Kathmandu. Aug 22 2009. 1425. Today, my last day in KTM. It’s not rainy but sunny today. I don’t really feel like taking a last stroll on the streets. I have done all the shopping I want…6 books to read, some calendar for gifts and fridge magnets. Yeah. Fridge magnets, you gotta have them. Why the books? KTM has a few bookstores where you can get used books and sell or trade in yours. I don’t think I’ll see any of these bookstores in Kuala Lumpur (KL) so might as well stock up on the reading. I finally got the book “Shantaram” which I believe, is currently being made into a movie. You should read “Shantaram” it’s about an Aussie who escaped an Australian prison to India and worked in the slumps of Mumbai with the Indian Mafia and Bollywood to make ends meet. He was caught and extradited in 1990 and now lives in Melbourne. The annoying power cut is on right now. No electricity so I will write until my laptop power is drained to zero. I spent my last morning at the usual restaurant where I had my usual egg bacon breakfast, latte machiatto and lemonade. Utilized their wireless Internet for 4 hours before I pulled myself away. It’s good that they have a backup generator to power the lights and internet connection(Crucial!). The staff know me, I met the owner last night and his wife, and the other regulars. The regulars are foreigners and who live in KTM for an extended period working or studying.
The Sights and Smells of Kathmandu. What I shall miss about it? Hm. The rubber duckie honks of the cycle rickshaws, the cheap bootleg new release DVDs, the cheap trekking gear and apparel at every corner. Yeah. Shopping. The crazy Tantric Buddhas and Kamasutra carvings on temple struts. These would be banned in the USA. But here it all seems to point to religion. Not like the Brazilians where sexuality is part of culture. What tour company would put separately traveling female and male in the same room? Ya man. It is the economic way to run a tour. I am referring to my Tibetan accommodation. The frequent power outages here are quite annoying. Usually in the early evenings, today it is in mid afternoon. Means you can’t charge anything. Sucks, man.
So yesterday I found out that the friends I was going to stay with in Singapore for 2 nights couldn’t accommodate me so I had my father change my flight to KUL (Kuala Lumpur airport code) to the Sept 2. I just realized that in order to stay in the Singapore Changi Transit Hotel one has to stay inside. Duh. I have to come out and get my luggage. Stupid. Will have to figure out how to get back in or else I will be sleeping at Changi Terminal 1 outside departure hall until my morning flight. No worries. I think Changi is the best airport in the World. Efficient. All provisions are there. Shower. Roof pool, yeah Terminal 1 Transit Hotel has it. So catch a hold of this absurd routing. I fly from Mumbai to Seoul. Then change for a flight from Seoul to Singapore. It’s like when I flew from Dubai to Mumbai. I flew Dubai to Paris. From Paris to Dubai. Other than my body adjusting to time in either direction, I was also very exhausted. Considering it is only a 3-4 hour flight from Dubai to India. So here we go again. Mumbai to Seoul. Seoul to Singapore. Singapore to KUL. Good grief. Well, that’s a round the world on points for you. I am still in disbelief that I was in Tibet just over a week ago. Wow. Tibet. My roomie on that trip has really good photos. The difference between a real camera vs a pocket like mine. Really great pics. I hope my readers enjoyed my mediocre photos, anyway.
This evening I am thinking I will have to go out. But where? I am not one to party. Oh, really? Yep…HeHe. So tomorrow I fly from KTM to Bhadrapur. I decided against a 16 hour bus ride to Kakarbhitta where I will have to cross the border. Then catch a shared jeep to Darjeeling, India. Oh God. Back to India. So fomr Bhadrapur I will take a taxi to Kakarbhitta, exit Nepalese Customs and Immigration, then walk across or take a cycle rickshaw through no man’s land to the India side. Same formalities and find a ride to Darjeeling. Sounds simple but we shall see. I will have more luggage with me this time. I had to buy a new bag in KTM. Water proof North Face. Supposedly. Not sure if it is original or fake. Anyway I wasn’t going to ship the extra stuff I bought (yeah, more clothes from India) seeing I was this close to home. Somewhere in the last month, I had a personal epiphany. Thoughts. Thoughts. Thoughts. Just have to sieve through all that. It is a strange feeling indeed. I have seen so much, met so many and felt so much emotion. My senses are in a confused state. Emotionally sad, happy, amused, relieved, extremely angered and stupidly passionate. It feels good to have a grip of one’s emotions. I am happy to be away from reality but emotionally drained at the same time. Drained because I am afraid to express myself in the open. So it is all couped up mentally. Does that make sense? I wished I was incapable of having emotions. It would make life so much easier. Oh. Hopefully the near future will clear up a little during my brief downtime. Traveling for an extended period. It really does play games with one’s emotions. You are on the go, but your emotions get left behind in the last place you were at. It is almost like chunks of you got torn off by places and people you met. I guess that is what it means to have a soul. You are able to take a step away and have a good look at the meaningful things and people in your life.
1853. I am now at my usual WIFI hangout. Owner just thanked me for the business I gave the past week ;) A group of young Maoists with flames just ran up the street. Celebrating something or protests. I wasn't sure. Yesterday was the end of 1 month of celebrations of something. On the way back from Bhaktapur yesterday about 4 buses past in the opposite direction with people on the roof banging at drums, cymbals, and everything you can make noise with. Very festive. So the group of young men who just ran up the street with flames were celebrating I am told. Two people have tried to explain it to me and I am not quite sure what I heard since the accent was not clear. Anyhow, I may go wandering around to find them in a minute. I guess the foreigner here who stay in KTM long term start dressing and sounding Nepalese. This french girl is still trying to explain the Maoists thing from across the room and I really don't understand her accent. I am just smiling and nodding. The night is young. Probably go and try and make a nuisance of myself in awhile ;)
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