I hate getting out of bed at 5am. Dont know how anyone can do it. Doesnt make it any better when you have to lug a big bag, a backpack and a laptop through the streets. Especially when I haven't done any regular exercise for months. Lucky enough to get a taxi right outside the hotel, one that gave a good price! (no night meter...)
I was a bit uncertain as to what to do once I got to the airport. More so when I saw a massive line of at least 100 people at the entrance. Clutching my ticket, I wandered in a dazed state past the line to see a security gaurd waving to me. What have I done?? But the guy showed me a similar door and rushed me through. Sweet! Now I was the only person in the departure hall. Is this legal? I paid my departure taxes in rupees at the bank before wandering over to the Nepal airlines counter. The airport is dirty, disorganised and from the line of people glaring at me through the window I take it not the greatest service to all! After checking my baggage in I turned around to see a huge line of people now at the bank - it would have taken me at least an hour had I not been shown the side door! Same for customs upstairs.
The duty free shops were pretty poor, especially when it came to the cafes. You could get weak tea or go to a Sheraton restaurant with astronomical prices. Though one of the grog shops had good prices - $8 for a litre of blue label smirnoff vodka! I wish I was depressed so I could have reason to down it in my hotel room. It is hard to pass on such a good bargain! I felt like I'd missed a good bargain as I headed to my boarding call. There was another security check where I was frisked by a security gaurd. He checked my pockets - ipod, passport but stopped with my wallet and opened it. He pointed to the Nepal Rupees I hadn't been able to change (all the changers were closed) and said what is this? I fleetingly remembered something about not being allowed to import/export the currency but thought that was just for Indian Rupees. Which I also had in my wallet. He said "come on brudda give me one". What? "One brudda". I pretended not to understand, which wasnt altogether difficult, and he gave up on trying to get a bribe.
The flight itself was ok. Nothing like a Thai or quantas airlines flight, but decent enough seeing how much money I'd saved. I scored yet another good window seat, only it wasn't so appreciated this time as two sweaty indians were next to me and they kept standing over me to look at the view! For an hour or two I presumed we weren't going to get any meals and I was hungry. I could smell the first-class meals just ahead and it was agonizing. Finally we got a little meal, the first I've had that has lived down to airline food expectations.
I had hoped to be picked up by our family friends the Leslies who live in Thailand. Dad said he hadn't heard back from them so I assumed that I wasn't going to be met. And I was right. I had a lonely planet on thailand but unfortunately it is rather old and they had built a new airport - new bus routes, trains etc. So it took me a long time working through the maze of the massive flash airport, fending off taxi touts before finding a bus that went to what I think was the tourist ghetto. It had a destination that began with B, which I was pretty sure where I was meant to be going. It is freaking hot too! I probably just got on the bus because of the air-conditioning.
A few people got off after half an hour though I waited until a big crowd containing surfies got off - surely this must be Khao San street, the major tourist ghetto? Well i couldn't see any familiar landmarks but it looked touristy enough so I booked into a cheapish looking guest house, glad to stop carrying all the bags in the heat! I was sweating badly, wishing I hadn't worn the teachers pants.
Went for a wander, trying to get some bearings. Everything in this street and a couple of smaller nearby ones caters for the tourist - much like Thamel. But replace the trekking agents with scuba diving, mini-marts for 7/11s, taxis for tuk tuks and other similar changes. I was home again. I ordered some Pad Thai (noodles) from a street stall, the only thing that is in english with no fears of Bangkok Belly. Wandered further to find a cheapo pub. Beers are slightly to greatly cheaper than Kathmandu, depending on if you sit in a fancy bar, an ordinary bar or when the street stalls crack out the esky and plastic chairs later in the afternoon. Unfortunately I was hot and sweaty in the afternoon and had to pay an outrageous (but reasonable) $2 for a long neck whilst a thai barmaid insisted I have another or order one for her. Now alcoholicly content I managed to discover that I am actually on Khao San - the street where I was meant to be! Fluked...
The tourist class has changed greatly - no more gore-tex clad trekkers or true hippies, just the tanned surf bunch; everyone is in board shorts and singlets, or often enough no singlets for the guys. I look a bit odd with my very pasty t-shirt tan... damn the lack of beaches in Nepal.
I had an early night, mainly unsure of what to do tomorrow. Didn't have any blankets or sheets but no way I was going to complain. But as I nodded off to sleep the partying continued and all I could hear was James Blunt blaring 1973 outside my window. God I am starting to hate that guy.
