Kathmandu: as dusty and hectic as expected but even more crowded during the beginning of the biggest Hindu festival of the the year: Diwali, the Festival of Lights, celebrating the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair. What better to experience a brand new land. Five days of gift giving, storytelling and connection with all beings that are connected to all things. Deep. Thought provoking. Day two every thing goes to the dogs. Then the cow, then the bull, then brothers and sisters. And maybe a little moonshine gets drunk and people dance until the early morning. Family, love, joy. Letting the light dispel the darkness is a powerful message from this powerful land. Kathmandu seems ancient and modern and really trying to move from the dark days of the early 2000s when extremists ruled the day and unless one wanted to climb the highest mountain the tourists stayed away. Surely the travelers still came, they always do but to push the economy on when tourism is so so important so too are the rest are needed. More later when I have fully recovered from my short trek that seemed maybe like climbing my own highest mountain. In the meantime, Happy Diwali my readers, family and friends.