Voila! May was coming, but I wasn’t still sure whether I could use my Singapore-Kathmandu ticket, which I already bought since last year, or not. Things could spin around just like that. The newspaper had made the Nepal politics turmoil as one of their news and my parents suddenly became aware on my next traveling destination. The reasonable reason that I brought up and made them change their mind was that I have to preserve my credibility. I already said to my colleague that I would go to Nepal. If I canceled the trip, she would have to cancel it also. And eventhough I make up her trip fare, my credibility will still ruin. My word is my bone applies here. Actually, I was just exaggerating the credibility things so I could go in peace.
Finally, we went to Singapore on Friday night and spend five hours in Changi airport before getting on a flight to Kathmandu. One of the passengers introduced herself to us. She’s a Singaporean who was going to travel in Nepal also along with her other three friends. The difference was they’re using a travel agent to arrange their itinerary, while we’re using Lonely Planet (my friend, SP, did the entire great itinerary). I guessed we’re going to meet them again next week on our way back to Singapore.
Day 1
We arrived in Kathmandu at 12 pm and the red brick primeval Tribhuvan International airport welcomed you as you smell the pre-monsoon weather (May isn’t a great time to visit Nepal due to the heat. But if you were from a tropical country, then it’s not a big deal). We stayed at Ganesh Himal Hotel, near Thamel area. Thamel itself is an interesting area where usually tourists flock there before heading to another destination in Nepal.
We’re spending our first day by strolling on dusty and hectic Thamel street, shared with other passers-by, bicyclists, rickshaws, taxis, etc. Etcetera here include the traditional market near temples. All the buildings look almost the same that I could loss direction here: souvenirs shop, restaurant, hotel/hostel, supermarket, trekking gear shop, money changer, book store. Often, I couldn’t make any difference between a regular building and a temple. I was stunned with the stark contrast between how people treat the Hindu temple here and in Bali. In Bali, the temple area is a very sacral one; while here people do their social life there, such as selling things, hanging out on Saturday afternoon, playing cricket or doing day dreaming.
We had lunch at Thakali Banchha Kitchen and joined the Nepali hang out at one of the upper terrace temples in Kathmandu durbar square on the afternoon. A boy told us that Saturday is the only public holiday in Nepal. Seeing their daily activities from above made me think about… Well, I forgot what I was thinking about at that time. From above, I could also see the rickshaw drivers waiting for the passengers.
We took rickshaw twice in Kathmandu and paid through the nose for the trip. On the first trip was because we’re stupid, didn’t realize how close the distance is, and on the second trip was because the rickshaw driver is an old, smart, humorous man with mischievous look playing with words J. We also met with a loquacious man in a travel agent who offered himself as our guide for trekking at Himalayan Mountain. He proudly said that we’ll be very lucky to have him as our guide as he assumed himself as a bonus. I was amused on his nice coaxing effort with a great confidence. Of course we said no to him, because May isn’t the right time for trekking no matter who will be the guide is. We ended the night at Roadhouse Café in Thamel eating Nepali pizza.
Day 2
We had a one hour mountain flight at 6am by Buddha Air, a more or less 18 passenger airplane. The flight takes Himalayan Mountain as the route and is closed enough for you to see its snow. Its breathtaking view made you want to jump down to the mountain slope. Of course, the airplane window fettered you to do it :) I hadn’t back home yet and I already wanted to go back here only for light trekking down there.
Then we had our breakfast at Nyatapola café inside Bhaktapur durbar square. A National Geographic photographer look alike took the photos of Nyatapola café with us having breakfast at its morning-shine shimmering upper terrace. Sauntering down the road, taking pictures of the sublime Bhaktapur durbar square, getting lost in the middle of local housing, and running under the light rain was a thrilling one.
The people live within the ancient city without making any significant changes in it. I don’t know whether it is because they really appreciate their ancestors and cultures or because they don’t have enough budget to renovate it. But, something felt missing when I couldn’t see the Nepali army presence as we’re going deeper into the local area. Due to the political instability, the army presence, both from the communist party and the royal side, are ubiquitous. They’re quite cooperative to the foreigner. Most of foreigners that we met here are American and European. We rarely met Asian, mostly will be Japanese or Korean. Despite the security concern, the ancient city of Kathmandu Valley and the dazzling Himalayan mountain could still entice foreigners to come to Nepal.
Satisfied and tired exploring Bhaktapur durbar square, we went to Patan and had our lunch at Taleju restaurant, enthralled by the view of striking Patan durbar square from its roof top. Everytime we got satiate, the valley could offer us a new interesting thing to explore. Afterward, we’re joining the crowd in Patan durbar square as there’s a parade there. All I could think was the people, their bright dresses, their expression, the ancient temples and buildings, and the whole surroundings would be a heaven for my photographic maniac colleagues in Jakarta. A little boy approached me to sell a bag, while I was watching at the parade. Knowing that I felt bothered by his presence, he stepped back voluntarily and said: I’ll come again after the parade is over. He came again with a smile after the parade was over and successfully sold the bag to me. What a great marketer as he could still appreciate the prospective buyer personal space, while still trying to sell the product!
On the afternoon, we went to meet some acquaintances: Mr. B family and Ms. V, who live in Nepal as a doctor at Patan hospital and a worker at a NGO. Their houses are located in a quiet expatriate area in Patan. We went back to Thamel area at night and had our late dinner at Koto Japanese Restaurant. One of the waiters at Koto had reminded my friend on her high school love story. Her reminiscent made us vow to go back to Koto before leaving Nepal.
Day 3
We checked out from Ganesh Himal Hotel at 6 am since Ms. V asked us to move to her house in Patan because of the incoming strike. They called it a bandh, when vehicles stay off the street and all schools, offices and else are also closed. The expatriate community usually find it out from their children’s school teachers/principal, who get the information from the embassy. The bandh issue already abounded since last night. Ms. V had tried to contact us through the hotel receptionist, but she couldn’t reach us as we’re still hanging out in Thamel until late night.
We’re already at Ms. V house early in the morning and at noon found out that the bandh issue was only an issue. Maybe it would have been better, if we hadn’t known the band issue earlier. Just let it flow.
On the other hand while we’re spending the time in her house, Ms. V could share her seven year experience living in Nepal to us: facing frequent electricity blackout, lack of gas and water supplies, lack of gasoline, earthquake preparation, bandh, but still enjoying the experience. my country has that kind of problems also, but it’s not as frequent as Nepal…far better. If those things take place in my country as frequent as in Nepal, we’ll have riots and demonstration to change the government. Hey…actually the communist Maoist was taking over the Royal supremacy when we’re in Nepal. Nepal has transformed itself into a Republic from the Hindu Kingdom country. Ms. V explained the culture here. One annoying thing: the house owner even made a toilet outside the house for the Nepali guest who mostly aren’t used to splashing the water after using a toilet. But they do that because they aren’t used to having enough water, especially for the poor one.
Ms. V took us to a Mexican restaurant for lunch and then to the Jawalakhel Handicraft Centre, a former Tibetan refugee camp across the Tibetan monastery. This area is well-known for its carpet industry, but we only bought Tibetan traditional dress. It’s too bad that we didn’t have enough time to see the carpet making process there.
At night, we attended a dinner with an ambassador for Bangladesh and a community in Nepal in a Japanese restaurant in Kathmandu. I chose a table with Mr.H’s teenage children so I could avoid doing the well-mannered talking. I wasn’t on the mood to do that. We took a taxi to go back to Ms.V’s house in Patan and had our taxi stopped by the army at the Kathmandu-Patan border. As they saw the foreigners inside the taxi, they didn’t ask any question and only said good-night and let the taxi go. The Nepali often wrongly presumes Ms. V as a Korean, me and my friend as Chinese or Japanese…come on...
Day 4
Before 4 am, we already left Ms.V’s house to go to Nagarkot by taxi to see the sun rise over the Himalaya. My friends actually preferred Dhulikel instead of Nagarkot, but the taxi gasoline only sufficient for Nagarkot destination. This is a place where the gasoline availability often could be a constraint for your trip.
We stopped by at Himalaya Resort where we could glimpse the sun rise from its backyard. The people were busy taking the sun rise moment with their long lens camera, digital camera, or cell phone camera. The sun rise wasn’t that special. It is still the same sun rise which I could also see in my country. What make it so special is when the morning sun shine highlight one of Himalayan mountain pinnacles. That view could beat the cold windy temperature that started to creep up from my toes to my head. I just took a couple shots and then standing with blank look with a cup of warm coffee flying above my head. Finally, we had our not flying cup of warm coffee at the Resort café.
Around 10 am, we went down to Bodnath, home to one of the world’s largest stupas, by the same taxi we use this morning. The taxi driver awkwardly mentioned some amount of money when we’re asking him how much it cost us. Then Ms. V scolded him with Nepali language. I didn’t understand what’s wrong. It turned out that the taxi driver gave us a very cheap fare. He didn’t count it correctly and too ashamed to ask more. So far, the people here are nice. After paying him with a more proper sum of money, we joined the Buddha Jayanti aka Vesak aka the Buddha’s birth celebration in Bodnath.
A lot of people lighted up the butter lamps along the street side. We’re not the only outsider joined the ceremony. The beggar also joined by sitting and praying that there would be people give them some money or food. A little girl beggar sang a song on a bench. Her soft alto voice could attract the passers-by to stop by, although most of the time her voice would disappear inside the crowdedness. I just watched her singing and tried hard to hear her soft voice from the backside - sitting on a closed store terrace in Bodnath area. When the traditional monks, the funky monks[1], the ordinary people, the students who previously gave me a flower, the army and the foreigners with or without the camera walking circling the Bodnath Stupa in a clockwise direction; I sat standstill on the terrace with a flower, a camera and a backpack….waiting for my friends. Great job! I lost them and didn’t have their cellphone number! But, watching their activities quietly could soothe my mind until my friends found me out.
Then, we tried the public transportation, minibus, on the way back to Patan. It’s sucks but entertaining as long as you don’t use it more than twice. We’re wandering around at Kathmandu durbar square with my multifunctional jacket covered my head from the falling water from the sky aka it’s raining. My friend, SP, bought some boxes of tea. I bought it also and then sold it at lower price to SP at the same day. I am not good at buying some things and successfully bring it home. Usually on my way home, I will have transferred it to other people.
We stopped by in an open building/temple while waiting for the heavy rain to subside. Inside the building/temple, there are some Hindu priests, who will pray for you and tell you about your future fortune. My curiosity almost made me come to one of the priests, but the fact that after the ritual they will give you a flower mark on your forehead as a sign of the worship held me down. My priest will kick my ass as a mark, if I do that. Besides, if I didn’t misheard, the priests were speaking in Nepali. How will I understand what he’s going to say about my future?
Because of the raining, we had to call off the trip to Swayambhunath temple. We had our dinner at the Bakery café, where all the staff are deaf, and spend another night at Ms.V’s house to have another dinner.
Day 5
We had all prepared to go to Phokara, seven hour route by bus. But the plan went awry since a bandh was really happening this time. It means: vehicles stay off the street and all schools, offices and else are also closed. It was only the army, the police and some people on the main street. No vehicles allowed on the street. A man at the money changer already reminded us about this last night, but we impugned his warning. It’s because the bandh reason was absurd. But we were in a different country which has the reasonable criteria different with us back home. I could see my friend really disappointed because prior to this she had had her plan messed up because of the bandh issue.
Therefore, we spend the day doing visits from home to home in the expatriate area in Patan: Ms. V’s, Mr. B’s familiy and Mr.H’s familiy houses. I even had a one hour Nepali course with Mr & Mrs. B at Nepali course language run by Korean. The teacher, JT, is very nice and a good-looking one. He could be a potential sinetron-star in Jakarta. We had lunch at Café de Patan and the waiter opened a conversation with us, as it was our second visit to the café. The waiter is a college student who has to work there. He asked where we come from. I thing he would like to continue the conversation, but the other customers were coming. Once they’re out from the poverty, they will try to make their sibling out from it also and guide them to avoid the bad neighborhood. It is a norm for the youngster here to smoke marijuana. Even if they don’t have a job, the family will always support them to fulfill their needs. And one more thing, your mother in law here will somehow has the right to walk all over you. And one more thing, woman doesn’t show their leg here, but it’s ok if you want to show your belly. Outside there, the bandh didn’t break into a violence one. It was just a peaceful annoying bandh.
Day 6
Finally, we’re on the Golden Travel bus heading to Phokara, seven hours from Patan. The trip went smoothly as there were no army checkpoints stopping the bus. We were staying at great Castle Guest House run by a family. They even have the dinner with the family program. But we had to miss it and a lot of things because we only spend a night in Phokara because of the bandh on the previous day.
We had our late lunch at Lemon Tree, which is known for its fresh lake fish. But I ordered a spaghetti carbonara. When the menu came, I was surprised of its triple proportion compare to the spaghetti in Pizza Marzano. Then I was more surprised than before when I tasted it. The cheese is from the yak….arrrgghh. It was amusing when I kept try hard to eat it, because I was very hungry. I hadn’t eaten properly since this morning and it was on the afternoon already. I had Japanese food, Mexican food, American food and Italian food in Nepal, except Nepali food. Well, this Italian food was the closest one to the Nepali food because of the yak cheese. It was a great lunch though. Where the hell on earth I could taste yak cheese….yakkkss!!
After going through the yak cheese late lunch, we went to Sisne Rover Trekking to buy a ticket plane back to Kathmandu for tomorrow’s noon. I had the rare golden opportunity to practice my very limited Nepali language here. When I smiled to hear my own voice speaking Nepali, they’re laughing and said: It’s very weird the way you speak Nepali. Ok, let’s just speak in English.
After buying the ticket, I split with my friend. She wanted to go for an hour boating on the tranquil Phewa Tal lake, while I just wanted to meander around Phokara. We made a deal to meet again around 6 pm.
I spend the time at bookstores, supermarket and internet café, but didn’t take a lot of shots here. It’s too serene to be distracted by camera shots. The bookstore offers both used and new books from many languages: Nepali, Indian, English, French, German, Japanese, and Korean. As in India, the book is very cheap. I only bought a book from Krishnamurti. After 6 pm, my friend hadn’t showed up yet. Great, I lost my friend and didn’t have her cellphone number. Agaiiiinn?? It became a habit for me. On a circuitous way, I could contact her and said that I would wait at Busy Bee café, a random pick. The café has a not too bad live music performance. The band played a common music that other band on the other part of the world would also play. It’s great since so far I only saw a very specific cultured society. Music is absolutely a general language everywhere no matter of your background: economically, politically, culturally and other divisions that could separate other people from the others. I was waiting for my friend by enjoying the music performance, Krishnamurti’s book and a glass of whisky. She showed up at 7 pm. What’s up with the one hour boating? Btw, she doesn’t like the noisy drinking bar. I’m sorry, it’s a random pick J I like both noisy and serene surroundings.
So, what’s up with the more than one hour boating?
It became a romantic boating on the tranquil Phewa Tal lake. The rower turned on the boys band song from his cellphone under the cloudy and cold weather. The interesting part is the rower said that he’s preparing for the IELTS so he could apply for a job abroad. After he had enough money, he would go back to Nepal again to make his own business. I wish him to be successful in pursuing his aspiration.
Day 7
We went to the World Peace Pagoda in the morning taking the easiest route, by taxi. We only had to walk around 15-20 minutes after getting off the taxi. It’s a quite steep route where I could hear my heart beat harder. The other routes are from Phewa Tal lake, which will take approximately one hour walking, or from Devi’s fall.
From the World Peace Pagoda, which located on top of a hill, you could see Phewa Tal lake surrounded by the hills with the snow covered Himalayan Mountain as the background. The hills shadow appears on the unruffled lake surface as the morning sun stole a look between the clouds among the Himalayan Mountain. We were up there for about an hour and then went down to the lakeside to have breakfast at one of the restaurants there.
We still had a couple hours before the flight to go back to Kathmandu. My friend, SP, decided to go for an hour boating again, while I chose to continue reading Krishnamurti’s book at Fewa Hotel coffee shop, which located at the lakeside. From the place I sat, I could have a glance look of the lake with the boats and the World Peace Pagoda above the hill, if I get tired with the reading. There were only me and the other three customers: two American women and a local man on the coffee shop. This time I had a coffee pot, instead of a glass of whisky or a cup of coffee, to accompany my reading.
We’re finally on the Phokara airport. The airplane picked us up right in front of the inside airport terrace. I felt as if I was taking a private plane. It was the same airplane, Buddha Air, which we used for mountain flight. The stewardess was also the same.
A night was a very short time to spend in Phokara. Phokara is also known for its recruiting center of the British Gurkha soldier. I read one of the announcements of Gurkha soldier recruitment which attach on an electric pole, while waiting for the breakfast this morning at the lakeside. They are willing to defend other people country with their live as a soldier because of the financial reason: salary up to £1000/month and a lifetime pension. A column in a Nepali newspaper discussed about the irony of the Gurkha soldier: to let your people fight for other countries interest because of the financial reason. I have one common with the Gurkha: the ability to sleep while standing. The difference only the place: they could do that on the war, while I could do that on the bus/train.
We checked in again in Ganesh Himal Hotel in Thamel, Kathmandu, afterward going to Patan to say good-bye to the family there. Back to Thamel, we had our dinner at Koto Japanese Restaurant as our promised on our second day here. Across us, there were three men from US, Russia and Spain learning each other languages while drinking.
Day 8
We had breakfast with Mr & Mrs.H before our flight back to Singapore. They were using bicycle from Patan to Kathamandu, because of the limited gasoline they had on their car. Then we went to the airport and met our Singaporean acquaintances again there. I’ll see you again Nepal! It’s also really nice to meet Ms. V, Mr. B familily and Mr. H family.
Arrived in Changi airport around 9 pm, we’re still trying to find a hotel. We got a room at South East Asia Hotel. Unfortunately, they receive nor credit card or USD, only cash in SGD. We didn’t have enough SGD. Fast walking around the area, we looked for a money changer or Citi’s ATM. Luckily, we found a money changer that still open and right after we closed the deal, they closed their office. It’s 10 pm. Yeaahh we successfully checked in at the hotel. And around midnight, we went out to Mustofa center to buy financial calculators and went to a 24 hour internet café to buy online ticket for the first flight back to my hometown in the morning. Sunday morning flight is the cheapest. The passenger next to me on the flight asked: short vacation in Singapore? Yes! I replied, smiled and fell a sleep as starting from today to November 2008, I don’t have any official leave again.[1] With the latest i-phone, Nike sandals and backpack, and the most up to date bold haircut style; but still with their modest orange robe.
