April 2010
Kathmandu / Nagarcot
Expensive. Shoppers Paradise. Polluted, River a bit of everything but a river. cleaner than India and the streets are not public lavs, which is nice. Poverty sits beside luxy. Glue Sniffing kids (under 10), lying in piles on the street beside the Garden of Dreams (160 rupees to enter) that's one pound 60p..... ?? how ?? I went and its not v. big but it is a haven in noisy touristy Thamel (tourist district of Kathmandu). Bottle of mineral water 80 rupees - not joking - I didnt buy it. And Europeans snogging - disgusting in public in UK - but in Nepal??? have they not read the guide books ??? Underdressed tourists, pink tourists, greedy tourists lie around on - mats and pillows provided in the park - the best part.
A little bit about budget hotels. I'm staying in the cheapest room I found with my own bathroom (i did find a place with a bigger room (two beds) but the bathroom just for me was down the corridor - it did have a tub in it and was super clean ) but just didnt fancy having to lock the room in the middle of the night and lose the key and fumble about in the dark all for a pee. So took the 300 rupee room.
And now I know why its 300 rupees only. mam
Normally in budget I can hear the people snoring in the room next door. Here its like sleeping in the hallway. When the tourists come home at 2am and ring the door bell. They have no idea they dont just wake up the poor guy who works about 20 hrs a day but most of the hotel hears the bell ringing 4 or 5 times. The metal shutter comes rattling up, a converstion is inevitable. then the heavy loud footsteps, door key, closing bang. Shutter down. ok peace. Until 5.30am and the radio goes on FULL BLAST... not even a hindu temple song - some crap western pop song. This morning I had to open my door and somehow (god knows how) very sweetly I asked if they would mind to turn the music off. The Nepali's are sooooooooo sweet and friendly - i felt bad asking - in the morning - they're all smiles and said - music good to wake us up.... fake laugh from me... mmmmmmmmm Maybe i'll put in a request for Om Mani Padme tomorrow at 5.30am?
It worked OMManiPadmi gentle woke me up.
Am I the worst traveller - I packed my bags and guitar and caught a bus to Panauti (about 1 1/2 hr away). Off to the green green hills. Saw the Shiva Statue high on a hilll. Saw the red brick buildings - classic Newari style -v. bautiful. Got to Panauti and saw the one Panauti HOtel and cafe and decided It wasnt forme so I got on the bus and came straight back to Katmandu with luggage... Didnt even get to the NomoBuddah sanctuary.. .It was v. hot. Shdv'd left my bags in Kathmandu and just taken overnight stuff. eh ho..
The next budget hotel - after checking about 20 I found Eco Hotel - great, nice room 2nd floor, two large windows. clean - bit smelly bed cover but that's ok Went off for early supper and at 7pm when I returned my room was like it was in the middle of the noisiest dance club . Two sides I had clubs. Luckily I was dead tired to managed to sleep - and was only woken when the nosie stopped. ha.
Katmandu do do
Nagargot
Having unsuccessfully managed to see Panauti or NamoBuddah - I left my bags and guitar at the Eco Hotel and caught a bus to Bhaktapur (750 rupees if you want to look around). And then found the bus to Nagarcot - it takes about 2hrs i think.
Only tourist on the bus and everyone wants to sit near me - why? in the end i Get the old smokey geezer in traditional dress and another sitting on my feet. The one next to me is either drunk or v. tired or both as he's leaning on me and i'm not so happy about this. But I keep chanting to distract me from the sweatiness.
Nagarcot is a ridge with some nice, some ugly hotels perched on the rim. I'm sure the guide book said it was over built and full of tourists - this is not the case -unlike Darjeeling - Its beautiful - still green - too up and down for me to want to walk but just sitting in the fresh scented spring pine forrests after the scent of exhaust fumes was perfect. I found a small brick and corrugated iron roofed shed with eagles to watch and stayed put til after breakfast. Not too many tourists. very hot but cool at night. Oh yeah and some flying buzzing insects - ah get me back to the city.
Next day 6.30am I am walking with my backpack on .. wahey - like a real back packer ninja and I walked 20 mins to the bus to take me to Pokara.
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