Chilling in Kathmandu take two.
Back to Kathmandu for my 12 day tour from Kathmandu to Delhi with Gecko Adventures. Today was technically Day one with briefing and optional dinner (and the first nights accommodation). It was my last night hanging out with Hayley before she went back to NZ so opted out of dinner and briefing along with another volunteer MJ who is doing the same tour with me….crazy coincidences in life.
I spent the day in lavish style and comfort. We woke up around 9am Hayley had stuff to sort on the computer and I took a shower…..not just annnny shower….but a shower soooooo hot that I turned beetroot red and had to turn on the cold tap. I don’t know if you have gathered it yet but there is a serious lack of toto pani (hot water) in this country! Then a delicious breakfast of fresh mandarin juice, pot of tea, piles of scrambled egg, 4 pieces of toast with peanut butter, 3 roasted tomatoes and a stack of fried potato ….. Needless to say I didn’t eat again until 5pm! All included in our nightly price.
Strolling the streets we went in search of the accommodations for my first night of the tour……I got lost and turned around 5 times before I said screw it and asked MJ who had been there previously to show me later! In the meantime I found a new headband, some presents and a pair of glove like things.
Finally i managed to check in and sort my baggage into new accommodations and went for a much needed dinner at a cool tucked away restaurant OR2K on Mandella Street (my new favourite avenue of Thamel). I found the most amazing jersey on the way that I want to get and then went grub – a mix dip platter with naan to start (shared), then zucchini frittata style dish with the biggest salad and a chocolate milkshake for dessert! Then off to live music at a little place called New Orleans Cafe around the corner for plenty of laughs and cruisy jammin beats.
By 10pm the streets start to empty out and close down and with my accommodations already in a street that was quiet in the middle of the day, I chose to barter a rickshaw to take me home safely. 100 rupees (1$) i had my first rickshaw ride full of swerving potholes, accelerating over speed humps and speeding down dark alleys with no lights. I made it back safely laughing my head off and giving my driver a deri dhanyabad shoeva ratri (thank you very much, good night) and tucked away In bed by 1030pm…… Grandma !!!!!!!
Day 2 – Kathmandu – the morning entailed tour of Kathmandu temples and stupas that I had already seen, with free time in the afternoon…. so I opted for a breakfast with Hayley and a stroll around Thamel to look for some last min presents and take in some more sights and sounds. Lunch at my favourite outside hangout cafe – phat Kath to get a veg burger and on the prowl for some fries from a place that Grace took me to on my first day with her. Everything looks very similar to me, I’ve learnt about 3 square streets if that where I can make my way between a few hotels and restaurants….but really I have no idea where I am most of the time 🙂
I ended up buying way more than I thought I was going to…….oh god it was addictive and soothing and so cheap……
May also have gone back to phat kaths for dinner with MJ…after a HOT shower
Off the Chitwan national park in the morning on a private group bus ……
I think I’m living like royalty here….. Queen Melissa
The World Adventures of Melly B 