Nepal - time to say goodbye

The last days in Kathmandu and thus in Nepal fly by. During the day I work through my to-do list:

• Write numerous accommodation requests to possible hosts in Hong Kong at Couchsurfing because I have a flight but no accommodation yet. Even a silly bed in the hostel costs up to €100 per night and the hostels themselves are more or less nasty toilets.

• Eat Palak Paneer one last time at the small restaurant at Chhetrapatri

• Buy souvenirs, beg for a cardboard box and send the stuff to Germany with some effort

• Visit Durbar Square in Patan

• Meet Krishna and Bishnu for a beer and a chat

• Spend the last day by a beautiful pool and do nothing

I manage to do everything except for the day by the pool. I decide to skip it in favor of taking a flight to Mount Everest and instead travel to a beautiful beach as soon as possible. The evenings are also filled with nice activities. On Tuesday evening, I have a date with Andreas at Tamarind in Patan to dance salsa. It's a lot of fun because I really missed both Cuban music and dancing. The dancers are more inclined to dance in a line, but they are all nice. On Wednesday evening, we go to the best pizzeria in town. After so much delicious Nepalese food, I really fancy a wood-fired pizza with lots of garlic and a nice glass of red wine. Andreas tells me a lot about the caste system here in Nepal, which is so complex that I lose track of it after a short time, the societal pressure to marry within one's own caste and to conform. Phew! We start a conversation with a group of Indian-origin English people at the neighboring table, so time flies by in no time. Just like my time in Nepal in general. On one hand, I'm sad because I really liked Nepal and I had many encounters with wonderful people here, on the other hand, I feel that it's time for me to continue traveling. Namaste Nepal! I will miss you.