This space was created more than 12 months ago but yet to be completed and I doubt it'll ever be completed...
Our journey started with much anticipation, after our first trip to Nepal in the year before. Somehow, we missed out Lumbini and made a vow to come back to see the site where Gautama Buddha was born. I had an exceptional time planning, as I long to understand more of what I was brought up to believe by my mother, the teachings of Buddha that she held dear to her heart.
Our flight was superb as we were granted the emergency exit row again. It's always a pleasure to have that extra leg room (although I don't have long legs). Logically speaking, I am more than appropriate to sit on that row based on what I do for a living.
Upon landing into Kathmandu, we made our way with our guide-turned-friend, Jhak to the domestic terminal. We waited a few hours before our flight from Kathmandu to Lumbini, ready to take off. We were impressed or rather amazed by the size of the propeller aircraft, tiny but hopefully, mighty enough to fly us safely to our destination. The aircraft is so small that its aft door acts as a flight of stairs to board the plane. We had our worries, as we heard that many air crashes especially by this small airliners, where quality of maintenance is questionable.
The journey was interesting enough, with the roaring of the engines and the shakiness of the fuselage. We were also pampered by superb cabin service of free local newspapers, sweets before take-off and drinks during cruising. Who would have thought, as we were so used to no-frils airlines! But most of the time we were fixated by the jaw-dropping view of the mountainous Himalaya. It would take great knowledge to be able to name all the peaks accurately and we spared our guide the opportunity to impress us, as walking in the cabin was not that entirely feasible.
Finally, we landed at Siddhartha Gautama Airport. Arguably, it is the smallest airport that I had ever seen. It reminded me a bit of a fire station back home because its colour. In no time, we collected our hard-case cargo bag from a slab of cement top acted as the luggage carousel, minus the automation and the revolving belt. I had great admiration for the airport worker there having to deal with the impatient passengers fighting for their attention to get their luggages.
We were then greeted by a driver, who then drove us to our hotel. Along the journey, we witnessed a peace and quiet countryside, where honey is harvested and agricultural strived.
We arrived at the hotel, the grandest building in the area, and a refreshing drink was served to us. We were briefed on our meals at the hotel and of course, the frequent power cuts. In no time, we unpacked and freshen up for a walk before it gets dark. We walked towards Lumbini Garden as the sun was setting.
Naturally, when we entered the garden, we were drawn to the Panca Silas written on a nicely decorated stone. Then we proceeded to familiarise ourselves with the huge garden. We found many interesting sites but as the evening was getting dimmer by the minute, we decided to head back to our hotel. From this brief reconnaissance, we knew exactly what to do for the next day.
Lumbini made such a great impression with the actual site of Buddha's birth place (although some claimed to be somewhere in India instead), the many temples built by the Buddhists around the world and the lush greenery of the what you could imagine thousands years ago, to be a thick forest. I found peacefulness and a certain feeling of nostalgia as if I was here before. It's difficult to put it in words but I felt as part of me came from here.
We visited the elaborate German Buddhist Temple with colourful statues depicting the story of Prince Siddhartha. Then we visited the recognisable Thai Buddhist Temple, where we found photos of Richard Gere visiting this temple. And we went to the humble Sri Lankan temple where I suppose it to represent Theravada Buddhism at its purest form. It reminded me of the Vihara in Brickfields and in Sentul, KL where my family and relatives would visit and are members of the vihara, very simple, very quiet and calm. I still feel very fondly of receiving the vihara's newsletter with my mom's name on the envelope. Yes, she was a member and we love going to the temple with her.
We also rode on a trishaw to visit the Japanese Peace Pagoda, a grand structure white in colour, almost like a bigger version of the Peace Pagoda we visited in Pokkara, not long ago. We saw colourful flowers bloom proudly and decorated the whole place like a beautiful carpet.
The next day, we flew back to Kathmandu before boarding another aircraft to the Kingdom of Bhutan... to be continued..
