The Most Magical Place on Earth

Since arriving in Kathmandu, it has been an absolute whirlwind of catching up with old friends, celebrating a huge festival called Dashain and preparing for my upcoming trek to Everest Base Camp. More on that later...

I've been coming to Nepal since I was a little girl - that's me with my mama on my first visit when I was just two and a half (1984).  Thanks to my amazing and adventurous parents (who weren't afraid to explore the far reaches of the globe with kids in a time before iPads...eek!).  I've been hooked on this place for a really long time.

I've visited Nepal many times since this picture was taken - we did our first trek as a family when my little brother was just 7.  We came back my senior year of high school to search for tigers in Chitwan and to explore Annapurna Base Camp.  I lived here and worked as a guide after college.- and I just keep coming back!  At this point I've completely lost track of how many time I've visited Nepal.  There are not many places that simultaneously feel like home AND always feel like an extraordinary adventure.  But really, there's magic in the air here...

It would be impossible to isolate what I love the most about Nepal.  Of course, the people are amazing - the kindness and generosity that I encounter here on a regular basis are unmatched.  The food is undeniably terrific - dal bhat power 24 hour!  And the wild, hectic (and sometimes smelly) streets of Kathmandu are indescribably vibrant and real.

But certainly, the mountains are something I love most about Nepal.  Tomorrow I fly to a village called Lukla to begin the journey to Everest Base Camp.  This is a trek I've done many, many times and again - it doesn't get old.  The majesty and peace of the mountains of the high Himalaya are second to none.  It really is the most magical place on Earth!