With great anticipation in our hearts, Jeffery and I checked in at Terminal 2 and were pleasantly surprised that we had been upgraded to fly Business Class on SilkAir! Before taking off, Captain- Roy Ratilal, announced our names and later welcomed Carol and us onboard, personally. We enjoyed our flight thoroughly, with Jessica and Myat giving us excellent service. Upon arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport, our tour guide Jack welcomed us warmly and escorted us to the 5* Hotel, Yak & Yeti, to quickly freshen up before heading for Nepal’s famous tourist attractions – Swayambhunath Temple & Kathmandu Durbar Square. Our deepest impression of Kathmandu was vehicles honking everywhere because there were no traffic lights. The streets were bustling with cars, motorcycles and peddling activities. The locals were however just weaving in and out, going about their daily routine, oblivious that we were intrigued by their simple yet colourful lifestyle. During dinner that night, we enjoyed more glimpses into their culture as we watched dance performances at a famous Nepalese Restaurant, while devouring their local delicacies.

The next morning, we set off for Nagarkot after breakfast, passing through the beautiful countryside. Along the way, we saw the country folks tending to their fields and washing clothes. After a 2 hour ride, we reached CountryVilla Hotel at Nagarkot. We could immediately feel the drop in temperature when we stepped out of the van. We were served Nepal’s famous Masala Tea upon check-in. It was indeed a pleasure to enjoy the beautiful scenery while sipping tea. After lunch, we began our 4.5km trek. We met friendly locals and interesting sights along the way. There were groups of people having gatherings in an open field, with music blasting away from the radios. An army troop was seen marching downhill while we headed uphill, as there was an army base camp nearby. We stopped to enjoy the scenery, taking photos at times. There was also this incident, where a child tried to sell us Rhododendron, which is Nepal’s national flower. Although we did not eventually buy the flower, we met some tourists along the way holding the rhododendron. We took 2 hours to reach the Tower and there were lots of people – tourists taking photos, young people practicing dancing and families just sitting around chatting. We felt great to have finally reached our destination, and it was a cool 18 degree celsius with a gentle breeze. Sadly, we could not see the sunset due to cloudy skies. Jack saw our disappointment and suggested that we come back the next morning to catch the sunrise. We were elated and prayed that the sky would be clear the next day for a good view. We then hurried back to our hotel before night fell.

On the third day, we woke up at 430am to get ready for our trip to the tower. We met another group of tourists heading in the same direction though the crowd was noticeably lesser than the day before. We got our cameras ready to snap the beautiful sunrise and this time, the view was magnificent. After lots of photos and videos taking, we reluctantly went back to the hotel for breakfast outdoors. The scenery was spectacular and a joy to behold. We could not bear to leave the beauty behind but it was soon time to return to Kathmandu city. On our way down, all the cars on the road came to a sudden halt. We were told that there was a procession was coming through, held in aid of a school fund raising project. It was a great eye opener indeed. The whole procession took 20 minutes and our journey to Kathmandu continued. After checking in Yek & Yeti Hotel, we went to try Nepal’s famous dish, Momo, which was served both steamed and fried, with choices of chicken or buffalo. We loved it and strongly recommend to anyone. Then came our shopping spree at Thamel – Nepal’s top shopping spot. It was handicrafts galore and we were spoilt for choice from scarfs, bracelets to bags. After a great time shopping, we had dinner at a nearby Chinese Restaurant before heading back hotel.

On the last day, we woke up bright and early, taking in our last few hours in Kathmandu whilst recounting the adventures we’ve had. We had a hearty breakfast before checking out and heading to the Airport. We took SilkAir flight home and were once again served by friendly and efficient staff, especially Nesha and Maria. We also met up with Captain Adrian, who welcomed us home.

Thank you SilkAir for a wonderful experience which we will always treasure & Happy 20th Anniversary Class 95!