This book describes the author’s first journey to India and Nepal in 1984. He was a third-year geography student when he decided to make his dream come true, and to travel to India, Nepal, and Himalaya with his friends. Kathmandu, the capital of Kingdom of Nepal, and the highest mountains of the world like Mount Everest, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Makalu and Kangchenjunga, were familiar to him only from maps or literature. The mountains were hidden behind the clouds and it rained for days. The breathtaking mountain scenery was visible only momentarily. The trip took place in May and June during the hot and rainy monsoon season. Unlike the peak tourist seasons in spring and fall, the monsoon caused much pain and suffering from rains and muddy trails, landslides, leeches, snakes, bad food, and severe diarrhea. After returning to Finland, the author had lost 20 pounds of his weight, and looked like a skinny Indian holy man. This did not, however, prevent the author from returning to Nepal again and again.

Matti Munnukka is a map expert at the National Library of Finland and a travel writer. He writes in his books about his travels to Nepal and Himalaya, and describes the nature, culture, history, and geography. He has written several articles, two academic final thesis and five self-published books of the region. In September 2015 his book “Langtang – Minne paratiisi on kadonnut”was published, followed by “Intia ja Nepal – Totuus on tarua ihmeellisempää” in January 2016. Now the latter book is also published in English with the title “India and Nepal – Truth is stranger than fiction”.