This past year I took a trip to Nepal. I haven’t written about it in detail, but I will soon since there were so many themes, lessons, and crazy things that happened. For one, my friend and I were invited into two extravagant Bollywood weddings. That’s random, right? Thinking about it seems so surreal, and I get overwhelmed in an amazing way. I experienced so many incredible things, and look forward to writing about them all one day. This is just the first in a series of posts!
Some things to mention are:
Traveled for 36 hours, and transferred airports in London (I like to say I went into the future since the time zone is 12 hours ahead).
I lived in a monastery
Hung out with monks and learned some Tibetan
Got lost in the town of Bhaktapur after our cab driver left us stranded
Received blessings by monks
Had to sleep with a mosquito net
Made amazing friends from all over the world
Learned how to bargain shop
Walked side by side with monkeys
Went on an exhausting yet empowering mountain bike ride
I climbed A LOT of stairs
I learned aspects about myself that I didn’t even know existed
Oh, and I became un-vegan when I learned I was eating paneer instead of tofu. Yikes! I guess it was time.
And, a lot more that you’ll hear about later….
Oh, did I mention that this was my first trip out of USA?
I was going through my pictures the other day, which stirred up some emotions and brought back so many wonderful memories from the trip! I noticed a few patterns or themes that occurred with my pictures, and one big one was hanging prayer flags.
Prayer flags were hung all over and in abundance. You would never see just one string if prayer flags, but several hung and tied together moving effortlessly in the breeze. It was just one of the most beautiful sights ever. Many areas of Nepal were dirty, dusty, and very polluted, and polluted to the point where people were wearing masks for protection. The air quality was one of the hardest things for me to deal with when I was there. It really exhausted and drained every part of my being. The first thing I was excited to do when arriving back in the US was breathe in the fresh air. I started thinking about it two days before I left Nepal. I could not wait to breathe fresh air again, and I had so much gratitude for the luxury of air conditioning, drinking water, good plumbing, and fresh air. Compassion and gratitude took on new meanings for me.
Prayer flags are hung and bless every area of Nepal, and you’ll see from the photos below that they make even the most desolate or impoverished areas look gorgeous. Everything was so breathtaking, and I couldn’t stop taking pictures. I have so many photos all over with prayer flags hanging in the background, but I picked a few of my favorites.
I remember that there were times I just put the camera down and just had to stare in awe and take in the scenery. It would bring me to tears, and I close my eyes sometimes and try to bring myself back to those experiences.
I purchased a ton of flags when I was in Nepal, and gave them away as gifts, but also hung them around my apartment.
Here are some of my favorite photos of prayer flags from the trip, and I should also mention that there are no filters or edits with these:
I 
I mean COME ON! Does it get more beautiful that that!
What do you think? Want some prayer flags to bless your home or business, or to give away as a gift?
Try these:
1. 
Link to this page to see more great options: Tibetan Prayer Flags
Some Great Books on Prayer Flags and Nepal if you’re interested in :
1. Prayer Flags: Blessings on the breeze (Book-in-a-Box)
2. Tibetan Prayer Flags: Send Your Blessings on the Breeze with Other
3. The Tibetan Prayer Flag Pack: Wind-Blown Prayers for Peace, Enlightenment, and Spirituality (Wisdom Packs)
4. Colors of Nepal: Kathmandu, Boudha, Bakthapur, Patan, Pharpin
You can find these and tons of other cool stuff here!
Feel free to bookmark this so you can refer to it later! Please also share and pin & thanks!
Do you have awesome prayer flag pictures, or have you blessed your home or place of business with some prayer flags? Upload a pic to the comments and share so we can see!
Love this!!!!!
I still cannot believe that was your first trip abroad, amazing! Great photos and narrative of the trip, thanks for sharing!
These personal and up close travel remembrances are the best! It’s a real human experience story. Can’t wait for more.
Thanks & glad you like it! I’ll do some more travel posts soon 🙂
Thanks Barton! I know, crazy, right? Who goes to Nepal for their first trip? Most people go to Canada or the Bahamas. Not me!
Thanks! Thanks also for taking that first picture of me! I remember it was so rainy that day.
What an amazingly beautiful display of prayer flags in these photos! I really want some now. I personally know how much my trip to the Mexican slums changed my life, and looking back at the pictures gives me a much needed heart-change every time. Sometimes travel can really open your eyes to new people, and help you become a more compassionate person in the process.
Hi Jenni! Thanks for your comment & reading! I totally agree with you. The things I brought back from my trip were compassion and gratitude, which are way better than a ton of material possessions. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Hope to connect over travel stories more and have a great day!