Two Weeks Till Kathmandu

I'm at work, not able to get anything done. I am listening to Bollywood oldies and the first song I hear is from the film Teesri Kasam (1966), Chalat Musafir. The song basically describes a caged bird who has been set free and decides to make the most of the different places she lands.
I've been traveling all over the place since October of 2009: India, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, and now Nepal. Never could anyone imagine that I was a caged bird...not even myself. But maybe I was. I limited myself to many things in life. This last year has turned me into a free bird. I have nothing holding me back and I'm taking full advantage of it.
I will arrive in Kathmandu in exactly two weeks. Stephanie will be there waiting for me and I totally look forward to meeting my sweet friend in a foreign land.
She and I are planning to be total tourists the first few days in Kathmandu, taking in the amazing sights of the city as well as the Kathmandu Valley. I hope to also visit some monastaries.
I would like to take this time to thank all of you that donated to my volunteer trip to Pokhara. According to government data, 9.5 million people in Nepal live in less than adequate housing. That means the structures are with thatched roofs and straw walls, sometimes supported by pillars made of bamboo or old timber. Water is often unsanitary and few dwellings have toilets or electricity. These dilapidated houses are also a fire risk; nearly 10,000 families lose their homes to fire every year. Thousands of others lose houses to landslides, floods and other natural disasters each year.
I am honored to be a part of a team of over 300 volunteers from around the world to provide not just houses, but homes to the people of Lakuri village.

Please stay tuned for further posts on this amazing journey! Dhanyabad (Thank you)!