Ride from Airport

This was taken from inside cab window. I truly could reach out and touch many someones.

Kantipur Temple Hotel

The ride from Tribuvan Airport to the hotel was as promised; hair raising for some (like someone I left home), but delightfully on the edge for me. 

My large room has a very beckoning triple window seat overlooking the courtyard, inviting one to sit, read, rest, write. The windows open, but there are no screens. It's in the mid-range for Nepal - 60 dollars a night. 

To make things easier on guests, the electric lights out schedule is posted for every night this week. Some nights the electric will go off as early as 5:30! Not sure what happens in the restaurant. In the bedroom there is a single bulb up high by the door which will kick in from the hotel's generator.

Partook of a very delicious chicken tikka masala - not too spicy, little sweet tomato taste, not too much, served with organic brown rice. I chatted with the wait staff and learned that both young men one Kripan, aged 21, and the other Keshab, age 23, are college students. Kripan is studying business management and Keshab, an education major, wants to be a "good teacher in the future". Their English was excellent and as they may very well be reading this so I must also say that they were a pleasure to meet!

The key for the room has a story all it's own, at least that's the message padlocks send to me. Slight change from the old key card. lol

(I am having trouble uploading photos, the connection is very slow, will work on it, 'cause ya gotta see the photos)

Passport & Customs

On the flight into Tribuvan, the lovely Korean Air hostesses pass out multiple papers to be filled in. One paper states that if carrying more than 2 pens or pencils, one should proceed to the "red channel".

Oh boy, I am so over the limit, but I'll take the green channel. I mean why make a fuss over a gross of pencils and multiple pens?

Arrive Tribuvan Airport and line up to purchase VISA. Although mis-stated in several documents and on web, low and behold I get the VISA I longed for - 3 months - $100. 
(I had read that I could get 3 months for 100 bucks, but the print out application from the web only went up to 2 months for 80 bucks, which I checked off. So the customs officer says "2 months?", at least that's what it sounded like, I assented and he asked for 100 bucks. Oh well, I thought everything goes up. However then I glance at the stamp and it's for 3 months - 100 bucks!


Commence to luggage pick-up. Grab 2 bags off carousel, head to long line at customs. What? Seems as if I am being waved to. At least I think they mean me. Now what? Another wave, RIGHT THROUGH CUSTOMS, no luggage check?

Thank you Lord Buddah, Lord Krishna, Ganesh, and everyone else out there.

Cultural Mores

How To Be a Gracious Guest

• Dress for women is always modest. Shorts are frowned upon and men should always don a shirt
• Always pass religious objects on the left
  
• Since the feet are considered unclean, tuck your feet under yourself as pointing them towards any object or person is not in good taste. Never place them on furniture nor step over someone else. Remove shoes before entering most homes.

If one accidentally touches someone with one's feet he/she is supposed to say 'BISHNU, BISHNU' and while saying that, he/she first touches the other persons body (not on the head) with their right hand then immediately touch their own forehead. The indication is 'Oh God, forgive me'      (Source: Brilliant Treks and Adventure Ltd)

• The very easy manner in which we may touch a child's head or give it a loving tap is totally taboo in Nepal. The head is considered the most spiritual part of the body, thus untouchable.
• When handing money to someone, always use your right hand, and grasp your right elbow with your left hand, or place your left hand on your chest. (You see this in Korean, and Asian dramas all the time)
• Always use your right hand for shaking, eating or passing something 
•  Give or receive things with both hands; even a business card.
  
• Remove all leather goods before entering a Hindu temple. (Shoes are easy, watchbands can get you!)
• Never touch anyone else's food and always pass food containers with only your right hand - the clean hand, the left is used for other purposes.
  
• Nepali's drink without letting the container touch their lips.
  

Flying to Pokhara

It's Thanksgiving and I thought all I was going to have to do was stuff that turkey and serve that feast.

Well, not so. Lobsang, the school secretary just emailed me that he could pick me up at the airport if I could inform him of my flight and arrival time.

Yeeks, I haven't booked it yet. On to the web. Nepali Air is listed in Lonely Planet, yet I remember something about a goat sacrifice in front of a plane while on the tarmack. Yes, that made international headlines.

In September of 2007 Nepal's state-run airline confirmed that it had sacrificed two goats to appease a Hindu god, following technical problems with one of its aircraft. Nepal Airlines said the animals were slaughtered in front of the plane - a Boeing 757 - at Kathmandu airport.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal_Airlines

Checked out some online reviews of NA, and decided to look into Buddha Air; it's a newer company and flies domestic. Good schedule, several flights a day, but ooops, what was that limit on luggage weight - 20 kilograms?

Where's that conversion chart? Ok, that's 44 pounds. I have 3 pieces, 1 large one -70 lbs, (which I will be paying Korean Air and additional $50 ) Mmmmm that's equivalent to 31.8 k., and then there's the mid size bag weighing in at 48 lbs, which is 21.8 k., total of 53.6 which begs an answer "How do I get this "stuff" to Pohkara?"
PS Made reservation online for myself on Buddha Air, received email, responded with above question, now awaiting answer.
Now back to setting the table.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

To be or not to be:

An Iphone carrier: no - too many possibilities of exorbitant charges if any app looks for connectivity; $3.49 a minute for talking too steep

(see great article in LA Times for traveler who didn't know better!)

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/sns-trvrail3-wk2-sep2

An Ipod carrier: yes, mustn't feel too naked too soon and those layovers in Seoul...

Digital audio recorder carrier: yes because it runs on batteries, triple A, and if my laptop is down I can still record the moment/event/discussion/thoughts

New Nikon digital camera carrier: Yep, I went for the dive, the deep one. However a large problem looms; manual instructs not to use a volt reduction transformer to charge Nikon battery. So then, like, you can't take this camera out of the country? What's up with that??? (Don't sweat it, remember I am a risk taker)

Flashlight and headlight carrier: Super definite on taking two torches; plus lotsa batteries.

Drug carrier: Indubitably: Cipro, Lomotil (acute diarrhea fixer upper),and Tamiflu, from my doc and Oxycodin from my med cab - just in case of kidney stone pain.

Time to lighten the mood a bit...

School yard with Machapuchare Peak, taken by Alison Domzalski, 

an influential catalyst for this journey.

See more of Alison's photography at

http://www.alisondomzalski.com/biography.html

Culture Shock: Gadhimai Fair

Excerpt from The Economic Times

Kathmandu:  The most controversial (and centuries old) religious fair in Nepal's Terai plains, where thousands of birds and beasts are doomed to be slaughtered next week, has fallen into more disrepute with the death of four visitors, including an Indian..after consuming adulterated local moonshine while three other Nepali men died Friday...

The Gadhimai Fair, held every five years and drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from India and Nepal, has been one of the most controversial religious events in Nepal where, according to animal rights activists, commercial considerations drive the festivities.

Dozens of shops selling illegal local spirits have been set up on the fair ground to cater to the visitors, most of whom are poor and uneducated villagers from Nepal's Terai as well as the Indian states...The deaths come on the eve of mass slaughter of birds and beasts ...The temple authorities say 500,000 buffaloes, goats, chickens, pigeons, and other birds and beasts will be killed for two days.

They claim a slaughterhouse has been built at the cost of over RS 5 million to kill the animals and about 250 butchers have been hired. Nepal's government, struggling to survive in the face of new disruptions threatened by the former Maoist guerrillas, has refused to ban the slaughter despite warnings by animal experts that the massacre could trigger swine flu, bird flu and cattle diseases and gravely affect the environment.

(Many celebritites) urged the Nepal government to stop the slaughter, and the pleas have been disregarded for fear that a ban would inflame Hindu religious sentiments.

Animal rights activists from Nepal have also warned the government that the killings, which turn the fair into the "world's largest killing fields" - will adversely affect Nepal's image in the eyes of the world, projecting the Himalayan republic as a barbaric nation.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Indian-among-four-dead-at-Nepals-controversial-fair/articleshow/5255043.cms

Excellent follow up story of one person's plea, and an explanation of how it got to this:

http://forum.mazzako.com/index.php?topic=21670.0



Picture source:http://www.animalnepal.org/