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lives not only in the same city but just a few suburbs away or that you become some sort of deity when suggesting your home is a stones throw from what is considered universally as one of the great coliseum to cricket anywhere on the planet .
Riding from Kathmandu into the far reaches of Nepal ’ s west offered many such encounters . Something from the side of the road catching the riders eye , a strange insect , a beautiful flower , a slightly hidden shrine , all objects that required further inspection . It was like the tiniest of beacons set in place to draw the observant in , to afford an encounter of greater human interaction yet no more significant importance .
A mountain pass , one of lesser significance in this part of the world of high passes , enticed a crowd to stop and seek protection . Between the rock faces the deity Krishna had been painted , a mural of significance as the god of protection offered his blessings to the passing travellers .
Behind the shrine lay another , much more colourful yet much less revered . A hand gently touched my arm , I looked as a young man pointed me in the direction of a large lizard climbing the side of the rock surround . We both watched it watch us , the silence was enough , we ’ d both shared a special moment and understood that often words just confuse the situation . We shook hands goodbye without the need for verbal exchange .
The roadside shrine is a quite common sight , especially in Hindu culture where every deity or god is drawn upon as the road user seeks protection , presumably from other road users . Riding a Nepalese road , especially those considered as major transport routes , often leads to a
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