Nepal
Monday 10th March
Arrived safely in Kathmandu around 10:00, $25USD Visa on arrival in less than 10 mins. Picked up my bag and outside to find my pick-up. Said goodbye to Leslie who was off to Pokhara and her Yoga retreat. Off to hotel and checked in by 11:00.
 |
| The Room |
 |
| and the View :-( |
Went for a quick walk but was feeling hungry so after a couple of walks around the block. I ended up at a French Restaurant, Cafe des Arts, run by a French man for the last 34 years. So again I meet up with the French, is there a sign here? I had the local brew Beer Kathmandu and then I had vegetable Mo Mo with soup. I stayed here a couple of hours just chilling and updating my notes. Back to the hotel and forty winks. Then dinner in the hotels restaurant, I tried the chicken spring rolls but these were unlike those tasty ones from Laos and Vietnam, they had noodles and tasted a little too fried and felt heavy!
Tuesday 11th March
Breakfast around 8:00-8:30am.
Then gave laundry to the hotel, the local laundry's seem to charge per item also! The hotel had mentioned yesterday about getting a car for the day, with driver of course to visit 4 of the main tourists haunts of Kathmandu, more Temples - I can see me becoming a Monk!
So I ended up booking a car and driver, Ram, to take me to the temples below:
1st - Boudha, a Buddhist Temple and very colourful, lots of prayer flags, etc. see pics.
 |
| A little Bhudda |
 |
| The main Bhudda at Boudha |
 |
| Offering Bowls |
2nd - Pashupati, allegedly the most famous Hindu Temple in the world! This is also a place where they perform cremations and there were a few going on, see pics! Had a tag along guide here and after a couple of hours I made my way out and paid him 1500NRP's, he wasn't that happy! It was such a big place and a guide is needed.
 |
| Typical dried paints used for blessings and the Holi festival... |
 |
| Preparation for Cremations!! |
 |
| Start of the Cremation... |
 |
| Various Cremations in progress. |
 |
| A Holy Man. |
 |
| Through the Stupa's Windows. |
 |
| More Stupa's on the hill. |
3rd - Pattan, another Hindu temple, where I had lunch first in the Red Hut, it felt like being in the gun galley of a frigate, like a pirates vessel. See pics.
 |
| Fire the canons!! |
 |
| A Hindu God through the frigate window. |
 |
| Silouhette of a God? |
 |
| Typical Men - passing the time of day... |
 |
| The basic offerings to be made. |
4th - Monkey Temple, aka Swayambhu, this is another Buddhist temple. A small climb up as opposed to the 320+ steps that I could have had.
 |
| Main Monkey Temple Stupa! |
 |
| Kathmandu from the top with colourful Prayer flags. |
 |
| If you wanted to you can walk up!! |
 |
| Prayer Wheels... |
Then back to hotel, all for 4,500 NPR's about £28. Plus I had to pay an entrance fee to all of these, i.e. 150/1000/500/250NRP's respectively.
Kathmandu Kitchen for Chicken Dal and a couple of beers.
Wednesday 12th March
5:45 pick up for Mountain flight to see Everest. Quite an experience, a very small plane 18 people a lot bigger than the bone shaker we flew to the Grand Canyon. Great views of the Himalayas but photos not so easy and a little disappointing. Not sure they are any better than those I took on the flight in from Paro. Although I have now snapped Everest!
 |
| It was quite a squash inside, you can't stand up!! |
 |
| Mount Everest on the left! |
Back for breakfast. Then a little nap before going out for the day.
Durbar Square lunch and site seeing.... Another 750NRP's for the temple complex, I had lunch on a rooftop restaurant for 600NRP's, mushroom soup and a beer. They do not fully protect the complex and allow people to use some parts for sitting, etc. see pics!
 |
| So many items for sale... |
 |
| The Puppet shop is actually using the Temple buildings! |
 |
| A Woman sits while the pidgeons fly around. |
Hotel restaurant for Chicken Mo Mo, you get 10 and a spice, a little too much for me only made 7, and two beers.
 |
| Mo Mo's were too heavy, Beer was good though! |
Thursday 13th March
I felt a little queasy in the night, those Mo Mo's seemed to be laying heavy on my stomach but gradually passed. A lie in today as nothing heavy planned. Went for a walk but not feeling very energetic, just a couple of pictures out and about in Kathmandu!
 |
| You down there must be lost? |
 |
| One of many little shops! |
 |
| Too catch your eye.... |
 |
| I said STOP! |
 |
| Spot the restaurant sign... |
Stopped at the Revolution Cafe for fresh orange juice and vegetable soup.
Then back to the hotel. Crashed for an hour or so, still not feeling as I should. Headed down to restaurant to settle my account. 70,000+ NRP's. Had a tomato soup and some fresh orange juice. Still not feeling right so asked reception about seeing a doctor and ended up walking 5 minutes to a local small Emergency clinic where they took my BP 160/100, nothing too serious. They said that I was probably OK to fly to Delhi tomorrow. Packed and went to bed, slept reasonably.
Friday 14th March
Up and a small breakfast before getting car to the airport, another 600 NRP's.
Got through security with my iPad showing my e-ticket. Checked in and then went through immigration. When it came to board the plane they check the hand luggage on the Tarmac! Strange as it's already been through two x-ray machines already. The Indians seem ultra cautious, why I'm not too sure. Plane left on-time, bye bye Nepal.
India next....
Phileas
