Dear everybody

I'm back from my short weekend trip to Naragkot, a lil village 2000m in the west from Kathmandu. It was great for a change to get out of dirty KTM... There, life is simple and everything is just hilly and green.
After I survived the 2hours bus journey (ways too many people in it, very unstable looking floor, weird noises, too small winding roads and a busdriver who obviously tried to be Michael Schuhmacher - I was kind of already thinking I'm gonna go to heaven every minute!) I finally got to see the real Nepali way of life. Everything was so calm and peaceful and people (most of them Buddhists) extremly friendly. Of course also there are a lot poor people, but it's still not compareable with the situation in Kathmandu. I can't understand why some of them want to change their (surely better) lives in the countryside with a life here in KTM. How desperate most they be to leave this behind and go to dirty KTM...
My weekend was very easygoing and relaxing, just strolling around - to some pics in the area for example (well "just" around 2500m high lil mountains, which look like green hills with a lot of trees). I'm trying to get a bit of a shape for the next days, coz I wanna start my adventure, my pilgrimage around the Annapurnas soon (tomorrow probably taking the bus to Besisahar the startpoint). But I'm completly worried if I will succeed... I have already now problems at like 2000m with my around 12kg bag... how will it be when i get higher...
As I said life there is easy going, people are friendly, got some more tea-invitations (Especially nice was the meeting with a big fat rat who was falling from the ceiling (and yep above was the kitchen) just before eating...), and surroundings just beautiful. I was seeing the Himalaya Range - incredible, unglaublich !! - the first 7000s I 've ever seen... so beautiful. But the most incredible thingy was.... I saw Mount Everest as well.... ! Just a small point in the skyline, but still... A great weekend...

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Unfortunately here back in Kathmandu life seems grey... I wish I wouldn't have to write that, but the political situation is getting tough here. In Tibet are huge protests against China, because of the upcoming Olympic games (Tibet wants to participate, everywhere are supporting stickers and flags in KTM for that). I don't know how much you guys in the west hear about that in the newspapers (coz again there is a blockade of newspapers from the Chiense government), but the University in Lhasa was closed and some 500 students(!!) arrested. A friend I met here is studying over there and can't get back to Tibet, coz tehre are road blockades every ten kms. His friends are sitting in the university in Lhasa, not having the right to leave and food is getting less and less... Some rumors are saying taht foreigners have to leave the country until midnight. I'm not sure if there have already been shot some people... I wouldn't deny it...
Please people think on our poor fellows in Tibet and support them mentally. spread the news and help people in the west getting informed about shitty Chinese politics!

Well here in KTM we can't feel any disturbings... The only thing which really scares me are the Maos. They are everywhere here and r very active, coz election are gonna take place in 1 month. I hope they are not gonna win, but here in the KTM valley the majority seems to support them a lot.
A guy I got to meet on the weekend who comes from the south of Nepal told me foreigners shouldn' be in Nepal during elections coz it might get dangerous... no idea what that means... he was kind of drunken... but I think he is right... most people are expecting troubles... It's the first election for Nepal coz before it was a kingdom, but king was sent away some months ago...

shit I gotta go....

please support Tibet !
think on them, take care,

and don't worry about me

lots of love Eva