Sunday 10 April.
Up early. Still no electricity so phone and laptop nearly flat. After porridge, onto bus on Banepa, 10 mintues, and straight on another bus to Panauti, 10 minutes. Staying at Ananda guest house, near the main temple, and there is electricity. Joy. It is a traditional wooden house, low ceilings, very cosy.
After yesterday, I was keen to do a bit more walking today so headed out for a couple of hours to Sunthan and onto Sankhu, partly retracing my steps from yesterday. I came back the other way, completing a loop. The green fields full of crops were dotted with ladies picking and throwing the produce into the doko (basket) on their back, which is supported by a strap around their forehead. It sometimes looked like a scene from a Communist Propaganda poster.
Unfortunately, the women here seem to spit even more than the men. Although I should be used to it by now, it still makes me cringe when someone snorts their flem into the back of their throat and then 'hack-putt', spits it out on the ground. Is it necessary? They often do it (someone just did it outside as I am typing this!) when they are just standing around.
I have seen more women (usually older women) than men smoke here, which is the opposite to India. And many older women work as labourers at constructions sites, carrying and stacking bricks.
It rained quite a bit this afternoon, on and off. I had a look around the temple area and walked into town. Had buff momo and tea and chow mein. Its another Newari medieval town. It's nice but I have seen enough.
Monday 11 April
Up at 6am. Walked around the temple area, quite a few people milling around and placing their metal plates of offering in their Hindu shrines. Walked around with a small brick in my hand to ward of the barking dogs. They got close a couple of times but a raised hand made them back off. They can smell the blood of an Englishman. Checked out at 7am and got the bus back to Kathmandu.
Arrived at 9am, went to the Tibet travel agency. The Chinese in Lhasa are still saying they won't give permits to groups of more than two nationalities (yes, it's as silly as it sounds). I could try to organise a much smaller group but then the tour cost would be much higher. Oh well, the agency said to keep checking in with then during the week to see what happens. You have to get a permit (faxed from Lhasa to the agecncy?) which the agency then takes to the Chinese Embassy to get a visa.
I walked to Patna, stopping for Buff (water buffalo) momo along the way. I didn't really intend to eat buff (partly cos I am on a vegetarian tip at the moment) but I didn't realise until they had served me, that that was all they had. I also stopped at the football stadium to find out more about Nepal's game against Sri Lanka later in the day. I got to Patna and saw Durbar Square which had the same type of temples as Durbar Square in Kathmandu so, since you have to pay to get closer, I gave it a miss, just wandered about for a bit, had samosa and chai and decided I have seen enough historical architecture and walked back to the stadium to check out the football.
Quite a few riot police at the stadium but it seemed friendly enough so I got a ticket and unwittingly pushed to the front of the queue. On the way in, I was frisked 3 times and my bag was searched twice. They took from me a bottle of mineral water, some coins and a pen. The game kicked off at 3:30pm in bright sunshine. There must have been 7 or 8000 people there.
On our side of the ground you just sit on concrete steps. There was a good atmosphere and the Nepalese fans were pretty enthusiastic. It was a pretty good game and Nepal were the better team but neither team seemed capable of creating chances. It ended 0-0 and atferwards Nepal did a lap of honour. They are through to the next stage, next year. They were in a group with North Korea, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Nepal's manager is Graham Roberts who used to play for Spurs in the 80's; he has put on a bit of weight since then. But the locals seem to like him.
Sat in the internet cafe and Ciaron came by. We went to the cafe across the road ate chow mein and momos and drank milk tea, and chatted to Canadian Connor.
Tuesday 12 April
Changed hotel to where Ciaron is staying, its slightly cheaper and there is hot water. We had breakfast downstairs, then again at Penny Lane across the street. Walked up to Thamel and went to the Tibet travel agency, they told me they are still waiting to hear and to come back later. We walked away from Kathmandu, a few kms through the suburbs, stopping for chai, to Pashupatinath. This is a very holy places for Hindus from Nepal and India, like the Ganges in Varanasi. It was (relatively) expensive to get in and we are templed out so didn't go in. We unwittingly walked around to the cremation ghats where we saw bodies wrapped in cloth. There were ladies there mourning and crying so we left; this was different to Varansi where only men were present and they seemed indifferent to the ceremony.
We walked on to Boudanath, to the Great Buddhist stupa. We walked around the outside and up some steps to a monastery from where we overlooked the stupda. It was a pleasant place to hang out for a bit. After we took a long stroll back to Thamel.
In the late afternoon we walked to one of the streets off Durbar Square, into the crowds, to watch the large chariot, with a christmas tree on top, being pulled through the streets by young guys. This is happening most nights this week as part of Nepal's New Year celebration. Everyone gathers and then people push back as the chariot approaches and the riot police usher most people away. It was ok, not so spectaculr, and then it started to rain so we just came back.
In the evening we sat in the cafe and the others got drunk while I didn't touch a drop. They went off to Bollywood dance thing but I couldn't be bothered.
Wednesday 13 April.
Posted some stuff home. Surfed the net looking at contingency plans for if I can't go to Tibet. Lunch at Penny Lane. Laundry. Its good to have a day of no sightseeing, just getting little jobs done and hanging out. A few drinks in the evening with other travellers and some Nepalese guys to help the locals celebrate New Year, 2068. It is the same in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. One of the older Nepalese guys calls himself Jimi, because, he says, when he was 10, he met Jimi Hendrix here in 1969 when the singer visited Nepal.
Went back to the Tibet travel agency, and to cut a long story short, I am not going to Tibet. It was getting more expensive, on a tighter schedule and still no guarantee of getting a Tibet permit. So I will fly over Tibet to Chengdu. Have to get a Chinese visa, and quick!
Thursday 14 April
A bit of a stressful day booking my flight to Chengdu for Sunday. A kind of stuff up by edreams.co.uk so wasn't sure whether I had a proper reservation or not. Ended up on Skype to Barcelona and got it sorted. Expensive 4 hour flight at $500, especially when I later found out that it might have been cheaper at a normal travel agent. Oh well. Chinese embassy was closed today.
Friday 15 April
Up early, a bit anxious at the Chinese embassy since my expensive flight is booked for 2 days time. Handed in passport, photos and application form and applied for 'Urgent' visa, processed same day (US$74). While I waited for my visa, had a wander round Thamel and to my favourite tea/samosa shop, and bought and sold some books. In the afternoon, back to the Chinese embassy. Had to go to three different counters before finally getting passport and visa back. Yippeee, I can fly on Sunday.
Went to favourite momo shop and wandered around taking in Kathmandu as I only have a couple of days left. I have loved India and Nepal (most of the time!) but I am ready for a new adventure. China will quite different and I expect that it will be more challenging being in and getting around in China, and I might have culture shock for a few days!
Saturday 16 April
My last day in Kathmandu. Bright sunshine and a bit quieter as Saturday is the weekend (sunday is not). Just wandering around, it has been fun staying in Freak Street, at the Century hostel and the cafe downstairs. But looking forward to a new adventure tomorrow when I fly to Chengdu.
Up early. Still no electricity so phone and laptop nearly flat. After porridge, onto bus on Banepa, 10 mintues, and straight on another bus to Panauti, 10 minutes. Staying at Ananda guest house, near the main temple, and there is electricity. Joy. It is a traditional wooden house, low ceilings, very cosy.
After yesterday, I was keen to do a bit more walking today so headed out for a couple of hours to Sunthan and onto Sankhu, partly retracing my steps from yesterday. I came back the other way, completing a loop. The green fields full of crops were dotted with ladies picking and throwing the produce into the doko (basket) on their back, which is supported by a strap around their forehead. It sometimes looked like a scene from a Communist Propaganda poster.
Unfortunately, the women here seem to spit even more than the men. Although I should be used to it by now, it still makes me cringe when someone snorts their flem into the back of their throat and then 'hack-putt', spits it out on the ground. Is it necessary? They often do it (someone just did it outside as I am typing this!) when they are just standing around.
I have seen more women (usually older women) than men smoke here, which is the opposite to India. And many older women work as labourers at constructions sites, carrying and stacking bricks.
It rained quite a bit this afternoon, on and off. I had a look around the temple area and walked into town. Had buff momo and tea and chow mein. Its another Newari medieval town. It's nice but I have seen enough.
Monday 11 April
Up at 6am. Walked around the temple area, quite a few people milling around and placing their metal plates of offering in their Hindu shrines. Walked around with a small brick in my hand to ward of the barking dogs. They got close a couple of times but a raised hand made them back off. They can smell the blood of an Englishman. Checked out at 7am and got the bus back to Kathmandu.
Arrived at 9am, went to the Tibet travel agency. The Chinese in Lhasa are still saying they won't give permits to groups of more than two nationalities (yes, it's as silly as it sounds). I could try to organise a much smaller group but then the tour cost would be much higher. Oh well, the agency said to keep checking in with then during the week to see what happens. You have to get a permit (faxed from Lhasa to the agecncy?) which the agency then takes to the Chinese Embassy to get a visa.
I walked to Patna, stopping for Buff (water buffalo) momo along the way. I didn't really intend to eat buff (partly cos I am on a vegetarian tip at the moment) but I didn't realise until they had served me, that that was all they had. I also stopped at the football stadium to find out more about Nepal's game against Sri Lanka later in the day. I got to Patna and saw Durbar Square which had the same type of temples as Durbar Square in Kathmandu so, since you have to pay to get closer, I gave it a miss, just wandered about for a bit, had samosa and chai and decided I have seen enough historical architecture and walked back to the stadium to check out the football.
Quite a few riot police at the stadium but it seemed friendly enough so I got a ticket and unwittingly pushed to the front of the queue. On the way in, I was frisked 3 times and my bag was searched twice. They took from me a bottle of mineral water, some coins and a pen. The game kicked off at 3:30pm in bright sunshine. There must have been 7 or 8000 people there.
On our side of the ground you just sit on concrete steps. There was a good atmosphere and the Nepalese fans were pretty enthusiastic. It was a pretty good game and Nepal were the better team but neither team seemed capable of creating chances. It ended 0-0 and atferwards Nepal did a lap of honour. They are through to the next stage, next year. They were in a group with North Korea, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Nepal's manager is Graham Roberts who used to play for Spurs in the 80's; he has put on a bit of weight since then. But the locals seem to like him.
Sat in the internet cafe and Ciaron came by. We went to the cafe across the road ate chow mein and momos and drank milk tea, and chatted to Canadian Connor.
Tuesday 12 April
Changed hotel to where Ciaron is staying, its slightly cheaper and there is hot water. We had breakfast downstairs, then again at Penny Lane across the street. Walked up to Thamel and went to the Tibet travel agency, they told me they are still waiting to hear and to come back later. We walked away from Kathmandu, a few kms through the suburbs, stopping for chai, to Pashupatinath. This is a very holy places for Hindus from Nepal and India, like the Ganges in Varanasi. It was (relatively) expensive to get in and we are templed out so didn't go in. We unwittingly walked around to the cremation ghats where we saw bodies wrapped in cloth. There were ladies there mourning and crying so we left; this was different to Varansi where only men were present and they seemed indifferent to the ceremony.
We walked on to Boudanath, to the Great Buddhist stupa. We walked around the outside and up some steps to a monastery from where we overlooked the stupda. It was a pleasant place to hang out for a bit. After we took a long stroll back to Thamel.
In the late afternoon we walked to one of the streets off Durbar Square, into the crowds, to watch the large chariot, with a christmas tree on top, being pulled through the streets by young guys. This is happening most nights this week as part of Nepal's New Year celebration. Everyone gathers and then people push back as the chariot approaches and the riot police usher most people away. It was ok, not so spectaculr, and then it started to rain so we just came back.
In the evening we sat in the cafe and the others got drunk while I didn't touch a drop. They went off to Bollywood dance thing but I couldn't be bothered.
Wednesday 13 April.
Posted some stuff home. Surfed the net looking at contingency plans for if I can't go to Tibet. Lunch at Penny Lane. Laundry. Its good to have a day of no sightseeing, just getting little jobs done and hanging out. A few drinks in the evening with other travellers and some Nepalese guys to help the locals celebrate New Year, 2068. It is the same in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. One of the older Nepalese guys calls himself Jimi, because, he says, when he was 10, he met Jimi Hendrix here in 1969 when the singer visited Nepal.
Went back to the Tibet travel agency, and to cut a long story short, I am not going to Tibet. It was getting more expensive, on a tighter schedule and still no guarantee of getting a Tibet permit. So I will fly over Tibet to Chengdu. Have to get a Chinese visa, and quick!
Thursday 14 April
A bit of a stressful day booking my flight to Chengdu for Sunday. A kind of stuff up by edreams.co.uk so wasn't sure whether I had a proper reservation or not. Ended up on Skype to Barcelona and got it sorted. Expensive 4 hour flight at $500, especially when I later found out that it might have been cheaper at a normal travel agent. Oh well. Chinese embassy was closed today.
Friday 15 April
Up early, a bit anxious at the Chinese embassy since my expensive flight is booked for 2 days time. Handed in passport, photos and application form and applied for 'Urgent' visa, processed same day (US$74). While I waited for my visa, had a wander round Thamel and to my favourite tea/samosa shop, and bought and sold some books. In the afternoon, back to the Chinese embassy. Had to go to three different counters before finally getting passport and visa back. Yippeee, I can fly on Sunday.
Went to favourite momo shop and wandered around taking in Kathmandu as I only have a couple of days left. I have loved India and Nepal (most of the time!) but I am ready for a new adventure. China will quite different and I expect that it will be more challenging being in and getting around in China, and I might have culture shock for a few days!
Saturday 16 April
My last day in Kathmandu. Bright sunshine and a bit quieter as Saturday is the weekend (sunday is not). Just wandering around, it has been fun staying in Freak Street, at the Century hostel and the cafe downstairs. But looking forward to a new adventure tomorrow when I fly to Chengdu.
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