Back to Kathmandu by bus

The alarm clock woke us up at 5am and an hour later the taxi was waiting for us on the street. Our landlord had given us orange cloths with Buddhist symbols of good luck before, and then we set off to Pokhara. The bus ride took 8 hours again, including lunch at the Riverside Lodge. Unfortunately, the final stop and starting point of the bus ride were not the same, which we were surprised to find out. So we ended up somewhere in Kathmandu with our luggage on the outskirts of the city. But we were immediately surrounded by taxi drivers and only had to agree on the price. After squeezing ourselves and all the luggage into the small car, we got stuck in traffic towards the tourist district of Thamel. Kathmandu is a challenge even for seasoned Southern Italian travelers. The dimensions are much greater: traffic, air pollution, garbage, etc., in comparison Naples seemed like a spa town. Most people wear cloths over their mouths and here we finally understood why. Our taxi driver did his job skillfully and safely dropped us off at our hotel. After a welcome coffee and a quick refresh, we threw ourselves into the evening hustle and bustle. It's indescribable what's going on here! The number of shops is enormous and the variety of goods offered is incredible. You are constantly approached and encouraged to look at, try, and preferably buy something. Despite all this, you never feel unsafe, crime does not seem to be a major issue except for some exceptions.