Katmandu: a ghost in the night
Nepal, one o'clock. The plane that brought us out of China, from which we parted with regret, lands at aerpouerto of Khatmandu. For six hours that is dark, and the ambush can not find it easier to "timaguiris". At the counter of the hotel company we make it clear. At this time, or go to town with us, on no you. The price of the hotel, however, not prohibitive: 10 Double Room dollars, with enclosed cab.
For someone like me would have been closed the deal instantly. But my friend is a thoroughbred Ro. After 20 minutes at the airport looking for cheaper taxis even in the service-I remind you that it's one in the morning and the night before we spent on a bus through much of southeast China-, accept the offer without having lowered the price to 7 U.S. dollars. Ya os digo, Ro is a genius.
The streets are deserted Khatmandu. No light, no voices, no more than buildings that smell of decay. Two-types- that lead us to the hotel in a kind of pre-Seat127 model not stop turning and turning by labyrinthine streets. This city, I'm starting to intuit, not going to look like anything I've seen so far. Laos and Cambodia are Buddhists, China is more animistic, and Nepal seems, with India, the birthplace of Hinduism. Then, as the journey progress, I learn that although the origin of Buddhism and Hinduism have nothing to do, for believers are one.
We'll talk more about that, but now I'm very tired. We finally arrived at the hotel, HOTEL called ENCOUNTER NEPAL, and is not bad. It has a large beer garden and free Wi-Fi.
Before you say yes definitely, the Ro still get the price down more. He tells the manager, in his broken English, the room "is governed, team ", a little dirty, and better rather than 7 U.S. dollars, 6. And it, we find another.
A mi, os lo juro, makes me want to tell the guy: "But do not be shit, pussy. Tell him if he does not want the room, is to find another, to see that tells you the hotshot ". Pero me retengo, because if I do, do not hesitate, I see myself with Mochilon walking two in the morning by a ghostly Khatmandu do not know trying to locate the backpacker district and knocking from door to door to every house guest of the place.
End, as always, gana Ro. I look with admiration as I get in the shower and I wonder how much money I will have saved traveling with her. Sold as glorious effort ever by another border crossing, and after greeting the family in Spain (is the birthday of my sister Eva), I crawl into bed happier than a licorice. It's Monday. Goretti arrive Friday to share with me two weeks of Himalaya.
Ro and I have four days to get familiar with the capital of Nepal, a city, and I tell you in the next post, you deserve those four days ... or more, always bring in the backpack that high doses of patience. Hindu culture is wild, fierce, fascinating. And very old. Khatmandu was in the 70 the place par excellence of the hippies. By then there were four houses for foreigners, Now there are hundreds. Yet, this city has plenty of charm.
Before you say until next, I give practical information. The visa does not have to get ahead, although that always saves paperwork, clear. We, course, did nothing and take it out when you get there. You can buy a visa 15 days, one month three months. We buy three months, because we will spend here a long time. It is expensive: 75 Wing dollars. Although, actually, this country is so poor, and gets you both the heart, the end think: But if not that! Addition, How can you put a price on a look at the world from the Himalayas?
