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BOP at Nitfest – Day 1 

Written by Ella Bowsher – Personal and Production Assistant

It was a very early start for me and Michelle, our producer, as our flight departed at 7am. I had a whole row to myself on the first flight so I managed to get a good amount of sleep across the eight hours. They’d laid all of the pillows and blankets out before boarding so I ended up with three of each; it was one of the most comfortable flights I’ve ever had. Michelle and I then had a 10-hour layover in Doha. The airport is stunning and there are definitely worse places to wait around but we were very happy when Mairi and Morna arrived in Doha six hours later and we all got the flight to Nepal together. Four hours later we finally arrived in Kathmandu. The airport was extremely busy but getting through to arrivals was made a lot quicker with the help of their access team. My suitcase was one of the last out on the conveyor belt; I’d just about come to terms with the loss when it finally got put on the belt. After over 24 hours of travel, I desperately wanted a change of clothes so I was relieved not to lose my bag. 

Four women pose for a photo in front of a large, vividly colored backdrop depicting Middle Eastern culture. On the left, the woman nearest to the camera wears large, wire-rimmed glasses and a dark jacket. Next to her, another woman sits wearing a pale green jacket over a patterned top, her curly hair framing her face. Behind them, a woman in a floral jacket and black top smiles, a pink crossbody bag visible on her hip. To her right, a woman with red hair, glasses, and a dark shirt with a delicate gold pendant necklace also smiles. The backdrop features traditional-style buildings adorned with decorative lights and crescent moons. On the wall is an image of a man in a white thobe and headdress is prominently displayed, along with another of a woman wearing a blue hijab. The lighting is a mix of warm hues from the illuminated buildings and cooler tones from the overhead lights, which casts shadows on the wall. All four women wear glasses and smile at the camera, and their clothing choices suggest a casual outing. The faces are well-lit, and the background is sharp and colorful, evoking a sense of warmth and cultural richness.

The lovely man who met us at arrivals gave us all a Khata, a scarf that is given on a range of occasions but in this instance, to welcome us to Nepal. We took some time to relax when we got to the hotel. I decided to take a 10-minute nap and woke up two hours later. I woke up just in time to go and get some food with the rest of the team. We went to the bar on the top floor of our hotel which has a stunning view of the city and the surrounding mountains. We had a free peach iced tea (cha-ching) and ordered way too much food because we underestimated the portion sizes. I had Palak Paneer which is paneer in a thick spinach sauce, and it was delicious. We then went for a walk down the street to look in some shops. I love a trinket but luckily we hadn’t taken out any cash so I couldn’t buy the whole street. I did see the cutest felt bag with a frog on it so I’m sure I’ll make time for another shopping trip before we leave (this is incredibly important content). When heading back to the hotel we needed to cross the road; road traffic here, to my ignorant British eyes, is chaotic. As a pedestrian, you essentially just have to walk into heavy traffic and hope that no one hits you. We did make it across unscathed; turns out confidence is key, that and latching on to a local who is crossing the road at the same time. 

A close-up shot shows a children's white felt purse with a green frog face, eyes, and red smile hanging from a hook. The purse's white body is constructed from a thick felt material. It features two short, sturdy straps extending upwards. It has a rounded shape, with the lower two-thirds of the bag adorned with a frog design. The frog's face is bright green felt and features large, round black eyes rimmed with white. A simple, curved line of red felt forms the frog's smiling mouth. A green felt ball is attached to the top right of the purse. In the background, a variety of colorful, handcrafted items is displayed. There are strings of felt balls in an array of colors, along with more neutral-toned felt shapes piled on a shelf. A white canvas tote bag printed with the words "TOP OF THE EVEREST NEPAL" can be seen directly to the right of the frog purse. Below the purse are bunches of white fabric flowers. The image is well-lit, and the products are arranged in a visually pleasing manner to attract customers.

Posted on: 14 Mar 2025

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