Nepal reveals its surprises in layers - from dense, lowland jungles to the golden treasury of Kathmandu, and upwards to the dazzling Himalayas, all in a space smaller than the State of Florida. A country only recently opened to foreigners, most of its people live in villages that are days of walking from the nearest road.

In order to experience the excitement and drama of this fabled land I had to cross an imaginary bridge, to leave my western ideas behind and allow myself to become immersed in Nepal’s culture and traditions.

This was helped by my being there at the time of Dashain, a spectacular Buddhsit festival in which animals are slaughtered at shrines all over the country, their blood symbolizing a cleansing of the human soul. Even in the midst of these ritual sacrifices, the people I met were warm and welcoming and pleased that I was witnessing this important day of observance.