I have Arrived!

WOW.

I have arrived in Kathmandu.


This place is incredible! The date here today in Nepal is 26/04/2070. Although I have technically stepped in the future, it really feels like I have stepped back in time. 

My flight over was uneventful up until I reached Kuala Lumpur. My flight was to depart from gate G8 and there were two big lines of people going through security before boarding the flight. My plan was to just sit to the side til the line disappeared, and wasn't too concerned when I couldn't quite hear anything being said over the loud speaker - although thought I heard my name pronounced badly over it (still not sure if I did). Turns out all those people weren't going to Nepal.

An airport man was rushing through the crowds of people yelling, "KATHMANDU, KATHMANDU!" so I ran to him and he raced me through to the flight (very embarrassing as there were lots of people everywhere!). Great start, nearly missed my flight!

On the flight I sat next to a man and woman from Holland who had started a personal leadership company for street kids in Nepal. They had a wee 10 month old baby boy named Bruce who was joining them. Poor wee man had the most horrible cough on him. His Dad told me he had nearly died of Whooping Cough in his very small 10 months. But he was on the mend now :)

Arriving in Kathmandu was amazing. As we flew in I could see the Himalayas, and as we got lower I got see the craziness that is Nepal. It was like arriving in a movie from back in time! I may have shed a tear. After years of wanting to do Everest Base Camp, I was here.

Unfortunately, the pilot advised us it was 33 degrees today, ahhh..... I was working the whole hiking boots and skinny jeans look, so getting off the plane was like stepping into a sauna! Getting my visa was uneventful but loooooonnnnnnnnnggggg. The Nepalese are soooo lovely and friendly though! 

OMG getting my big backpack on was actually a nightmare haha... it is soooo heavy and had had Dad or Mike there to put it on my back the day I left. I literally had to sit it up, sit on the floor, put my arms through the straps, and very badly stand up. Thankfully, no one around noticed!!

From the time that I left the arrivals I seemed to have an 'entourage' of around 10 Nepalese men. They wanted to help me with my bags (for a tip) and get me a taxi. Even when I went to the shop to get a sim card for my basic phone they hung about! As I went outside I had them all trying to get me in their taxi. Saying I will give you special price of 800 rupees. When I turned around and said, "No, I will only go with a taxi offering 400 rupees", they all told me about fuel shortages and that I would never get anything lower than 800. 

Well... I got in a taxi with Arjun for 500 rupees. Not bad for my first go at bargaining eh? Oh and when I say taxi, I mean the tiniest Suzuki car that doesn't look roadworthy hehe. I put my bags in the back and jumped in the front seat. A porter wouldn't let me shut my door saying I owed him a tip for helping me with my bags - which he hadn't! My reaction, "Mate, you didn't help me so you aren't getting a tip, now get out of my way." And then proceeded to shut the door on him. 

The taxi ride was fab. Although it wasn't until Arjun took me up some back roads that I thought to myself, " Hmmmm... I wonder if getting in this random taxi was smart?" 

But the drive was ridiculously awesome! I know with the traffic I should've been freaking but I was loving it. I had a seriously goofy grin on my face the whole time. I didn't know where to look there was so much going on. And I got very excited seeing a couple of calves on the streets, then turning onto a bridge where a big bull was sat and cars avoiding him. Arjun was chatting away, very friendly, and even offered to drive me wherever I liked the next day from 9am til 5pm for US$28. I did decline though. The roads are rougher than any farm races I've known in NZ, so driving is a bit bumpy! I will explore on foot. 

Arjun dropped me at Kathmandu Madhuban Guest House which I had booked for only NZ$15 after reading reviews on TripAdvisor about the friendliness of staff. The hotel is very basic but I have my own balcony overlooking the streets, and a toilet that flushes - so I'm happy! I immediately dropped my things and went to go get some bottled water. As I wandered out of the Guest House the owner ran out after me and gave me a card with the address of the hotel on it and its phone number. He asked where I was off to and on explaining he showed me the best places. We shook hands (although I went in with my left hand - the dirty hand in Nepal - but he just laughed when I quickly changed hands) and I was on my merry way. 

I spent a couple of hours just exploring the streets and just wandering. I have come back to the hotel now because it can get a bit tiring trying to not get run over! There aren't really footpaths so it gets a bit crazy out there! I did get lost for a wee while but just kept wandering til I found my way. I was actually try to find the milkshake place Tash and Mike had told me about. It has its own generator so one of the few places you can get one - and any cold drinks for that matter! They've given me a map of how to get there from Kathmandu Guest House, only I couldn't find the Guest House so will check that out tomorrow.

Right now I am sat in the reception area of my guest house using their computer. I must report here that the internet is faster than Dad's (Dad they have broadband here - you need to catch up! :P). I am soon going to head out again to get some dinner. This is the one city in the whole wide world (or that I have been to) where I haven't seen a McDonalds or KFC. Of course, I'm planning to get the national staple of Dhal Baat - Lentil soup with Rice, Chutney and Curried Veges. Of course, I will be getting the vegetarian version. 

Anywho, I am off! My tummy is rumbling!