I was asked by a friend what brought me 10,000 miles away from home, over 10 times, to Nepal. It brought me a little up short and I had to go back some 6 years to remember the path that lead me to this beautiful Himalayan land.

Serendipity has always been a word that seems to resonate well in my mind. It means a variety of events or a multi-colored patchwork of items creating a wonderful experience. I want to use it as the guide word that took me eventually to Nepal.

Mt. Fishtail View from Ghorepani, Nepal

The First Event – I retired from over 40 years of teaching. That change in life style would lead to the next event on the path to Nepal.

The Second Event - My wife and I decided to celebrate the First Event we would take a river cruise in Europe. To this end my wife started bringing home travel guides and books. One of these books would lead to the next event.

The Third Event - One of the books had letters from travelers and one person said that whenever he took a trip to a place he had never been he joined this free international pen pal club and wrote to someone from the country to which he was traveling. He said he always got a response and valuable information about where to go and what to see. And so I did exactly as he suggested and this lead me to the fourth event on my road to Nepal.

The Fourth Event - I contacted someone and got information and it worked beautifully. As I was scanning the list of countries I came across Nepal and I looked at the people wanting to write to a pen pal. I wrote and got a response and this lead to the last step.

The Fifth Event – this was an invitation to visit Nepal. It included my wife, who declined, but I went as I had never been before.

That was 6 years ago and since that time I have come to admire and love the people of Nepal who struggle against so many shortages and a lack of a government. But, it is the children that are the draw for me. As a former educator, I am torn by the helpless victims of civil war and political malaise that keeps children begging on the streets and involved with drugs and a sense that nobody cares. So, I help where I can. Getting there is neither of a short duration nor a cheap travel trip. I have tried many ways and the best and most expedient way is to fly Thai Airlines out of Los Angeles to Bangkok, Thailand.

This is a 16 to 18 hour flight. Once in Thailand, landing at 6:30 AM or so, the next day leaves you tired but glad to walk the ,long corridors of the airport and visit the shops and grab a bite to eat. For me on the way out, or in, I grab a McDonald’s hamburger as beef is not a staple in Nepal. After a 3 to 4 hour wait you fly for about 3 and a half hours into Kathmandu, Nepal, by Thai Air.

Another way is to fly out of either Los Angeles or San Francisco to home ports for whatever airline you choose. For example, on my last trip I flew Singapore Airlines so we stopped in Inchon/Seoul, Korea on our way to Singapore. In Korea we had a 2 hour layover after a 14 hour flight and then we were off again for another 6 hours into Singapore. Here I booked a room at the Ambassador Hotel which is inside the airport. Be sure to make reservations well ahead. Then in the morning we took off and flew another 6 hours into Kathmandu. Singapore service was excellent on board. This was a long flight. The one positive was the hotel where one could get a hot shower and about 6 hours of sleep. If you are younger the long flights and long layovers, 10 to 12 hours depending where you land, are handled more easily than for older travelers. Although a bit more Thai offers the ease of the flight, superior service and a quicker arrival time in Nepal.

Will I go again? Yes, as I am drawn there by good friends, beautiful scenery and the chance to help a little and give back to a few.

The sheltering canopy of Buddhism in Nepal becomes apparent with a few visits to monasteries scattered across the Kathmandu valley; indeed, you can immerse yourself in local handicraft stores selling Buddhist artifacts too. But a monastic tour is recommended to understand the influence of Buddhism and its seemingly limitless enchantment. There are no satisfactory guidelines to follow a Buddhist circuit in Nepal except that you pick a spot and randomly move on to the next. For pilgrimage tours, Nepal’s great reservoir of sanctity and solace produce a welcome note to almost any one for whom the ways of the Buddha are fascinating. Because it is in Nepal that prince Siddhartha was born who later became the Buddha, the enlightened one. From the colossal monasteries to small nunneries and gompas amidst pristine forests, the glory of the Shakyamunis and the Bodhisattvas are evident throughout this country. From Swayambhunath to Namobuddha and straight to the heart of Buddhism, Lumbini, the road to spirituality is as exciting as any adventure. It could well be defined as a quest to understand the philosophy of life and to discover yourself in the process. Monastic tours are a part of that quest, where we move into the unknown to known oneself. A Buddhist circuit is one where we visit monasteries to discover Buddhism’s vast significance on man’s soul and his deeds. You could visit Namobuddha; a place which is revered as a site where kindness and mercy were both personified by the Buddha by offering his body to be eaten by a hungry Tigress. Begin this trip from Boudhanath and then we move to Namobuddha and then to Pharping. End at Swayambhunath where the wise eyes of the Buddha bids you farewell only to further encourage you to begin your journey anew.

Boudhanath Stupa

Boudhanath is a massive Stupa which lies in the outskirts of Kathmandu, about 11 km away from the city centre. It is believed that this syupa was built by the Lichavis but many historians disagree on this fact. This dome shaped Stupa represents the mind of the Buddha and is today a popular pilgrimage destination for many Buddhists.

Kopan

The Kopan Monastery was established by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rimpoche in 1970 as a center of Buddhist Teachings. Kopan is a thriving monastery of 360 monks, mainly from Nepal and Tibet, and a spiritual oasis for hundreds of visitors yearly from around the world.

Pharping

This monastery is situated to the south of Kathmandu. It is believed that this is the spot where Guru Rimpoche (Saint Padmasambhava) attained level of a Mahamudra Vidyadhara. Some Buddhists also believe that this is the spot where Milerapa (the deity of hard work) took shelter in a cave one night.

 
Pharping has numerous monasteries and temples including an important Vajrayogini temple and the Palyul Retreat Centre, which is the residence of Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche and home to the Rigpa Shedra.

Namobuddha

This monastery lies to the east about 45 km away from of Kathmandu. We will have to make a two hour drive to reach here. It is widely believed that the Lord Buddha during his 7th reincarnation offered his body to a hungry Tigress and its cubs. This is considered a great act of mercy and kindness and has ever since attracted millions of people to this spot.

Swayambhunath

This great temple is just on the outskirts of Kathmandu. No one actually knows who built it. Many believe that the Lichavis constructed it while others believe that emperor Asoka had already visited it in the 3rd century. The Swayambhunath complex consists of a giant Stupa, a large ensemble of shrines and temples, and also includes a Tibetan monastery, a museum and a library. This site has two access points: a long stairway, claimed to have 365 steps, leading directly to the main platform of the temple, which is from the top of the hill to the east; and a car road around the hill from the south leading to the southwest entrance. The first sight on reaching the top of the stairway is the Vajra.

Located at the foot of Mount Gephel, Lhasa is the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, and is a city that has captivated the fascination of the west for centuries. Lhasa is basically famous for it is the traditional seat of the Dalai Lama and is a place that is revered by every Tibetan. In the 7th century, a powerful and visionary king called Songtsen Gampo conquered many tribes, united Tibet and moved the capital from Yarlung to Lhasa. Apart from the amazing monasteries that surrounds the city as well as the bustling tourist friendly Barkhor Street, it is the Potala palace that captivates the mind, the eye and the soul. The Potala palace is perched on the top of the Red Hill and dominates the skyline. It was built by Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. Later on, the palace became the residence of the Dalai Lamas. It still holds items like murals, holy scriptures and sutras that are invaluable to Buddhism. The city has about 2, 55,000 inhabitants and stands at an altitude of approximately 3,650 m. Some of the aesthetically as well as historically important sites in Lhasa are the Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Norbulingka Palaces.

Jokhang Temple in Lhasa

The Jokhang Temple, a revered Buddhist temple located in the Barkhor Square of Lhasa was built by King Songtsen Gampo in about 642 AD. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was originally called, Rasa Tulnang Tsuklakang (House of Mysteries). In the 11th century a learned Buddhist monk named Atisha, taught here and it was after that, that the Jokhang temple got recognition. Today the temple covers an area of about 25,000 sq. ft. The Jokhang temple is a four-storeyed structure. The style is basically Indian in its approach but has been well blended with Nepalese and well as Tibetan influences. The roofs of the temple are gilded with bronze. The rooftop has statues of two golden deer surrounding a Dharma wheel. This is one of the most revered images in entire Tibet and for the practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. As you enter the Jokhang temple complex, you can see many shrines and rooms that are well decorated. The primary chamber is a hall which houses the Jowo Shakyamuni Buddha statue, one of the most venerated objects in Tibetan Buddhism. There are also other statues of Guru Rimpoche (Saint Padmasambhava), King Songtsen Gampo, his wives, Wen Cheng of China and Bhrikuti of Nepal.