Saying Goodbye.

The Boeing 747 taxied to the runway and I could see the Boudanath Stupa off in the distance, a place I visited just a few days earlier with Pranita. Just past the fences of the small Kathmandu airport the busy streets of the city could still be seen. The flight attendants were at the front giving safety procedures. The plane sped down the runway and took off. As soon as we were in the sky I looked out the window to see the Himalayas crystal clear, a rare sight from Kathmandu due to the air pollution. I stared at the massive wall of mountains as they got smaller and eventually out of site. I took a deep breath and said a silent goodbye to Nepal.

My last week in Kathmandu was spent busily running around the city to try and say goodbye to all of my new found friends and to shop for gifts for all my friends back home. The process of making deals and haggling over prices helped me to detach from the sadness of having to leave. I toyed with the idea of extending my flight back home, but knew that I really didn’t have the money. Everyday I met with a different friend, though I was pressured to see some more than once. Most everyone had the same questions. “When will you return to Nepal?” “Will you forget us?” I gave out my contact information, and promised them that I could never forget this place, and I promised to one day return.

My friend Pranita who became quite close during my last month in Nepal invited me one day to Boudanath. I was busy trying to get my shopping done, but decided to take the afternoon off to see her again. We arrived at the temple in mid afternoon when everyone comes to pray. It was very crowded, but amazing at how peaceful and quiet everything was. We climbed to the top of the stupa and sat for a long while. We barely spoke a word and just watched the people praying down below. It hit me then that in just a few short days I would be back in the world of Dunkin Donuts and American Idol. We sat until the sun set. She looked over at me and said “we should go.” I just sighed and said “I don’t want to go.”

On our last day in the city I was able to see all my good friends one last time Nabbin, Suresh, Ram, and Sankar. They all had gifts and they all blessed me with a ceremonial katta (silk scarf), I had six around my neck when I left for the airport. Al and I said goodbye to the Monastery staff and our western friends traveling in Asia, and got a taxi to the airport.

Arriving home it was nice to see family again and to reunite with my dog Lily. But something just didn’t feel right. Bringing a journey like this to an end is not an easy thing to do. I have fallen in love with a far away land, that I hope to return to some day. Theres a lot back home that I will need to readjust to, like the fact that my Starbucks coffee this morning cost me more than 3 meals and lodging in Nepal.