I Made It!!!
So, I wanted to let y'all know about the last day of my vacay. It was weird and crazy.
Let's start out by saying that strange things were happening to me pretty much all day on Friday. This includes meeting somebody in Kathmandu that had actually been to Missoula before. On Saturday, I had this sinking premonition that something bad might happen. Not life threatening, but still something that was gonna throw a huge wrench into my plans of returning home.
Apparently, there were political demonstrations on Friday (I didn't see anything happen) and again on Saturday. I woke up on Saturday thinking that my luggage was gonna get lost or something. My last travel companion and I agreed to meet at 2 pm at the hotel to go to the airport. Our flight was scheduled for 4:10 pm. He went shopping. I left around noon to go get some food and maybe do last minute shopping.
I went to the main part of Kathmandu (a few minutes away on foot), Thamel. I heard something about Saturdays being a holiday in Nepal, but I was still a bit shocked at how empty the streets were. Usually, there's a ton of traffic--bikes, taxis, rickshaws, pedestrians, and more. Then I saw about 8 men in military uniform, look down the block to see a bunch of people streaming in the same direction with a police van, and more military men. Hmmm. Then I see that most of the stores are either closed or pulling down the garage-esque door to the store front. I figured this was a good sign to return to the hotel and eat there. One of the hotel guys told me we should leave early (1:30) because there are political demonstrations going on. Then it made sense. Regardless, I still had to wait for my buddy to get back. And the sales shark told me that there was no cab that we'd have to walk. I thought he was joking because it was his responsibility to get and pay for a taxi for us. That was the deal.
2 pm, my friend comes back. No cab, no sales shark that was supposed to arrange the ride to the airport. 2:30, the hotel manager tries to get us a cab. Usually, people are all over you trying to sell their cab services. Not that day. I only saw 3 cabs.....The hotel manager says it's gonna cost more than usual, so we have to pay. WTF!!! But, we have to get to the airport. So, we agree.
The hotel manager gets in the cab with us. We start towards the airport and make it maybe 5 minutes before we hit an area where the demonstrators are burning tires in the middle of the road. The cabbie tries to find alternate routes, apparently there are none. We get out and start to walk.
We tried to get another cab, but still cars weren't getting through. Eventually, a car with a handwritten sign that says "tourist" on it pulls over. A white lady is in front on her way to collect her husband from the airport. The hotel manager also gets in. We were super, super lucky to get picked up. I had felt some raindrops....
And then it poured. We were still passing some piles of tires being burned or waiting to be....Saw a ton of people with luggage on their way to the airport in the deluge. People kept looking into the back of our car to see if we really were tourists or not, apparently they had no beef with us.
In the car ahead of us, I kept seeing these black guys get out and saying "peace" and just trying to get through. At one point, we were all stopped and I heard a LOUD thud on the trunk and another on the roof. Either somebody hit our vehicle with a bat or threw a brick at us. I'm not sure what. I wonder if it's because they looked in the car and saw our Nepali hotel manager and not us.....
We made it. Then we both got stopped in customs for a long while because our Nepal was cancelled when we went to Tibet and we didn't get another one (even though it was free). Originally, we were just waived through, so we thought we might end up with trouble when we left.
Next, our carry-on bags were x-rayed 2 or 3 times. We had to identify our check-in luggage too. A short bus ride to the plane where our carry-on was searched for the 2nd or 3rd time where upon it was discovered that I didn't have some sort of stamp on my boarding pass. Back on the bus to get a stamp, back on the bus to the plane, searched and patted down, again. At this point, my highly prized bottles of green chili sauce were confiscated because they're in glass bottles. Amazingly, I did get them back at the Delhi airport.
As you can imagine, the flight was delayed. We had plenty of extra time in Delhi, so it wasn't so bad.
We had our carry-on searched 1 or 2 more times in Delhi where upon my green chili sauce was taken forever. They wouldn't let me put it in my checked luggage. No sir-y bob.... Fuckers. I love that sauce.
Anyway, a 10 hour flight to Osaka from Delhi, a 2 hour train ride, a 15 minute walk up hill home, and I made it! I'm back, baby!!!!!!! I really missed Osaka. It's so awesome here!
The good news is that the worst thing that really happened was the chili sauce. I'm upset about it, but I'm hoping another one of my traveling buddies will buy me more as he's still in Nepal. We'll see....
Ciao!
Missed Out on the Disco
Yeah, I was good last night in that I didn't drink any alcohol. It prolly has a lot to do with after dinner that I suddenly felt extremely gross and went back to the hotel alone. I think I got food poisoning. I got sick a couple of times, had a fever, the sweats, the shivers, and really didn't sleep at all. All of my friends came home around 3 am from the "disco" and I was glad nobody was around me when I was feeling so violently ill. The good news: I'm mostly better. And, I was the only one who got sick. So, it was isolated to just me.
I just got back into Kathmandu a few hours ago. Let me tell you, it feels great! Flushing toilets and food that isn't all grease or yak is a good thing. It sounds like a little to ask for, but believe me, Nepal is so much cleaner in general than India or Tibet that it's just crazy.
In just a few short days and a couple more international flights, I'll be back safe and sound to the place I love--Osaka! I'm already thinking about all the chu-high's I'll be drinking and the shopping to be had. Damn, it's such a good city!
I'm still tired from being so sick, so I'll catch ya later! Need to keep hydrated!
Last Day in Tibet
Tomorrow 3 of 5 of my group is flying back to Kathmandu. It's been quite a trek. I sprained/twisted my ankle about 4 days ago, but I'm almost 100% fully recovered. This is a good thing considered that skipping up and down monestary stairs isn't easy as is with the 4000 meter altitude and the fact that the stairs are uneven and usually quite steep. But, I managed and I think that I did quite well all things considered.
So, tonight, I'm gonna try to be a good girl and not drink as we have a 10 am international flight and the airport is a bit far away. The last two nights have been a little too much fun. I had some "Tibetan tequila" whatever that means. Really, I only had one shot, so not a big deal. But, it's the 500 ml beers that cost about $.50 at 4000 m that'll really get to you quickly.
I'm tired. I'll bid you farewell for now. Combei!
Winding Down
Yeah, the four weeks of vacay is almost over while a couple of my friends' holidays are just beginning. Crazy. 2-3 months of vacay for them. Southeast Asia or Russia and Mongolia. That's where they're headed or going through to get home. I wonder how long it'll take me to get home after I'm finished teaching.
The good news: we have a FLUSHING Western toilet that is actually part of our room. This seems like a luxury after squatting over a non-flushing hole that is only a couple of feet deep, if you're lucky. The bad news: no hot water in our shower. Well, I guess if we're all smelly, we understand.
I only have a couple of more days in Tibet and a couple more in Nepal then we fly to Dehli and back to Osaka. I have 3 flights in about 3 or 4 days...my friend has 4 in 5 days. OMG.
Anyways, I'm not sure what to write about at this point. Either it's become old hat to me already, I've forgotten previous posts, or I'm just too tired to deal with anything. Maybe 8 days in a land cruiser will do that to you. I've seen so many mountains, goats, and yaks that I couldn't even begin to count. I've seen all of the major tourist sites in both Nepal and Tibet, and of course India's most famous Taj Mahal.
It's that time again. I gotta take off.
It's the little things....
Like showering. When a package deal includes accomodations, really to me that would include a shower (even if it has to be shared). In Tibet, often you have to pay in the hotel to shower. WTF?!
Also, I'm not sure whose toilets are worse--Tibet's or India's. It could be a toss up. But, I try to hold it in, even though I could end up with a bladder infection. Well, it's better that than the evil, stinky hole in the ground sometimes. And BTW, don't forget the toilet paper either. You'll need it as there never is any.
Food. Maybe it's not such a little thing. But, the food in Tibet is not so great. It's okay. I was certainly spoiled in Kathmandu and will be happy to have a nice dinner there when I return for a couple more days.
Tibetan food leaves something to be desired. I did have two yak burgers today which were okay. The funny thing is that we ordered "chilli chips" which we all thought would be French fries with a proper Texas type chilli on top. WRONG! It was fries that had been stir fried (not joking!) with veggies and some sort of chilli oil or sprinkles. Hmmm. Anyone for a cuppa? Cup of butter tea that is. Imagine drinking watery butter. I didn't think it was so bad and my friend drank 4 cups; however, most Westerns don't really like it. Something about tasting like a pair of old socks....
It's like being stuck in a different time here. China has some sort of thing going on trying to make Tibet more modern as it's "one hundred years behind." Frankly, it does feel that way. You're lucky to get a flushing toilet (even if it is a squater). (Apparently, these are the worst toilets in China according to one of my travel friends.) I saw a kid that was probably about 9 years old doing road construction with a fag hanging out of his mouth. One of my friends saw a kid that looked like he was 5 and smoking....Terrible.
The Tibetans looked so wind battered and weathered. I think they lead really difficult lives. I'm guessing that the education is absolute shit here too, especially when you see children working. I feel for them too because the Chinese are moving in on their land. According to our guide, the Chinese gov't wants to send 200 million people to live in Tibet!!!!! That's incredible to me. I wonder if the land could even support that many people. The Tibetans are all dirty and look like they never bathe. I heard their word for foreigner directly translates as "washables" because we like to bathe.
Oh yes. I forgot to mention the altitude sickness. I was feeling it when we were at Everest Base Camp. I had a bit of a headache, but no big deal. It's really hard to move quickly because the air is so thin. I think our highest point was about 6000 meters and Everest Base Camp at about 5200 meters.
Got to go. Mates are leaving now.....
Whew!
We weren't able to bungy jump...there were political protests going on Day 2. And, it's not working out for another day unless we want to pay even more money. More than we've already forked over to all the tour guides and such. Believe me, it adds up quickly.
Day 1:
We took some mountain bikes to a village called Sankur which ended up being about 40 km. Biking in Kathmandu is bloody nuts. Remember this: there are no rules. Once you understand that basic concept, you'll start jumping out in front of buses, trucks, motorbikes, pedestrians...well, anything that you think you can be faster than. Basically, you bike freaks would have a good time here. I was on a shitty mountain bike kicking a lot of buses' asses. I did almost get hit by a small truck except I screamed right at the driver's face and he slammed on the brakes. HAHAHA. Take that, sucka!
Day 2: River rafting. The good news is that I only got knocked INTO the boat and not out of it. It was fun. The Chinese people were interesting. Don't mention that you see Tibet as it's own country and you might be able to get along....
Day 3: Day 1 of trekking in the Himalayas. We hiked about 6 hours. A lot of ups. It was good.
Day 4: Trekking continued. I got the first set of leech bites. Hmm. Not too big of a deal. A lot more up. We slept at the highest point that night at 1900 meters.
Day 5: More up. The actual highest point we went to was about 3200 meters. A lot of bloody leeches. My friend's ankle was bleeding quite badly and later his back was covered in blood too.
Day 6: Crazy bastard friends decided that they wanted to get back to Kathmandu a day early. Got up at 4:30 am. 6 hours of downhill....I got a blister on my toe and a lot of leeches. I bashed my arm when I fell down slippery wet rocks and it now has a big lump. The same friend that was attacked before got a bleeding leech bite on his chin and also had one on his neck.
We managed to get to the bus stop, but because I couldn't keep up, we missed the bus. Luckily for us, there was another bus back to Kathmandu. 7 hours in a bus after 6 hours of hiking was a little rough.
Got back to the hotel around 8 pm where both of the friends we were supposed to meet up with today (because our trek was supposed to be 5 days long) had just checked in. Perfect timing!!!!
Day 7: Getting ready for Tibet today as we leave tomorrow. And I'm off again to meet up with my friends.
Bye for now!
Kathmandu--Fuck Yeah!
Well, made it to Kathmandu from Dehli yesterday. Actually, it was a really nice flight on Sahara unlike the ghetto plane on Air India from Osaka. The lunch was nice even though it was probably only a 2 hour flight. That's service.
Now we have a basic plan for the rest of the trip which also means we know that we're not going to spend any more nights in India, which we are all extremely happy about. Funny, after Varanasi, Dehli seemed clean.... Kathmandu is already head and shoulders above pretty much very thing we saw in India with the possible exception of Bodgayr.
Plan:
1: biking around Kathmandu
2: bungy jumping
3: if we live, we'll continue onto river rafting
4-7: trekking
8-17: jeep through Mount Everest Base Camp (EBC) and up to Tibet
18: back to Kathmandu
19: fly from Kathmandu to Dehli back home to Osaka
20: land in Osaka
The good news, we'll be trekking about 50 km in 4 days, but we can leave whatever stuff behind that isn't necessary thus making it easier. Still, at 3000+ meters, it won't probably be too easy as the oxygen isn't as abundant at those heights. We'll see.
So, wish me luck on one of the highest bungy jumps in the world. It's off a bridge that's about 150 meters above the river. I hope that I don't chicken out at the last minute....
************************************************************************************
I'm just happy to be out of India. It was okay, but my friends said that Varanasi is the dirtiest city they've ever been to and they've been around the world. That's pretty bad. Cows living in the house is not my idea of fun or clean. Really, the guide told us that their shit is holy....OMG.
Whew! Now it's just Kathmandu. It's refreshing.
