get along in these conditions and with so many different religions. The trip made me appreciate the life I have in America, and also envy the social harmony that the people have managed to achieve in India and Nepal.

India

The first half of the trip was in India. We got to see an incredible number of palaces, bargain for great deals at the local bazaars, taste test treats at the street stalls, float along the Ganges River, and watch the monkeys. Got so many pictures from the trip, here's a link to my better ones.

Nepal

The second half of the trip was in Nepal, and it was a welcome change from India. Much cleaner, and we enjoyed a well-deserved retreat in Chitwan National Park where we chased rhinos on elephant-back and explored the rainforest. We enjoyed sunrise overlooking the Anapurna Range at the Sarangkot Peak, and bought lots of local wares at the markets in Pokhara and Kathmandu. Even got to take a flight to see Mt Everest! Here's a link to pictures I took in Nepal, which include a lot of the great people that I met on the trip.