Welcome to Anna’s Diary
On life, health and nature
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The Masala milk tea
Utpala café Right now is the very first time I’ve gone to a café to relax. I saw a café named Utpala, and I thought I should visit. Uthpala is the name of Anu´s little sister. She seems to have her own café in Kathmandu! A cup of coffee? No, I go for my new favorite the Masala milk tea. It is like drinking ginger cakes.
Lots of teas Anu lives in Sri Lanka, and I am soon going there. I have been experiencing so much in Nepal, so I thought it would be good to stay at a café for some time to change my mindset. Tomorrow I will get a glimpse of India with a stop in New Delhi. One of the biggest cities in the world, depending on whether you measure it as a metropolitan area or urban agglomeration.
Kathmandu garden I am in a garden in Kathmandu, and the temperature is like a Swedish summer day. The atmosphere is friendly and very polite. Is this due to religion? Buddhism and Hinduism certainly play a role, but it might also be the way people are.
This is the first time I read my book about Nepal. There was no time before. I feel a little embarrassed about doing it so late.
Namaste Uthpala! -
Good morning Kathmandu!
My stay in Sarangot and Chitwan has been so good. I had mixed feelings about returning to Kathmandu. My last stay in Kathmandu is dedicated to Buddhism.
The Himalayan Kathmandu skyline is here again. It was a little rainy last time I was here, so I only saw the hills. People are talking about global warming. The weather changes so rapidly.
Himalayan Kathmandu skyline Professor Thapa has been looking after me from a distance here in Nepal. It was so nice to hear that I was looking after him at the Department of Pharmacology in Gothenburg at the University. I had completely forgotten that, but I know that being in a new country may be a big change from what you are used to.
Never mind. There was a flight delay, and I arrived in Kathmandu in the evening. The life, pulse, and engergy is dazzeling. When I left the hotel in Chitwan, they said goodbye to me with a little ceremony. They put a red dot on my forehead and a scarf around my neck.
Swyambunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal I arrived at the Swayambhunath Stupa, and it was a huge Pagoda. As usual, people were very friendly. It felt good to walk, and I did two clockwise turns around the Pagoda. It is perfect temperature, and I had dinner watching the Swayambhunath Stupa.
A magic moment The Swayambhunath Stupa is just outside my window. It was lovely to wake up and see this impressive Pagoda. I have a busy day since I am leaving for India and New Delhi. From my window.
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Nepal’s new government
Nepal’s new government is led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who took office in spring 2026. People seem to be very happy with him. Two days ago, I travelled from Pokhara to Chitwan, and we had a stop at a café. They started to talk about the new Prime Minister, and they had his photo on the wall, as you can see below.
Nepal prime minister He seems very popular, and they told me he used to be a rapper. Young people lead the government, and they have reduced the number of working days. Not only are Sundays days off, but now Saturdays are too. He will have about five years, I think, to make changes. A lot of corruption is being stopped.
We passed by a bus, and the new Prime Minister was on the back of one of the local buses.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah on a bus poster Yesterday evening, after the safari, we had a little get-together. The local people, the generations surviving malaria and Dengue fever, performed dances. We all had to join at the end, and we danced in a circle just like we do in Sweden during midsummer.
After the traditional dance I guess this must be this trip’s music. Always some music when travelling. Professor Thapa sent me to the Electric Pagoda in Kathmandu, but that evening there was no music. I had a nice chat with the owner, and he showed me how the rhinos walk in the streets in Chitwan. That made me even more curious about the rhinos.
As always, I like to be on time before travelling. Nice to relax a little and to enjoy the moment right now. Leaving Chitwan for Kathmandu. Ending by showing the new Prime Ministers rapping.
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Through the eyes of a tiger
At the moment, I am sitting on a veranda; the cicadas and some birds are singing. I know the mugger crocodile is there because I saw it this morning. Splashing before diving into the water. It is not a mother crocodile as I first thought, but a mugger. Someone who is eating another crocodile’s prey.
The mugger crocodile The moon is very sharp and shaped like a bowed machete. I spotted the Big Dipper (the plough) – not horizontal as it usually is, but vertical. There are some mosquitoes, not biting me since I have mosquito repellent. The malaria has hit hard many centuries ago, but people have survived. Our guide thought it was due to drinking rice wine, but I doubt it.
The moon I have had a fun day. A boat filled with tourists: me and people from Germany. I totally had to trust them since we were in the same boat. The gunwale was almost taking in water. We were all very still since we saw the crocodiles enjoying the sun.
Where is the tiger? The afternoon was a safari looking for tigers and other animals. I came here to see the rhinos, and I was very happy about that.
The rhino with a bird on its back. There were at least seven of them. I saw the paw of a tiger, and I told the guide I was very happy about that. That is what I do when I go for walks with Molly. We always see something like the paw prints of a deer or an elk. Then I know that they are close and shy.
Tigers paw print as big as my hand 
A shy tiger I think the tiger saw us, but we didn´t see the tiger today.
Stay safe 🐾
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Chitwan – the heart of the jungle
Today I travelled five hours to the Chitwan National Park, where the rhinos, elephants, tigers, leopards, and birds are. We passed the flood, and it was dark due to the mud. People are missing, and there are people waiting for phone calls that never come again.
Flash flood, black muddy water I am a lifelong member of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and I am very happy to learn that people work to preserve the wildlife in Nepal. Snakes are captured in the villages and carried back to the jungle again. The little rhinos are protected from the tigers till they grow up. And so on.
A glimpse of a tiger There are so many activities during the daytime, so I am totally exhausted in the evenings. No time for reading because I need to write my memories from the day. Instead, I have learnt a lot from the local people.
Chitwan sunset Tonight I am sleeping very close to a river where we spotted crocodiles earlier. I do hear birds and the cicadas, wishing that I had this sound every evening. It is so peaceful. Getting up early to meet the sunrise again.
I feel precious -
Dashain festival and floods
A big festival is beginning in Nepal. Unfortunately, a river has flooded and swept away houses and bridges. Please see BBC News:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ck86zppejjw3o
I feel so sorry about this. I got this as a little present, and it feels like I am participating in traditions. People are very friendly.
My deepest thoughts and prayers for Nepal in this dual festival-flood moment 🙏
Dashain festival
