23:00 Time for bed – the power is still off so no fan to stir the stifling air. I try and go to sleep on top of the covers until the dive bombing mosquitoes show up. I try and bury myself under my sheet but covering my head just makes it too hot. I go knock on Phil & James door – they have some OFF wipes – but there is no answer and I do not want to knock too loudly. I try dialing their room but the call does not go through so eventually I head down the 5 flights to the front desk to ask them how to call a room. Turns out you put a 2 in front of the room number. Phil answers and by the time I am back upstairs he has already dropped off some wipes on my bed. Merv seems to have blissfully slept through all this. Sometime later during the night, the power comes on and the fan starts working.
9:00 After a quick breakfast we do a final wander of the streets to see if there is anything else interesting. Phil & I buy a few things. The taxi is lined up for about 11
11:30 We are in the check in line at the airport. Coming in we had to show our tickets and put our bags through a scanner. Any bag security thought might be checked they slap a “Security checked” sticker on and return it to the owner. There are 3 check in lines and we are only about 30 feet from the counter.
12:30 We have moved about 6 feet in the hour. This is getting REAL frustrating!!! While waiting we did discover there is a exit ‘fee’ due of US$ 18 each, so at least that was looked after. I jump queues, leaving the other 3 guys where they are in case one line moves better. Turns out it was a good choice. When I get to the front the other 3 join me and we finally get checked in. This should have been so easy!
13:00 We head upstairs to the departure lounge to discover another line – this one for immigration. Another form has to be filled out first. By the time we get to the front of the line they hardly look at them any ways. On we go to discover another security check – one line for men and one for women. Our bags go through the scanner and we go though the people scanner followed by a frisk. Is that it? NO. Now you take your bags to some tables where a person opens it up and checks through each bag. What was the scanner for? The guy I get pulls out a bracelet I had purchased that morning, looking at it like he has never seen such a thing before. He tries to put it on – it does not fit. I loosen it up and he puts it on – now looking at me with this “how is that going to stay on” look. I tighten it up again. He examines his wrist long enough that I begin to think he wants me to give it to him. Then we take it off, he looks at the rest of my stuff and then stamps my boarding pass. That must be it now. We head down another hallway to a large waiting room where another boarding card check is done. Finally our flight is called and we line up for yet another boarding card check before filing into yet another waiting room. The door finally opens and we climb on the bus to ride to the plane. People are pushing and shoving through the doorway as though they might be left behind or lose their seat if they do not arrive first.
14:15 You have got to be kidding! We get off the bus at the plane only to discover yet another bag check. Once again 2 lines, ladies and men. Once again frisk everyone. Once again check through every bag. Finally we are on the plane and in our seats. But peace still does not descend. There is a large group of people who either have never flown or are simply unmannered. They are constantly going up and down the aisles, switching places, shouting to each other. Finally the attendants force everyone into a seat and the plane takes off. That departure was enough to almost make you not want to ever return to Kathmandu again. I later find out they started all these checks after a flight was hijacked by the Taliban to Pakistan a few years ago. That would be the way to wreck a day!
16:15 We touch down in Delhi, our Nepal adventure complete. It is amazing how modern Delhi now feels.
Postscript: 6 days later in Delhi we are reading how the Nepalese PM tried to force out the Army Chief, the President reinstated the Army Chief, the PM’s coalition splits over the issue, the PM resigns and there are now street demonstrations taking place by the Maoists(the PM’s party) in the streets of Kathmandu. I guess our timing was excellent!
Waiting for our supper to arrive. We could hear a couple of live bands through the windows.
This is one of the bands Jimmy went to see after supper.
This cute little girl was 13. She goes to school during the day and sells purses at night to make money for the family. What is your 13 yr old doing?
James and I both got a shave and haircut here. I would let someone shave me every time if it only cost $2 back home!
This was an interesting sign. I don't know anyone who encourages the beggar but I guess it happens.
We never did take a ride on these riskshaws. We stayed in walking distance from the Kathmandu Guest House.
James walks right on by.... this salesman doesn't meet criteria. He's a he and he's old!!!!
Huh? Uhh....huh....aahhhh....nothing!
The courtyard cafe at the KGH. A very cool place to hang out.
We walked by this statue several times before we noticed the monkey climbing up the pecker!
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