Let there be ... a house!

Knowing that I’m planning to stay a longer time in Kathmandu, I soon realized that I didn’t want to spend all my nights sleeping in a hotel. Therefore, together with Belgian friend we were looking for a house to rent. My friend is the owner of an IT company here in Kathmandu, so it was planned to have one floor of the house for the company, one for him and one for me. Since my name still isn’t Rockefeller, and Paris Hilton still didn’t loose her mind enough to give me all her money, we were looking for a “nice renting price”. This week we found our house. Well, actually my friend did, because he did all the searching. After weeks of not finding what we were looking for, at a location we could both agree on, this week we actually found two. The contract for the first one was as good as signed, but at the last moment it didn’t work out. Coincidentally almost at the same time, another offer came in. An offer even better as the first one. A few blogs ago, I wrote about coincidences. I’m not going to repeat it all, but the fact that this first deal didn’t work out, right at the time the next offer came, even gives me a better feeling about the house we signed the contract for. Where in the first house we couldn’t fulfill all our wishes, concerning both having a private floor, in the second house we both have our own floor, with terraces. There’s also a floor for the company, a garden, big enough to throw parties, all surrounded by a wall (with an entrance gate of course) which really makes it our quiet, private place in the big city. The area we will be living in is more native than touristy Thamel, which was also one of the desires we had. My floor exists of a big bedroom, a bathroom, a living room, a hall, and a kitchen. From the kitchen you can walk onto a terrace which has a bit of a strange shape, as it is flat for one meter and then is rises up. I won’t be throwing parties there, but it has some other conveniences. On the outside of the house I noticed I even have another room up there, which I couldn’t place in my recollection of the visits inside the house. Who knows how many secret entrances I will find more??? As I’m really looking forward to moving there, I know there might appear problems I didn’t think about, or don’t realize the impact of. In touristy places there’s often a better supply for water, and maybe even electricity (electricity is a different story). I was already told that in order to get water, you have find out when they are sending water through the pipes. Then you have to fill your tank and after that you have to pump it up to the tanks on the roof. Some people say the water comes every day, others say it comes every two days, others even say there is no regularity in it. Some say it comes during the night, others say it comes during the day. Who will tell, it will be a matter of finding out ourselves, I guess. Thing is, if you miss it one day and it wouldn’t come for two days later, it might get smelly in the office. Of course you can do two or three days without showering, even longer. But I realize how spoiled I am, enjoying my shower every single day. There’s always the possibility to wash yourself with bottled water, I know, I just mean it will take some adjustments to my regular routine. Which I actually see as an advantage and enrichment to my life. Another thing that I like about landlords here is there seems to be a big level of respect for the lessees (a word I learned reading contracts, so I really wanted to use it). Owners repaint the house before you move into it. Both times we got offered to use some of their furniture, free of charge. The owner is entitled to take care of normal maintenance, including big and small repairs, in the house during the time of the contract. It’s all in the contract, but we’ll see what’s the value of a contract here. Anyway, we found our house, and will be moving soon. The only sad thing is that a lot of people probably won’t join us in the house warming party. They will say Kathmandu is too far away. Sissies!!!

Elections in Nepal

Elections are over in Nepal, or at least the majority of it. There are some polling stations where, due to some problems, the polling will be done or redone somewhere this week. I don’t want to write here about the result or my political opinion. In stead I’d like to write about what I noticed during these past few weeks, trying to follow the election fever through newspapers.

First of all, I noticed that standards are different, depending on where you are. Talking about peaceful polls in one line of the newspapers, another line tells you the story about a candidate getting killed DURING election day in a matter related to the elections. Where in many places this would be enough to cancel the elections, here some people seem to be satisfied that there was only one killing.

Also the weeks before this historical 10^th of april, newspapers reported most of their first two or three papers about candidates getting beaten up, people getting intimidated, people getting killed over the elections, and then you can read a statement from the election commission that when coercion is being used, the polling would be canceled. My question automatically was… “What does it take for things to be called coercion?” (Oxford English dictionary describes to coerce as; persuade by using force or threats)

Another thing that caught my attention was that, as said before, the first pages of newspapers reported about all the crime related election information, further away in the paper there was a section handling about actual voting, and statistic such as the percentage of women candidates, rules and regulations, awareness of the purpose of the elections,… This is maybe back to what I’m used to. First give action and sensation, then for those who really want to know it, give other information. Of course you have to sell your media, but writing about the importance and historical fact of these elections, my feeling is the media should raise itself above its normal standards and try to contribute to the nation’s future in a constructive way.

A major role, as well in the newspapers as on the streets, was taken by the UN. The UN who was monitoring the elections, to see if everything took place according to the rules. But what if they found things that didn’t go according the rules? As I understand they were not allowed to take action, just registrate and report. What’s the meaning of such an expensive operation, when the role is to monitor and report? It’s easy for me to criticize sitting here writing my blog, but I do understand that it’s a thin line where another power comes and help in another nation and interfere in this nation. It’s a sensitive matter, and easy to cross the line. But aren’t people appointed (also read paid) to take those difficult decisions? When UN-monitors see things happen, of which the observers know they are illegal, they can do nothing but registrate and report. These same activity they just monitored lead to personal human suffering, but they were just permitted to monitor. It makes me think. (finally something does)

Now that I’m thinking about it, am I playing the same role towards the UN, as they do here? Was I just registrating and giving my report now in this blog, without taking action when the time was there? Not that anyone would have listened maybe, but I also didn’t try. As said so many times the last weeks, here in Nepal, the voice of the people should be listened to, and that’s what the elections were also about. Maybe I should raise my voice more often, and just see what it brings. There’s no harm in giving your opinion, even when no one listens. Then, at least you’ve tried!

ABC and the little backpack

It was my first visit to Pokhara again, after the gem stone scam. I can say, I didn’t even think about it in fear, because two days in Kathmandu already learned me that the Rajes and Vickies I deled with moved their territory to the Thamel area in Kathmandu. I had a glimpse on them at Tridevi Marg, where they have a “new” shop. I still love Pokhara for its wonderful views, for my Tibetan family that lives there, for its easy way of living and great food places by the lake. It seems to be logic that when I’m in Pokhara, I do a trekking. Just like two years ago I took the trek to the Annapurna Base Camp, only this time without a guide or a porter. Just Sara and me. One thing I will never forget is the small backpack Sara was carrying with her with everything she needed for the trek in it. I think it must be some kind of record. As always the trekking made me really quiet, and I can imagine for company I’m traveling with this can be really strange. Luckily Sara knows me, so it just stayed with an occasional: ”Are you ok?” I can’t put my finger on it what makes me so quiet, but it feels very peaceful inside. While walking I noticed I still have a lot to learn in respecting other people’s desires and limitations, because even more than usual, I want to enjoy everything there at my speed, at my desires. That’s another thing the mountains seem to do to me. This constant reflection on how I handle things, how I feel, what I want, how I am. As many people might already know, I like these reflections, because I really think eventually they improve my quality as a person and therefore my quality of life, although a lot of those reflections are not solved at the spot (or even being things to solve). That containing the fact that there are always things I’d like to see different about myself. Most of the times it’s about interaction with others, but it can be physical things or intelligent things as well. Another thing I also realize every time I do a trekking is how much I dislike the cold. Every time I seem to have forgotten how cold I was the last time I did it, and how I thought at that time not to forget it. This time it even felt like my big toe was going to freeze of my foot, after walking through the snow a few days and not finding the possibility to heat them up during the evening. It was wonderful to experience all those things with Sara by my side 23/7, as that must have been the ratio we spend together since february 20, when we met again in Bangkok. Although the freezing toe (at least something that felt like it) was not a nice experience, it’s more bearable to me having the one you love by your side. The snowline was lower as the other trekkings I did here, and also that made that again this trek was completely different from the other two. Being in a lot of the same places as 2006, still a lot of things looked similar and different in the same time. It is to say that I still love October more for a trekking over here, because of the visibility that is much better at that time, this first trekking in march was also an unforgettable experience. A lot has probably to do with the company I’m with. A topic I talked to with some fellow travelers during my trip, and which all of them recognized within themselves and their experiences. ABC is also the place where in 2006 I made a stupa for Katia. Being there again was a strange feeling, where tears came into my eyes, but also a peaceful feeling about it. Although the stupa wasn’t there anymore, the place will always be related with Katia to me. A place where I got to say goodbye. In that matter, I didn’t care about the stupa being gone. The spirits will always be there, to me. After nine days of trekking we reached Pokhara again, and next day we got to stay out of the Holy Festival mess. Holy is one of the many festivals they have here in Nepal, and on this particular day people have fun covering eachother in colourful paint, while walking over the street, sitting on the curb,… We were lucky to bump into the right people, who respected your wish if you didn’t want your clothes and body covered in paint. Something I just didn’t feel like that day, also because we were out of clothes and the things we were not wearing were in the laundry. After 24 hours of rest in Pokhara it was time to do 2 days of rafting. Since the waterlevels are low this time of year, the rafting in itself was not much more as just sitting in a boat, floating around on the water and take an occasional swim. The occasional paddeling being a nice change from the 9 days of leg work in the mountains. Funny sight to see people get out of the mountains with muscular legs and anorectic arms. (which is a big exaggeration, but it feels like that) (well not really, but still) (anyway, I think you understand what I mean) (or not) One of the nicest parts about doing a multiple day rafting is that you get to spend your evenings at some kind of beaches, sleeping in a tent at the beach. Our boat had five people on board , counting the guide, and was accompanied by one man in a safety kayak. At the beach we shared our part of the beach with an Englishman and a man from New Zeeland, who were taking a three day kayak trip. Our guide showed us all his tricks during the evening, tricks with ropes, matches,… Enjoying all the attention he got. I think everyone had a nice evening and enjoyed the easy and funny atmosphere. Another great thing about these raftings here is the food you get. Man, can they cook! Whenever people ask me about the meaning of life, I answer: A good meal! Somewhere I think I’m serious when I say that. Isn’t that something most people enjoy? A good meal! Not that you get some haut cuisine at those trips, but I do enjoy bread with vegetable salad, or pasta, fries, rice, curry…it was all there, prepared by the water and eaten by six hungry mouths. It is amazing how much they can do with so little supplies. Just one fire, and all the food transported with us on the raft. Food for five meals. As all good things come to an end, also this culinary trip ended and after having some transportation on top of a bus, we got to admire and experience the easy atmosphere of Bandipur. A nice little place between Pokhara and Kathmandu. A town which gives the impression of western movies, in which John Wayne might turn up anytime to do a shootout with another bad guy. Since John is probably a little afraid of the upcoming elections in Nepal he wasn’t there, so we just had over two relaxing days in kind of a medieval town. (yes, next to being the perfect location for a western movie, it also had a big medieval character. All that in one place.) Going back to Kathmandu was high on my priority list, however. Don’t ask me why, I was just really eager to go/come back there/here. The downside of coming to Kathmandu however was that it meant the day of Sara leaving came much closer. As it had been something I knew all the time, now it started to become realistic. On the other hand, coming to Kathmandu meant that my search for a life here could start. Something that scares me as well as attracts me. Maybe the scary part attracts me, or could it be the other way around.

Back to Nepal, or not, or so, or not,...

After taking a holiday on my travel, it was just going to be a matter of a few days before I was back in Nepal. A very special trip to Nepal, because it was together with Sara, whome I told so much about the beautiful Nepal, and because it was probably going to be the last stop on this trip. A five month stop, to begin with. It was also special to me, because it was my first time back in Nepal, after traveling around south-east Asia. During this trip around SA Asia, I began realizing that I might be so much in love with Nepal before, but after seeing more of Asia… How was Nepal going to be this time. At the start of my trip, the plan was to spend this last five months in Nepal trying to find a possibility to stay and live here. That was another reason why this time, my being in Nepal was not going to be all just hanging around. Anyhow, first we had to get to Nepal ofcourse, and since we booked the flight tickets already in Bangkok before we went diving, it was just going to be a matter of 2 days. At least that was what we thought. On the contrary, what followed was were 6 days of plans changing, flights getting canceled and delayed. Spending nights in hotels where we were the only Caucasians, and Sara being the only Caucasian woman ofcourse. It all started when I went to pick up the tickets that were going to be waiting for us at the travel agency. Arriving there I got the message that the airline canceled all flights to Kathmandu, due to the unstable political situation in Nepal . A situation I didn’t hear anything of from friends being residents in Kathmandu and around Pokhara. Ofcourse there were the upcoming elections, which made things sometimes get a little more tensed, but to cancel all flights for that reason… Were there maybe not enough passengers to keep the flights profitable? We’ll probably never know. A nice gesture from the airlines was that they offered us another flight, with another company, leaving one day earlier than the original flight. Problem was that by the time I got that message, when I came to pick up the original tickets, the flight was scheduled to leave in less than an hour. That flight was obviously not going to be ours. Next move was going to be return the money from the airlines, which I’m not going to tell of that it was Orient Thai. Since the travel agent couldn’t get the money back from them, we had to go there ourselves. Quite a journey, looking for a place in a city like Bangkok while you only have vague directions. When we found the office getting the money returned was no problem, only the time it was going to take was another matter. First it was going to take 2 weeks, if we wanted it in cash, after a little taking it could be returned the next day, and after rebuilding the office we got the money at the spot. Then it was time to go back to the travel agent and book another flight. No problem, the flight was booked and supposed to leave three days later. The advice from the travel agent, anyhow, was to come and check the day before if the schedule was still the same, because the airline had a reputation of delaying. Spending those extra days in Bangkok were a little bit of a torture, as our minds were set on leaving for Nepal. But we managed, only trying to kill each other once, to prevent from getting bored. As adviced, the day before the flight was scheduled, I went to the travel agency and there I was told the first flight was still planned to go, but the second flight (it was a flight with a stopover in Dhakka, Bangladesh) was already delayed by 24 hours. No problem, it just made that we had to spend two nights in Dhakka in stead of one. Accommodation and food paid by the airline company. Finally we were ready to leave. We got to the airport in time, so nothing could stop us now. The flights scheduled departure time was 11.40pm, so after having a light dinner at the airport we got to the gate, ready to board and go. By midnight we were still sitting at the gate, waiting to get on the plane, no one telling us anything if something was wrong. Obviously something was wrong. The airline staff were lying on the floor taking a nap, so when Sara went to ask what the matter was, they told us there was a technical problem with the airplane. 20 minutes later the nessage came the plane wasn’t going to leave that night, due to engine problems. Let’s all get into a minibus (since there were only 14 people waiting to board the plane) and spend a night at a fancy hotel on the expences of Biman Bangladesh. (again I’m not going to tell you which airline it was) Getting in the minibus, without anyone from the airlines with us should have been a bad sign, but no one was really panicking. At least not for the first hour. A hotel located 20 minutes away from the airport, had been the message. After one hour it turned out the taxidriver didn’t know the location and no one had a contact number from the airline. The taxi driver called probably all his friends and relatives to ask if they knew where to take us, and after a three hour drive through the back alleys of Bangkok we reached the hotel. Reaching the hotel must have been by accident, I think. At 4 in the morning we got dinner and then it was time to go to bed. I must say the room that was appointed to us was super. I’m not going to tell you the price for a night there, but it was definitely a quantity of the room prices I was used to stay in the last 6 months, and so was the luxury. After we got to the room, 150 Bengalis also came to the hotel. They had been waiting on the plane for there connection flight to Kathmandu, as they already came with the plane from Singapore. Being construction workers from Bangladesh, working in Singapore, even more then us, they were not used to this kind of luxury. That showed the next day as they attacked the lunch buffet, where a big bowl of rice (something like 60X50cm) was empty after less than a minute. What I’m telling you is no exaggeration. Meanwhile we were still waiting for any information from the airlines when/if the plane was going to leave. First they were going to pick us up at 1pm, then at 4pm, then at 6pm, and finally busses, to bring us to the airport, arrived at 7pm. When every one got on the bus, message came there were still some people that didn’t pay their mini-bar bills. You could here people saying: “The what-what?”, and others: “Wasn’t everything paid by the airline company. A misunderstanding, to me, the airline is to blame for, since they didn’t clearly tell what was included and what wasn’t. Just as with the food, the Bengalis took advantage from all this luxury and drank quite a lot from the mini-bar, and what they didn’t finish, they just put in their bags. Again, no exaggeration! For a lot of those people having to pay the bill was a financial nightmare, as mini-bar prices are already way higher than normal prices. So, the ones that had to pay their bill, or discuss their bill, of the bus again. By that time, the message also came the food on the plane was not going to be ready. Question was asked to the hotel if they could quickly make a meal for over 150 people. Since some organizations still are capable of managing things, a little over half an hour later dinner was served. A buffet which had the same short lasting life as the lunch buffet. People were so over the buffet that Sara didn’t even get to eat, if it wouldn’t have been for a manager who was keeping eyes on things, and made her a sandwich to take with her. Eventually all the bills got settled (I don’t know if and how they got paid) and of we were to catch a flight to Dhakka. In Dhakka, as written before, we were promised a hotel to spend the night, before taking the plane to Kathmandu the next day. On arrival we got the message: “I’m sorry, you have no hotel voucher, so we can’t provide you with a hotel.” Sara is a sweet and gentle angel, but don’t push here too far. I won’t tell the exact story, but 3 minutes later we had arrangements for a hotel. Arriving at night again, we got to bed immediately, and got woken up 1.30hrs later with the question on the other end of the phone: “Do you want mosquito spray?”. The answer could have been: “Oh, was that a mosquito? I thought it was a cow buzzing around the room.” Anyhow the people from the hotel were nice, and they mend well, so we just gave a confirmative answer and spend the rest of the night in the delicious odeur of mosquito spray. At 10am someone from the hotel staff woke us up asking if we wanted breakfast, and whether we wanted it in the room, or at the dining hall. “O yes, by the way, your flight is delayed!”. Not again!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When we wanted to go and walk around in Dhakka, the hotel staff told us we were not aloud to go outside with a transit visa, and that it was too dangerous. A transit visa that costed us 20USD. 20 USD just to spend hours in a hotel. I’ll probably never understand. Eventually we got permission to get out, taking a business card from the hotel with us. That feels much safer, I must say! 4 hours late, the flight was on time, and a little over an hour after departure time we arrived in Kathmandu. Finally we made it, and guess what… Without any problem we got to the hotel in no time. I remember going for a drink to celebrate eventually arriving, and the next thing I know it was morning next day. Damn Tequilla!!!!!!!