Lonnie in Nepal #8, final entry

Photos:Chitwan Nat.Pk, Cultural show, Katmandu, Amy and Nicole, plate o' pleasure

Oct.1st My birthday and I was on a chicken bus (no real tourist bus as promised) for 5hrs to Chitwan Nat.Park where it was alleged that I'd see all kinds of animals. I didn't have high expectations as I've been on safaris in Africa during animal migrations and I know there's nothing that can compare to that....and I was right. I was the lone guest at the Jungle Safari resort? On my birthday?

My guide took me on a jungle walk where the only thing I saw was jungle. Domesticated elephants were too common to see as exotic, and on the second day, me and many other visitors rode them through the park... not comfy at all!

After an hour of being slapped and scraped by tree branches, we finally came upon a lone rhino, a few deer, monkeys, and birds...end of Safari.

I had dinner alone and tried not to be depressed but my birthday was over without any hoopla or even the birthday song...totally anticlimactic! 2 years prior, I was eating a lobster dinner on a Galapagos Island! 1 year ago, I was dodging cows in India!

I checked emails where I had lots of Happy birthday wishes and was grateful for that! and so many things, especially for life itself. Thank you God! Thank you all!

After 3 days of Chitwan, I took a chicken bus back to Katmandu and checked into a hotel. With little more than 24 hrs to shop, I started, and got a few good deals. Later, I headed for the airport only to discover my flight was cancelled. Thankfully, I'd met Amy (New Yorker in Nepal to adopt daughter) and Nicole (Australian who'd visited the country of Bhutan). We became fast friends and that remains the highlight of my trip! The airline (Dragon Air) put us up in a fantastic hotel, in fact, it was one that Nicole had checked out of earlier that day! We laughed and entertained one another. The gift shops had amazing deals and I enjoyed the food, hot shower, western toilet, big tv, and an eagle soaring around outside my window.

It took 27+ hrs to get home, thanks to a 9hr layover in Hong Kong, but I made the best of it by watching movies, and tv shows on the plane. I spent the next few days sleeping off the disorientation and let down of the trip. Nepal is a beautiful country but I have no plans to return.

What I came away with is a deep and abiding appreciation for so many things I take for granted, I wrote 2 pages worth in my journal.

I love you Eva (my angel and inspiration) and though I only completed 7 of the 10 day trek, I dedicate those days to you and your determination to live & love, Diva-style! I also dedicate the entire trip to anther year of life, as Spirit illuminated all I needed for the next phase of my evolution, and for that, I feel abundantly blessed.

Thank you Life!

...and thank you for checking out my adventure, feel free to leave a note here yahoo address or on facebook to let me know you stopped by...

I wish you great adventures and abundant blessings,

Namaste

Lonnie "Nubian Nomad"