Flying north over the entire continent of Africa, I pondered all the sites below, helped by the map tracker on the TV screen--Over Zimbabwe, I looked down on Lake Victoria. A few hours later, the dry desert of Somalia, then Ethiopia. Next, we crossed the Red Sea (which I hadn't seen in over 6 years!), before entering the Arabian peninsula. After a layover in Bahrain, I had a short flight to Muscat, Oman. There, I had a 12 hour layover, where I tried to get a bit of sleep on the floor while at the same time making sure my stuff didn't get stolen (which really made it hard to do either). Finally, I boarded the plane for Katmandu, joined by several hundred Nepali men returning home from working in Qatar. Leaving the middle east, I realized that from this point on I was now further than I'd ever been from home, going a thousand feet further every second. Nepal, in case you don't know right where it is (I didn't until recently), is a tiny country sandwiched between the giants of India and China (actually, it's Tibet) I was hoping to be able to get a view of the Himalaya rising out of the plains of India, with Tibet in the background. Unfortunately, I didn't have a window seat, so I didn't get to see much of anything :(

I've only been here one day, but walking the streets today was the first time in quite a while that I've truly had a sensory overload. Sights, sounds, and smells, that were completely foreign to me, all within a mass of people as thick as I've seen anywhere. Now I know how people feel the first time visiting Times Square. The streets are very narrow--the ones that the cars don't fit on are perfect for motorcycles, so you need to walk with care. The smells of incense and exotic spices are lovely, while the raw fish and piles of garbage are less so. By coincidence, my arrival coincides with the Hindu festival of Diwali--the festival of lights (which I remember from my days at Hopkins). All the houses and streets are decorated with colorful lights, and people on the street have red paint on their foreheads. There are also powerful firecrackers everywhere, which are fun but a bit startelling.

I planned to do one of the walking tours recommended in my Lonely Planet, but soon realized that, since streets aren't labelled here, trying to follow the route would take so much concentration I'd never get to enjoy the sites (not to mention the Lonely Planet seemed to be an incredibly powerful magnet for people trying to sell you stuff). So I was quite content wandering aimlessly for the afternoon, completely absorbed by a completely new environment.

I did have one unpleasant experience which bothered me. The touristy places in Katmandu, like any tourist destination, are full of people that want to "help" you--some want to sell you stuff, others want a donation, others want to rob you, and sometimes its a combination of all (within 3 minutes of leaving my hotel, I had one guy try to sell me a little statue, then ganja, then offered to be my tour guide, and finally just gave up and asked if I'd buy him some milk). The desperation of the country's economic situation is reflected by the desperation of some street vendors, and it's often quite difficult to explain that you're not interested. Unfortunately, because of this situation, as a tourist (as much as I hate that word there's no denying that's what I am on this trip) you need to be suspicious of anyone that approaches you on the street, as benign as they may appear. Moreover, it becomes so frustrating, that sometimes I just ignore the person shouting at me, perpetuating the stereotype that Americans are rude. (Once I tried pretending that I was from Spain and didn't speak English, but this didn't work very well after the man pointed out that the guidebook I was reading was printed in English!) This is unfortunate, because some people are just curious and want to talk to you, but it's very difficult to seperate these peope from ones that just want your money.

As I was stopped on the street looking at a map (or trying to at least), a well dressed man came up to me and started a conversation in very good english. He explained that he was studying law, and would finish school in one year. As we were talking, he suggested we walk together towards where I was going. I was still skeptical, but was enjoying the conversation, so agreed. After a few minutes, as he started to explain to me about the sites and temples we were passing, I realized he wanted to be my tour guide and would expect me to pay him. I explained to him that I was happy enjoying the sites on my own, and he asked if I'd give him a tip for the few minutes we had already spent together, which I declined. He proceeded to inform me that Americans (including myself, I assume) are "without morals", that our country had "bad politics and bad people". I told him I was sorry he felt that way, and offered to discuss the matter with him and why I didn't give him money. He declined and walked away.

The encounter really got under my skin. Throughout my travels, I have faced countless uncomfortable situations like this. While I clearly have far more money than the average person in the countries I've visited, if I gave money to every needy person I encountered, even a litte, I'd be without a penny before long. And what does giving money to people really do in the long term, other than create an association between foreigners and money? Nonetheless, it makes me uncomfortable, to say the least, to realize that during my 4 month trip, I will spend more money, PER WEEK, than the average Nepali person makes IN AN ENTIRE YEAR (about $220USD). I don't see how any Western traveller in developing countries can escape this inequality, and the feelings it causes. Nonetheless, I do think it's a good thing that I am at least exposed to the problems and unpleasant realities in the world. Through this trip I now realize, or at least appreciate, more than ever how wealthy and fortunate I am in comparison with others. Hopefully, through my knowledge and position of priviledge, I can contribute to making the world a better place in my lifetime.

I am planning a 17 day trek through the Himalaya, around the Annapurna mountains, beginning tomorrow, so I will be out of communication for a bit. Its supposed to be one of the best hikes in the world, so needless to say I'm very excited!