Imagine how splendid it would be to see the sun rise from behind snow-capped mountains every day. And imagine what it would be like taking in a deep breath of crisp mountain air, without having to worry about fumes from cars and buses, as you slowly sip your hot morning tea.
While Hong Kong can offer you the cosmopolitan, hi-tech, party-all-night kind of feeling, it definitely cannot give you any of the things described above. Snow is non-existent, and clean air is a myth. The only thing you might come close to is the tea. But what is tea while you sit in a restaurant eating dim sum compared to drinking it on the mountains?
Sometimes you just need to get away from it all, to relax. I figured that was what I needed to do, so during Easter, I went on a school trip to Nepal. I got much more than I expected - spectacular scenery, unique cuisine and the experience of a lifetime with Nepal's extraordinarily diverse culture.
Bordered by India and China, the country is one of the poorest in the world. It has a population of about 24.3 million and is suffering from overpopulation. Hinduism is the main religion, but Buddhism and Shamanism also exist.
It was remarkable to see how the three religions, with such different beliefs, co-exist in harmony. Their influence could be seen everywhere, from the temples to the billboard advertisements, to the clothing that the Nepalese wore.
Other obvious influences were from the Chinese, Tibetan and Indian cultures. These were especially apparent in the cuisine.