I am now in Katmandu, I have always wanted to visit Katmandu ever since in the 70s the country first opened up and became a mecca for travellers and hippies (I wanted to be a hippy but somehow found myself "making war not love" instead of the opposite). And as I descended from the mountains and first saw the city from far away and above I could almost believe that it
had not changed, but of course when I got closer I could see that it was not a crowded, poverty stricken slum infested ( Indian) city but one with a special charm of its own. And I have already eaten 2 steaks though I only arrived about 30 hours ago.

I entered Nepal from the East, near Siliguri in north West Bengal. The border crossing was easy and then I drove west along the Nepali highway and the road was not at all bad. nepal, I could se was far less crowded than India and obviously much poorer, hard as that may be to believe. There are far less vehicles on the road, the most popular motor vehicle is the tractor and there are many more bicycles than mopeds. The buses and trucks are more heavily loaded but seem to drive less maniacely than there southern neighbours.

After driving about 350 kilometers to the west the road branched northwards into the mountains and I left the plains behind eventually reaching Danam at a level of 2322 meters where I spent the night. From the Lonely Planet I had gotten the impression that Daman was a small town or village - actually it is a collection of 5 hotels and 2 dhabbas with a population of about 100, and that night I was the only guest. But the view the next morning from the hotel viewing tower and restaurant was amazing. The road over the mountains was breathtaking, I could see down far below where I had started from, I could see the road winding up and down the valley opposite and the mountains climbing ever higher. Every available centimeter is utilised for agriculture and the mountainsides are covered with terraces built over hundreds of years and tens of generations. I stopped every 5 minutes to take pictures none of which can really do the scenery justice. On hills and peaks and in valleys are perched little homes full of little Nepalese and as I passed all the children yelled "Bye" and the adults yelled "Namaste" and I return all the greetings and smile like crazy.

And then I was out of the mountain and there was Katmandu in front and a little below me and it is pleasanter than anywhere I have been in the last 5 months. I drove into the city and found where I wanted to go and suddenly I was in the courtyard of a hotel and there were 4 other Enfields there and I could see they were Israelis and indeed they belonged to Elad and Tomer and Kobi and Noam and I will be riding with them to Pokhara early next week - a real motorcycle "gang"

I have travelled for just under five months, ridden 9500 kms, worn out 2 helmets (I have just bought my 3rd, one camera and 2 pairs of jeans, read 53 books, among them War and Peace 888 pages, Shantaram - over 850 pages and A Suitable Boy - 1350 pages!, I have slept in about 80 different beds and packed or unpacked my bike 160 times. I have serviced the bike 4 times and
had 4 breakdowns on the way. I have missed about 80 meals and 160 helpings of meat, I have met about 150 people and forgotten about 130 names (Guess and hope), I have been to 10 cities, 20 towns and 10000 villages. I have driven up and down mountains, across huge empty rivers (which will flood come the monsoon) and across plains, I have driven along the coast and
avoided accident successfully so far. I have seen pigs and chickens and ducks and pheasant and cows and buffalo and horses and jackals and wild pigs and camels and elephants and horses and many weird varieties of people, transport and habitation. And it has been fun and a great adventure. From here I start the second half of my journy.

I AM ALSO 61 YEARS YOUNG TODAY (but that wont go on forever) and I have 3 great kids, may I say 5 great kids? Yes indeed I can, 4 awesome grandchildren (who have me almost wrapped around their little fingers) a mother who still drives her car - be warned all who enter Tel Aviv, two crazy sisters who are also my friends and 9 nephews and nieces who I have known all their lives, many, many cousins all around the world and of course countless friends who I cherish. And that is more than any trip around India on an Enfield which I have to tell you is a thrilling experience.

I love you all.

Since the greatest thing about a birthday for me is what I get (I'm not greedy, all I want is presents and BJs) I went out today and spent myself silly. A real ball. To top off the shopping spree I went to the Himalayan Steak House and had a magnificent steak.

I was going to write a lot more shit like how the road to Katmandu is like the road to love, winding, twisting, obstacle strewn, pot-holed, up hills and down dales but since I met so few cars going in either direction, and you gotta meet "vehicles" on the road to love, the analogy somehow breaks down. Mind you if I take into account all the monkeys I met it could work for those of the female persuasion.

I wanted to write more but my fingers are getting tired - arent you all lucky! So for all those who have sent me birthday greetinggs, and for all those who after reading this decide to send greetings, thank you, I love you too (see paragraph 7 (thats the very short one).

Keep on reading.