At 7 pm on Thursday, as the Nepalese army came out on the roads to enforce curfew measures in the national Capital, the streets turned empty – shops that opened for two hours in the evening to sell essential items were hurriedly shut, the people in the serpentine queues of motorcycles and cars stuck outside fuel stations(guarded by Army) were directed to return in the morning. Barring ambulances and vehicles moving towards the Tribhuvan International Airport, all forms of movement were banned across the city. But passing by dozens of checkposts manned by personnel of the Nepalese Army, those inside the vehicles en route to the airport slowly but gradually joined the thousands of people at the airport in Kathmandu.

At 7.45 pm, the flight schedule in the airport’s dashboard showed at least 9 different flights waiting to take off to destinations such as Doha, Bangkok, Dubai, Singapore, and Hongkong. The last Air India flight had taken many Indian citizens back to New Delhi around 7 – the last flight of the day to India. Airport officials said thousands of Indian nationals are still stuck in different parts of the country unable to escape. Air India, IndiGo and Spice Jet also resumed their flights to and from Nepal on Thursday.

Namrat Basnet(36), among the thousands hoping to fly out from Kathmandu, is a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia. Basnet, who works as a mechanic at a steel company in the country, said that citizens like him would have been the most affected due to Nepal’s ban on social media. “The lives of nearly 40-50% of Nepali citizens are dependent on migrant workers like me who go abroad and send money back home. The ban social media apps was a setback for us. We use the apps to send money, talk to our family members. It is through these apps on the phone that we see our children grow virtually on cell phone screens. The protest had started because of people like us. I am glad, I am returning after the government took back the decision. It is a relief.”

Wearing Nepal national flags and garlanded for their safe journey outside the country, most among the thousands of people at the airport, waited for their turns, their flight numbers to be called and the airline personnel to escort them even as the army surrounded the airport entrance from all sides. And then there were couples hugging outside the airport – the husband leaving the country for a job abroad. “Nepali story of its people going abroad to earn their bread is a harsh reality. This is the same scene we see at the airport every evening,” an airline operator said.

Vijay Kumar Mandal(25), who has in the past worked as a laborer in Malaysia for 6 years returned to Nepal two years ago. Mandal, a resident of Nepali’s Janakpur, had come to the airport with his 12 friends from the same village. “We were to leave on September 9 but as soon as we came here, the violence was unfolding. Our flight was cancelled and we had to spend the first night in a godown outside a local businessman’s house. On our second night our supervisor, who found us the job in Saudi Arabia took us to another place to spend the night. For two days, it seemed we had lost our livelihood. This morning, we were told that the flights resumed and we were given new tickets. There are thousands of citizens like us who work menial jobs abroad to make a living. We wish we could be here to protest against the corruption in the government but we have mouths to feed back home,” he said.

Then there were also groups of foreigners escorted by police and personnel for a safe passage back home. Alex, a UK resident but settled in Dubai, said this is his 15th trip to Nepal. “Our embassy officials told us to stay put in the hotel. We did not step out as the protests turned violent. We heard of vehicles being burnt outside our hotel, but got to see this only today while leaving the hotel. I work for a recruitment firm in Dubai. My wife and children were worried back home after hearing the reports. The last two days were a nightmare. Getting trapped in a conflict like this. It had never happened in the last 14 trips. No one had expected the country to descend into chaos like this.”

Personnel from the Nepalese army on the roads said that the situation is tense, but there were no major cases of violence. The army is guarding all vital installations across the city – hotels, oil companies, hospitals, malls. They are even guarding fuel stations and grocery stores. “We have been instructed only to allow ambulances and foreign travellers. People, especially foreigners, have been instructed not to step out of their homes/hotels and stay put where they are. We expect the situation to improve tomorrow,” a Nepalese army official guarding an oil depot said.

Ed Sheeran has been all over the world. The singer-songwriter—one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with multiple Grammy and BRIT Awards, an Ivor Novello, an Emmy and even an MBE for services to music—has spent the last three and a half years touring the world for his Mathematics Tour. This has taken him everywhere from Belgium, Lithuania ,and Bulgaria and Bhutan, China, and Bahrain, but touring the world doesn’t always go hand in hand with exploration—to really travel, and get under the skin of a destination. “As a touring artist, I’m not always able to soak up the places I visit,” Ed tells Condé Nast Traveler. “The older I get, I want to make sure I capture the places I’m lucky enough to visit, so I can look back on them with my kids.”

For his latest album, he tried to rectify this. When recording Play, his eighth studio album, he spent a month in India. His single, Sapphire, was created with Indian musicians as a celebration of Indian culture and heritage. He teamed up with Arijit Singh, an award-winning Indian singer and composer, and ended up releasing a reworked version of the track, featuring a verse and a chorus sung in a mix of Hindi and Punjabi.

He has previously stated that “Play was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life. Coming out of all of that, I just wanted to create joy and technicolor, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring.”

“I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India, and had some of the most fun, explorative, creative days of my life. It’s a real rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, it encapsulates everything that I love about music, and the fun in it, but also where I am in life as a human, a partner, a father. The older I get, the more I just want to enjoy things, and savour the moments that are mad and chaotic.”

Below, Ed let us have a rare sneak peek at footage from his personal camera, showing us behind-the-scenes photos from his time in India, each annotated with his thoughts and feelings from every destination he visited across the country.

Hyderabad’s markets and scooties

Courchevel is set to showcase its world of alpine luxury to India through an exclusive four-city roadshow in collaboration with One Rep Global.

The highly anticipated showcase will begin in Bangalore on September 15, travel to Ahmedabad on September 16, continue to New Delhi on September 18, and conclude in Mumbai on September 19.

Over the course of the week, India’s leading luxury travel advisors and trade professionals will be introduced to Courchevel’s finest experiences—from world-class skiing on the slopes of Les 3 Vallées and Michelin-starred gastronomy to luxury chalets, alpine events, and the cultural richness that has long defined Courchevel as a global luxury destination.

Alexia Laine, Director, Courchevel Tourisme, shared, “India is an incredibly important market for us, and we are delighted to return with a stronger presence across four key cities. Courchevel offers an unmatched combination of thrilling alpine adventure and world-class luxury. For Indian travellers seeking refined experiences with a touch of cultural authenticity, Courchevel represents the very best of the French Alps.”

The roadshow is being curated by One Rep Global, India’s leading sales and marketing representation company for luxury hospitality and travel.

Hemant Mediratta, Founder & CEO of One Rep Global, said, “At One Rep Global, we are committed to connecting India’s discerning travellers with the world’s most exceptional destinations. Courchevel is a perfect example of luxury that goes beyond indulgence—it is about experiences, authenticity, and connections. This roadshow provides an invaluable opportunity for India’s luxury travel community to engage deeply with the destination.”

Loveleen Arun, Advisory Board Member of One Rep Global and Founder of Panache World, commented, “Indian travellers today are evolving rapidly in their preferences—they want destinations that not only deliver luxury but also embody a sense of place and uniqueness. Courchevel offers exactly this—a rare harmony of elegance, culture, gastronomy, and adventure. We are delighted to be a part of this initiative to bring Courchevel closer to the Indian market.”

With its timeless allure, Courchevel continues to define haute montagne living, where glamour, gastronomy, and alpine adventure come together. Celebrating 80 years of setting the standard for luxury alpine experiences, 2026 marks a special milestone in Courchevel’s storied history. This exclusive roadshow is a gateway for Indian travellers to discover why Courchevel remains one of the world’s most coveted luxury destinations.