Welcome
once again to the wonderful world of Micheal’s small world, and a hearty happy
[Nepalese] New Year to you all. The year is 2064, and the world has been
plunged into a place of, pollution, seedy night haunts, debauchery, wanton
alcoholism, and 20watt bulb-lit chaos. Welcome indeed to New Years Eve in
Thamel, Kathmandu.
We
arrived after 4 days away in an adventure resort, back to the hustle and flow
of Thamel, the backpacker hub of the capital- with all the trappings of the
western world. Rivaling Khao San
Road in Bangkok,
this place holds its own unique homogeneity in its attempt to extract money
from foreigners all too happy to submit to the western style comforts. But back
we were to celebrate New Years with the locals. It’s certainly been a good experience
in spite of morbid ramblings above. Myself and an Aussie traveler linked up
with another traveler, Karim from Hong Kong
both of whom I met in Bhote Kosi resort. We went for a few drinks to find that
the locals were waaaaasted….at 1030pm. Clearly
the locals youths don’t do the whole “park-bench-cider” thing that we’re so
fond of in the UK,
so it was funny to see people completely fuct before the bells came in at 12. After
making local banter with the locals about the international language of premiership
football - and Michael (Aus) reluctantly talking shop on his last night on holiday-
we happily moved on.
Now
you must understand, Nepal is an early to bed culture, so by the time we got
out at 1.30am the streets were littered with middle class local youths strewn
on doorsteps with no place open to go. Low and behold, we followed the music to
a place called 007’s Dance bar, advertised with a silhouette of a tango-ing
couple. Went in, looked at the menu to order a beer, which was double normal
price. We realized why when we saw the dance floor was less of a free-for-all dance
floor and more of a stage. Cue Thumping Nepali House/Trance (see previous post),
dodgy pyrotechnics, and two dancing ladies of the night. We had entered Thamel’s
one and only Go-Go Bar. I must say that it was rather like watching a car
wreckage. You know you shouldn’t but you can’t help yourself: Semi clad Nepali
girls dancing a routine which is a mixture of an early Jessica Simpson video
and a bangra music routine. With as much co-ordination as a one legged vertigo sufferer.
Even though nothing came off, there was a sickly feeling about the air in that
place. After all, Nepal
seems like a place where prolonged eye contact counts as first base. We got our
coats.
In
other news, I got back from the Last Resort, where I went white water rafting, Canyoning
and did a bungee jump from the highest place on the planet. Felt strangely calm
as I plummeted towards the raging Bhote
Kosi River
160metres below. It was Ace, though. Screwed my ankle up a bit though. It was a
great resort too. It went from one extreme of all the sports, to just lying
down in the central gazebo and lazing the day away with a mint tea and a book,
or an afternoon nap.
That’s
my truth, now tell me yours.
M x
