• The English Student

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    Krishna was waiting outside the old city walls of Bhaktapur. A small boy, all smiles and curiosity, he could have passed for twelve but was probably a lot older. As I waited at the gate to pay the entry fee to the city he approached me. “Can I show you around?” “Err, no it’s okay…

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  • Bric a brac and death in Bhaktapur

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    A living museum. That’s how the guide books describe Bhaktapur, Nepal’s “cultural gem”. Such accolades seem two a penny these days and hearing a place described this way can make you sceptical, because all too often the praise turns out to be unfounded, the compliments little more than marketing exaggeration, deception at worst, wishful thinking…

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  • Kathmandu

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    There’s something about arriving in this city that has got me on edge. Not nervous or frightened, just curious and a little perplexed. It’s the contradictions. The way my expectations have been fulfilled and challenged almost immediately upon my arrival. As we flew in, the plane dropped into a vast green valley, a lush and…

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  • Returning is never easy

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    The start of yet another grey, rainy, winter in Holland and I am starting to realise that it still feels very strange to be back here. Even though it’s almost a month since my return, this place feels very unfamiliar to me at times. Sometimes travel does that to you I guess? Makes home seem…

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  • Your cheatin heart…

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    I usually kill all pop-ups that manage to find their manacing way through my virus software. But this one got me. I guess it appealed to the Raymond Chandler reader in me. “Is your wife cheating?” “Do you suspect an affair?” “Contact our e-detectives now!” Well gee. How about that? An e-detective for e-affairs. What…

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