Kathmandu or Bangkok?My 10 year visa requires I leave India every 6 months.KTM is cheaper and closer.BKK is more fun and modern.Draw backs?KTM has a 3 day Maoist strike coming up, 2 days after I land...BKK?.. to many temtations.Or so I thought.
I chose KTM,cheaper and less working girls
Night before I leave I drink to much and stay up way to late.I arrive at Goa airport at 4 AM with a terrible hangover.On the plane,I throw up twice....... Before we get off the ground..
At Delhi,they wont let me into the airport,I must go across the street to a waiting room.My plane does not leave for 6 hours,at least that's what the ticket said.Upon reaching the front door of waiting area,while I stare at a large sign,"Free Waiting"...some little brown devil demands $1 from me..I pay.I am just looking for a place to lay my head for 3 hours.I'm in luck,I find a spot.
Well,my six hour layover turned into 12 HOURS.!!!..!Compliments of Royal Nepali Air or some god damn name.Lonely Planet advised not to use them.But 3 cute travel agent girls,with bright smiles,beautiful,long black hair and 3 perfect apple asses assured me to give them a try....
I was to arrive at KTM at 6 PM but now it looks like midnight,which gives me only one day to figure out KTM before the strike...Finally,I get on the plane.It is half empty.I almost relax but when I reach my seat,I swear,there is a screaming 2 year old in my seat....IN MY SEAT!!!...(It just can't get any better than this...But it does....:(
The child and mom are moved away from me by the helpful ladies on board.Not sure out of niceness to me or they saw a murderous look in my eye.Ha.While waiting for that final push back from the terminal,I notice the plane's armrests all have ash trays.!...My God!..How old is this plane?...Is it safe??..Lonely Planet stated these planes are old,always breaking down,short of pilots,no spare parts,and no one to fix the plane...
WE Leave the Gate!..Great!. On my way..Off to Nepal..Fantastic!...Suddenly!...The plane goes dark!.The engines Fail and shut off!.No lights and no engines.It is so quiet I can hear my heart beat and panic rise as I try to think of a way to get off this plane,..(and not get arrested)...After 5-7 minutes,the Captain announces we have had a slight electrical problem,but don't worry we will be in the air very shortly...I do not want to be in the air on this plane.But I sit quiet and wait,no one else is trying to get off...
*****THIS IS HUGE!!!....For the first time on this trip I tell myself and certainly not for the last time,....
..."YOU MADE YOUR MOVE BITCH,GO FOR IT"..!!!!....
It WILL not be the last time......*
We land in KTM at 1:00AM.I forget something on the plane so I go back..When I reach the Arrival Hall,the huge place is completely empty!..Finally I spot one lone man standing at the far end,waiting for me...He is Customs.I give the form,money, and photos and with 90 day visa stamped on my passport, I head for the door.Outside,there is a lone tourist booth open,turns out they were waitng for me.That's nice.Inside the terminal everything was closed.ATM,.hotel counters,photo lab for photos, and taxi booth.All closed.
I tell what I want and how much I will pay.In Thamel tourist area,of course.The 2 chaps,after a phone call,close the booth and we all jump in a cab to who knows where,in my mind.The streets are empty,except for an occaisional soldier/police,guarding some street corner.
We pull into a simi dark,narrow side road or alley.After a 70 yard ride,we pull into a jet black,dead end I can't see anything!I have a little panic creeping into my mind..as I curse myself for leaving some weapons(knife and chilly powder) in my checked suitcase...A welcomeing light came on....Within 15 minutes,I have a room,some cold beer,TV,and the satisfaction I made it......No money,no worries,pay later.......
KTM is a great little city.two wide boulavards lead from the King's Palace.But the city is narrow crowded streets with shops,stores,food carts,and polite,friendly people..
By Western standards,it is quite crazy.....By India standards,it is calm,almost peaceful..
I'm about 1 mile from the heart of the tourist area,Thamel.Thamel has all kinds of fantastic shops,stores,bread shops,pastry shops,restros,bars,music stores,where you can buy the latest Hollywood release for $1.25usd.And lots of tourists and Expats.It is truly a great place to be.Friendly people abound here.Impossible for me sit in a bar alone.Travelers walk in and just assume the white guy in the corner wants some company.And I grow to appreciate the company.
My 1st day,I find a place to eat and drink,a large,covered,outdoor patio,became my favorite place."The Northfield Palace and Jessie James Saloon."Complete with plants,many tables,waterfall,stage for live Nepali music at night.A great place,to my liking.I guess I'm ready for the strike.I found 5-7 places to eat,three bars to drink and made a few friends in my one day in the city.
Let the strike begin!.Day 1;I noticed a difference in the air as I stepped out of my hotel.It was quiet.No car horns,no voices,less kids playing in the lane.I walk the 70 yards up the narrow lane to the main road.Along the way,a small,(2 tables)hole in the wall restro is open,but nothing else.I would stop in that little restro to give business and be nice.I AM in a city with no friends and no support,I might need people who like me...
As I reach the main road,there is a large police/army checkpoint to greet me on the other side of the road.There are about 8-10 men stationed here,with rifles.They just watch me.I did not feel the Love coming from them....
(We would get to know each other real well over the next five weeks.)
If I turn left,I have the Kings Palace 1 mile up the road.The USA embassy is across from the Palace,it looks like a fortress.I thought it was a Army base the first 3 weeks I was here...The USA Embassy sign on the surounding "prison wall"is the size of a car licence plate.If I turn right,I'm 100 yards from the begining of the Thamel area.
Day 1&2 of the strike,me and most of the tourists go about our business.The shops can stay open till noon,restos,50% are closed in the Thamel area,it is business as usual,almost.Maoists must consider letting the shop owners do some business and the tourists,you can't piss them off too.So some shops and restros are open somewhat.
Day 3;King declares 24 hour curfew.I ignore it and head out.The kids are still in the alley playing.I reach the main road and I am greeted by hard stares and more guns.They are not happy to see me.But they say nothing.I walk past many soldiers on the sidewalk.They just stare at me.If one of these boys with guns had struck me,I wouldn't be able to ID him...I can't take my eyes off of the rifles...Turns out,I will walk through 150 to 400 rifles everyday now till the end of the show.
I reach the tourist area(Thamel),most of the tourists did not leave their hotels.maybe 95% did not come out.But there were a few of us crazy bastards who did venture out and about.most restos were closed too.But "The Northfield Palace & Jessie James Saloon" was open,soon to be my favorite.I was surprised so few tourists came out.I expected more.But the few of us had fun.
As expected,I had trouble heading back to my hotel.As I left Thamel,a checkpoint called out""HEY YOU!.COME HERE..""I briefly thought of ignoring him,but my brain kicked in and I went over.He shouted something for a few minutes,I have no idea what,so I wave my hotel key and pointed..... and I was on my way.
Turns out,in the coming weeks,I was going to wave that key alot..
Day 4;sames as day 3,except a few more folks come out.At my table,2 germans and a Brit...Common topics: were of traveler type?s,best restros,cheap hotels,tips on tourist spots,taxi deals,general knowledge.Germans invite me back to their hotel for some more black hash and beers.Plus to show me what a $3 room looks like..I went.
The room is small and dirty looking.Yellowed sheets,1 plastic chair,bare light bulb hanging from ceiling,not nice..But the bathroom is brand new!...New tile,new toliet,new clean bathtub,What a shock.Western toliet too!But the bathroom itself was something to be proud of even in usa....In a piece of shit hotel!
There were 6-7 men,rough looking,hanging out at the front desk".NOT NORMAL" I observed as I entered...The Germans use a refridgerator at end of the hall for beer storage,I volunteer to get some more.While walking back down the dark,dirty run down hall,a man falls in behind me,dragging/pushing a teenage girl.He comes into the room behind me.My danger radar has been up since I entered this shithole hotel,with the fantastic bathroom.
He then offers me the girl and a room for an hour or all night if I want.The girl is about 14 years old.She is wearing a 1950's pink,frilly,nylon party dress.Upon command,the girl pulls off her dress and stands before me, completely naked.I believe it might be illegal or certainly in bad taste,if I describe the girl further....I am not happy and I sense danger coming at me from different angles....I am really not happy.
I was looking at the Sex Slave Trade right in front of me.I couldn't believe it...When I declined the girl repeatedly,the price dropped from $100 to to $7 for the night...
A few glances at my new German friends told me I had no help coming from them..I made a mental note not to associate with these jokers again.I thought briefly of trying to save this girl but I realized the 7 men at the front desk was going to stop that real quick.It was clear to me why all of the men down stairs were there.There must be other sex slaves here too.I read about this in the Indian newspapers,but to see it so close and personal.
I leave around 2 AM.I quickly get lost on the dark,narrow streets of the city.KTM closes down at 10 PM.Some bars stay open to 1 AM.The whole city closes at 10 PM....Up ahead I spot 5 "happy" Israeli girls,who point me in the right direction..I walk down the middle of the wide 6-lane road,heading towards the Palace and my alleyway...Two soldiers come out into the road to greet me,they stand,almost blocking my way and let me pass.They don't say a word.The rifles?Some form of sign language I think.~~~
Day later,still 24 hour curfew,I'm hanging at Jessie's Saloon,Army truck pulls up,in the middle of Thamel!With loud speakers,tells all westerners to get their asses in their hotels and stay there...NOW!..They were not asking nicely.All of the local men were quite worried and upset,by this unexpected event.Taking my cue from them,I was concerned.
The restro owner is peeking into the street and jumping back,like he is afraid.This man doesn't look the type to be afraid of anything.He asks me where I have to go,I tell him.He laughs and with a smile,he tells me"You're fucked."(not the words I was looking for)..."but you can stay in one of my hotel rooms,no problem,no charge."..I thank him and decide to try my luck on the street first.
I am greeted by 20 rifles as I step out on to the street.Rifles are not suppose to be here in Thamel tourist area.
They were not happy to see me at all...And made it very clear to me,by pointing their rifles at me and yelling.Of course I can't understand a word but the sign language of the Gun,...I have no problem understanding that.
Return to the safety of the bar/hotel crossed my mind,but I had "MADE MY MOVE BITCH.GO FOR IT!" and I was going to play it out.I started walking towards the soldiers and that really seemed to piss them off...ALOT!.So I pull out my hotel key and waved it.(I was useing the key like a hall pass)..The soldiers surround me,yelling some shit at me,even more agitated than before,but let me continue on my way,after an up close look at my key.....Hey!.I had my hall pass...)
Turns out,a rumor that the tourists were going to march against the King had surfaced,so the rough treatment.Of course this was just a preview of things to come....On the streets,which I continued to walk,it was going to get ugly and it was going to get dangerous.It was going to get worst......
...I think I am going to get my money's worth!
