We left off during my final moments in India. From there, I headed toward the border with Nepal, where, for the first time on this whole journey, I had to apply for a visa at the border — I already had one for every other country. It was all smooth and quick, though I almost made the mistake of entering without a visa, since the border between India and Nepal is practically open and no one really stops you. But once I got the visa, I was in: I was officially in Nepal, the last stop on this trip. I stayed in Nepal for 20 days, even if I didn’t do that much. My bike was in terrible condition by that point: the turn signals had stopped working on day one (not that I really needed them), the speedometer had been broken since Turkey (which is kind of essential on a bike with no fuel gauge), the rear tire was completely worn out and had no grip left, and the rear brake was totally gone. So I wasn’t exactly in shape for long detours, and I took the most direct route to Kathmandu. From the border I went to Pokhara, a modern, clean, and quiet city — the complete opposite of India. At the hostel I met a few backpackers, all there for trekking. Some were about to start the Annapurna trek, others the Everest Base Camp, and a few were doing both. Hearing them talk made me a bit jealous — I would’ve loved to do the same, and I could have, if I had really wanted it deep down. But I’m sure that’s something I’ll do one day. From Pokhara I headed to Chitwan, where I went on another safari. No tigers this time either, but I was lucky enough to see a beautiful rhinoceros. It was in Chitwan that I booked my flight back to Italy. I’m going home on October 30. Until the very last moment, I was torn — I seriously considered booking a flight to Australia and shipping the bike there, but after a lot of thinking, I realized going back to Italy for a while was the best choice. If all goes well, I’ll head to Australia later on. The road from Chitwan to Kathmandu basically doesn’t exist: it’s all dirt and mud, and the rain had made it extremely slippery.

With no tires and no brakes, it was anything but easy. The last few kilometers were all downhill on a mountain — I practically skied with the bike. But in the end, I made it. I arrived in Kathmandu. The first thing I did was head to the office of Team Work Cargo, the company that would take care of shipping the bike back to Italy. They got everything organized in no time — super professional and fast. Now all I have to do is enjoy my last few days in Kathmandu. I stayed eight days and saw almost the whole city. But the place that impressed me the most was the stupa of Boudhanath, one of the most important Buddhist monuments in all of Nepal. It holds sacred relics. It’s immense, completely white, with the painted eyes of Buddha — it left me speechless. As promised, I met up with Michele and Mirta again in Kathmandu — they had also reached their destination. I also reconnected with Jörg and Birgit at a campground where, in the evening, there was a barbecue with a group of travelers who were about to cross China together, specifically Tibet. To travel through Tibet, you need a guide, and since having a private one is very expensive, many travelers team up to split the cost. At the barbecue I met people from all over the world (mostly Germans) and of all ages, each with their own story. All of them were living proof that everything is possible — at any age, and even with little money. Listening to their stories made me a little regretful about my decision to go home, but it’s settled: tomorrow I fly back. My first real adventure is over. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel completely satisfied. I’m happy, of course, but also a little sad. Fulfilling your dreams is amazing, but once you’ve lived them, you’re left with a small emptiness inside. This journey taught me so much, and I can’t wait to put everything I’ve learned into practice on my next adventure.