Nepal Collection

It was in Nepal that I found the inspiration for the title of this website.
In the southern Terai region there is a village called Sauraha. It began as a very small community of daub huts and houses at the eastern gateway to Chitwan National Park and, although having more recently grown into a small town, it still retains the old laid-back atmosphere.
Only rarely in life does everything come together in one special moment, but I recall walking down the main street of Sauraha one late afternoon, and feeling totally at peace, in the best of health, and supremely happy. Naming my website after that lovely place was a way of celebrating  a priceless memory. 

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I had for long enough wanted to visit Nepal, and was lucky enough to do so back in 2010 when I undertook a trek in the Annapurna region of the Himalaya. I was keen to return, but this time with camera in hand, and was again very fortunate to be there in mid-November, 2014. This was just a few months before the Ghorka earthquake of April 2015 brought devastation to many parts of the country.
 As I write, I have to wonder whether it will ever be possible to see again those precious buildings...many of them part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites...that are still in ruins today. From what I can gather, many things seem to stand in the way of rebuilding, but I can only hope that one day they will rise again from the ashes.

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 Nepal is a landlocked country, with India to the east, south and west, and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north. It is perhaps one of the least developed nations...due partly to its isolation from the rest of the world until 1951...but nonetheless holding a strategic position between India and China.
Some of the most difficult and treacherous mountain terrain on the planet is right here, and in fact the greater part of the country is mountainous, the highest point of course being Everest, currently (May 2021) at almost 29,032'. A hundred or so miles away to the south, and the Terai region, the elevation drops to as little as 194'. The landscape is therefore diverse, ranging from the low, fertile plains in the south, and northwards through the forested Churia foothills, the rugged Mahabharat Range and finally to the Great Himalaya itself.
My first visit to Nepal was, by virtue of its nature, very much in the high Himalaya, but this time the focus was more cultural...and probably just as well, as the weather at the time meant that those incredible, snowy peaks were often hidden behind huge banks of cloud and mist.
There exists a number of religions here, but the majority of Nepalis are either Hindus or Buddhists. Having a multi-dimensional heritage means great diversity in customs, language, food, folklore and celebrations, to name but a few. The culture is rich and unique, and begs to be explored...something that comes very easily with such wonderfully warm and friendly people.

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