Didn't update this yesterday as there wasn't really much to say! We had a lie in and woke up naturally for the first time since getting here which was nice. Had a leisurely breakfast at about 10am, did boring stuff like sorting bags etc.
We attempted going out to see what we could find....just so happens not so much! The area we were in is just the same shops over and over, very busy. A begger woman grabbed hold of Liam's arm, a boy was asking which hotel we were staying at, various men starting conversation to then begin giving us directions to random places! I'm actually going to miss India... I feel like we were just starting to settle a bit and I would willingly go back and experience more.
Today was our travel day to Kathmandu. The airport in Delhi was very nice, we bought some chocolate there because I was silly and left our English chocolate stash at the hotel along with my water bottle :( its not for now it's for when we are really home sick! I also got some henna on my hand and up my arm in a shop which was a nice Indian touch as I'd not seen anywhere that did it yet!
The fight was about an hour and a half, we could see the Himalayan mountains as we flew over. Liam spoke to a man on the way who had backpacked around India for 6 months a couple of years ago trying to set up a western tour group but he gave up in the end as it was just too dangerous. He confirmed what we already knew about the tipping situation in India and how we've kind of been taken for a ride with how much we've been TOLD to tip the whole time. He's now got his own tour company set up in Nepal so he knows his stuff.
It took us 2 HOURS to get our visas, they don't have any computers at arrivals so it took forever! But we finally got to the other side, 80 dollars down. My backpack has been yanked so there's a little hole it and the strap has come off....will need to go out and find something to fix it! When we got outside we were immediately greeted by 2 very happy and smiling people very glad to see us. They had been waiting and worrying we had slipped past them. Phil is English but you wouldn't think it to look at him, he's clearly been in the sun a looong time and is very well travelled. Surita is a young Nepali lady part of the charity who was also there.
Imeediately the feeling of this place is just lovely. Yes it's a bit dirty, yes it's a bit crowded, but the air is just that bit thinner, the temperature that bit cooler. And even in the city you can see the mountains on all sides just waiting for you to go take a closer look! We got to the car and they pulled out 2 beautiful orange flower garlands and put them round our necks to greet us to Nepal.
On the way phil was telling us a bit about the country, it's political past, a bit about the people, their customs and their traditions. We will be staying with a family in a tiny village in the area of gherku in the next few days where we will be initiated into the family and work on the farm, the local school and the medical centre so it's very useful to be able to chat to an English guy who knows the ins and outs of the locals.
The hotel is called the holy temple tree hotel, because there is a holy temple tree right outside! It's basically a tree with lots of old bells and insence where people come to pray. He got us a room at the back do that the 'the lady that rings the bell for 10 consecutive minutes every morning at 4am to pray' won't wake us up. The view is wonderful, you can see all the mountains in the distance. The hotel is basic but comfortable, it has wifi so it's good enough for me!
We sat and talked for a while, with chia. Which is just tea I guess but it's made with all it milk and tea bag with no water. And the milk is MILK so it's an odd taste but nice. We walked aroun the streets, it's busy and again....no regard for road safety at all. But you're not harassed quite as much. We had a couple of people try to sell us hash which is the norm in kathmandu, and saw a couple of children walking around with bags of glue which was very sad to see. Nepal is a place of poverty and a lot of street children...there is more info on these matters but I'll speak about them another time as its late.
We met raj, another local who is such a lovely man who's English is pretty good. Him and liam have really hit it off! But Liam has been in contact with them for a while due to doing work for the charity so they already kind of know each other.
We had some lovely Nepalese food, different selections of nomo which I guess is kind of like a dumpling. We had some veg, some chicken and some buffalo. I was also persuaded to have a banana lassi, which is like milkshake I guess. And I'm feeling slightly worse for wear, please don't let it be anything sinister!
As we were walking back we saw what phil meant about being passionate about animals, he calls to the street dogs and they just come running! He's got s little relationship with a good 10 dogs and you can tell they love him back. He sits and gets ticks off them and gives them attention ( stressing the importance of proper hygiene afterwards)...like I said before he's pretty well travelled and seems to just get stuck in to everything around him!
Back in the hotel room now and busy day ahead so I'm off to sleep. Liam's already gone. Lots and lots of information in my head which I hope I don't forget by the end of another full on day tomorrow :)
