Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

1st - 9th May 2011



Arriving back in Kathmandu we headed straight back to our old hotel, glad to get off the bus and stretch our legs. Despite feeling rough with my snotty nose and sore throat, big sister duty called and I took my little sister our for what turned out to be a very brief look round the shops, a lovely evening shower prevented us from staying out for too long. Feeling utterly knackered and unused to the fast pace that holiday makers keep up, Djalma and I just wanted to loll about like fat dogs on a hot day. We took it in turns to take my little sister out.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

The following day while I stayed in bed and focussed on recuperating (and watching SATC 2) Djalma and Kate went out to Swayambunath, the Monkey Temple just outside of town. Djalma managed not to get bitten by any naughty monkeys this time and they came back in one piece having seen plenty of... monkeys! We all went out for lunch together and got some shocking hamburgers, we resolved not to go back for food, just beer.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

It was my turn the next day and I had a big day planned for my little sister. I was in charge of map reading and despite a couple of confused moments I managed not to get us lost. We followed the LP tour that Djalma and I did the first time, but this time we started in Durbar Square and explored it properly, taking our pictures next to big scary deities and little orange men.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

Walking up and down the crowded, noisy, smelly, crazy streets started to get to Kate and we took time out to share a little beer away from the noise. In true style we bought a beer from a corner shop and sat down on the street outside drinking the rapidly warming beverage from plastic cups. It put her back in the right frame of mind and we continued walking to my favourite square near our hotel, stopping at plenty of shops along the way of course.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

It was so nice to be with Kate and to remember what a pleasure sight-seeing can be, for example Djalma and I went but we didn't splash out and buy bird-feed for the pigeons, Kate and I did and then she filmed the birds pecking around her camera, it was so cool when I got to run into them and chase them all away. I don't know why I ask Djalma to do that, bird chasing is so much fun! We stopped off at loads of shops along the way and got Kate some more silver bangles and me an early birthday present of beautiful Nepali flower earrings, which I wear all the time.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

As it was Kate's last full day we decided to go out for a proper steak/burger and went to K-Too and steak beer house recommended in our bible, thank you LP! We tucked into excellent burgers and steaks that were served on a sizzling platter with beautiful chunky chips, it's making salivate writing about it. A nice cold beer and a cocktail for Kate helped the meat and the grease down before we lurched our stuffed bellies back in the direction of our hotel.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

The next day was full and we shared Kate's bag out and set out for Boudha and a temple complex near the Airport. I sat and started manically writing my backlog of postcards which I had just got printed out and wanted to send back with Kate, while she and Djalma walked round the stupa taking pictures. I didn't realise that we were supposed to pay an entrance fee to visit the stupa, the first we went we had approached through a back entrance to the square and there weren't any ticket booths, when we went this time we realised the situation and then set about trying to find the same way in, this time I saw a booth but the guy in it was asleep... We left and caught a micro bus, squishing in with all our bags and headed in the direction of the airport.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

We arrived at the temple complex early afternoon and walked through the buildings and in the direction of the burning ghats and the bridge crossing the river where all the ashes were thrown. The complex was huge but we weren't allowed in many of the buildings, not that great when you have to pay a relatively large entry fee. Climbing up some steps we walked through monkey central stopping when some of them went crazy after one guy walking through, I was a bit more careful taking pictures after seeing that – the little monkeys with their bright red bottoms looked a lot more menacing when their teeth were out.

From Part Two: Kathmandu, Nepal

It started to rain and we headed for shelter in one of the small roadside cafés where I continued to scribble rushed notes down on the postcards, after I finished we got in a taxi and headed to the airport to say goodbye.

We weren't allowed in the airport so we said goodbye outside the door and watched as she walked away, it was a bit of an anticlimax, I much prefer being seen off as I go through security of through customs, not just outside the airport building. I was good and didn't cry while she was there but it didn't take long for the tears to come after she left, we caught the bus back feeling one man down.

After she left, we didn't do anything that was worth taking the camera out for, instead we lazed around and generally did nothing except get excited while reading about SE Asia. We bought more books and picked up wet weather for the monsoon season and planned about what we would do, oh and we booked our flights to Bangkok!

On the last evening, the 8th, we went back to K-Too for more steak and beer, did more packing and early the next morning we finished our packing and got a taxi at 6am for our flight to Thailand and the South East Asia leg of our trip. EXCITING!