HAPPY HOLI

5th March 2015

Today was Holi, a Hindu festival celebrating the coming of spring and the end of the winter. It's a massive public holiday where people throw coloured waters into the air and spread vibrant coloured powders all over your face. I think this is to represent the blossoming of flowers and the return of the lush colourful landscape.

Kathmandu was like a video game. Nepalis would throw water and coloured powders from the roof tops down onto people walking through the narrow streets below. It was hard to dodge and by the time we reached the main square we had lost all our extra lives and it would be game over. The atmosphere was

 electrifying, everyone young and old was happy, watching the madness behined rainbow smiles. 

Ranjan from the hotel took us under his wing showing us where to buy colour and more importantly cheep beer. Buy the time we reached the square the party was in full swing. All the stepped temples were covered in people, one had been turned into a stage and in the centre was a a huge mass of dancing paint. The Nepalis go crazy for Holi, they are all shit hot dancers showing up any westerner who dared throw some shapes. Not being much of a dancer myself drinking beer and watching was more than enough for me. But even I after a few cans was dragged in and ended up having a great time. Each time a song built then dropped a beat the sky would be filled with colour. 

I had to keep an eye on H though, not only is she tiny and easily lost, but some of the locals don't just want to spread colours on western girls faces! 

We bumped into a few other girls who too had to be quite on guard. If you're a girl taking part in Hoi in future make sure your with a big group of western guys.

We retreated from the square for a late lunch on a roof top place tucked back in the narrow maze that is Thamel. Me and a Danish bloke decided to get our own back. We commandeered a small bucket and started throwing water down upon unsuspecting Nepalis, in fact anyone who came to close.

All in all it was a amazing day and a great thing to have experianced. We are tired, but happy and our faces look like a Sony Bravia advert (Thats a colourful TV advert mum)