I've been travelling like a snail for a while now; slow, sticky and with my home on my back. The urge to put the backpack down lead to waving around some rupees and paying rent for the first time in a looong time. An apartment in Nepal to call home for one month. Thirty days of cooking our own curries and inviting friends over for dinner parties. Sleepovers, pyjama parties, housewarmings and casual Tuesday afternoon cocktails, just because we can.
Nepal works like a magnet to me, there are so many things about this country I adore. The mindblowing nature, the smiliest people I've ever met, the inspiring way of life. Four years ago Kathmandu was where the heart is. While doing my journalism internship I was blessed to move in with a beautiful Nepalese family who adopted me as their white daughter. Especially the conversations with Ama (mum) were hilarious. She would be talking to me in Nepalese and I replied in English, both laughing because we had no clue what the other was talking about. After a couple of Nepali classes I was telling her all the time how delicious the food was, oooh derei mito chaaa! Chai? Mito chaa!
After a lovely visit to my family (filled with mito chaaa and loud laughter) I headed to Pokhara on what must have been the bumpiest bus ride of my life. Next time I take the bus, I'll remember to wear a sports bra. This city felt like the right place to settle down. For a month. That's the absolute maximum my itchy feet are willing to stay in one place. Oh, it feels mighty fine not having to live in and out of a backpack and being able to invite friends over to 'our place'. It does. But my ass is not made for sitting still and I'm craving adventures. So we are planning trips, treks, travels and festivals. And we booked flights! To Belgium! On june 18! But for now: we stuff our faces with curry and climb mountains until we faint.