Finding Yeti

i know it's been forever since i last wrote a real update of the things i've been up to these last 6 weeks, but that'll have to wait. right now i rather update u on the current situation here in Kathmandu as the deadline for the constitution comes upon us quickly, and the class struggle to be heard.

it's been buzzing around for days now, a strike is coming. locals and travelers alike chattering about the citywide strike planned for saturday that will ultimately shut down Kathmandu until Maoist demands are met. today i was planning on adding to my travel journal finally, when my friend came in the internet cafe where i was, saying i needed to finish up quickly because they needed to close up shop, like in 5 min. he explained that the Maoists, red shirts, were coming and were collecting "donations" of 5000 Nepali rupees (71 US dollars) from each business to help fund their activities. now, this is not so much a donation but rather a command, you can't just refuse to pay. one after another all the shops in Thamel, the tourist mecca of Kathmandu, began closing up shop. kicking out all customers and locking up, they were all trying to avoid what would be extortion. so i quickly finished up and left.

the atmosphere was a lil tense as everyone waited for the men to come around. i ended up heading to a restaurant hoping to get some food and look down on the street below me just in case something were to go down. i read a bit in the paper that the police seized bomb making materials in a local hotel brought in by Maoists the day before. among the materials was a sack of slingshots and marbles, hmmm..... i guess what ever works right?!

i sat there for a while and watched as the businesses closed up shop and then an hour later slowly began to re-open again. apparently they didn't show up. right now as i'm writing i'm hearing chanting and some kind of commotion going on. i'm not too sure how far it is from me right now but i think it might be time to get off here and assess the situation. the air is tense and the unknown is grabbing at our throats. this is an interesting time to be here, but not necessarily good for the future of Nepal. i hope for the best as Nepal comes closer to writing it's constitution due may 28th (supposedly).

they say the strike might go on for a month, i hope not. but we'll see. i might have to escape Kathmandu or bunker down in my room.

but other than that everything is great!!! :D lol

so don't worry out there. i be aight! ;)

reporting from kathmandu,
daliana