Kathmandu

Ok,thinking back, Changi Airport was, in many ways like a mall. Very super consumerist. But it was also a pleasant place to spend a night, and a great place for people watching.

The flight across India was very interesting, I wish we'd have had a map to see where we were. And then you seethe Himalayas - huge mountains build from sky and clouds it seemed.

How to describe Kathmandu?Nothing will prepare you for it. We met folks from our hotel at the airport. The ride to the hotel was like being in a pinball, narrowly missing people, mototcycles, cars, etc. WE walked around the Thamel, the tourist district yesterday afternoon. Intense doesn't do it justice. No sidewalks, narrow streets and motorcycles rule. Anytime we stopped to get our bearings we'd be approached by taxior rickshaw drivers,
merchants who wanted us to come into their stores, beggars. In our tired jetlagged state it was tooo much. We did have a wonderful Nepali meal and found Pilgrim Books, which is fascinating. But we were asleep by 8.

Today has been both intense and interesting. WE went to Durba Square, the historic district where a couple of guides (one very drunk) hooked onto us and showed us around. It was quite interesting but they wanted quite a bit of money for an hour's walk. WE paid them less than they wanted, which they accepted nnot too happily. It is very obvious that there are very desperate people here. It is both necessary and tough to let them know we're not rich tourists.

WE visited an Ethnographic museum and learned about ethnic groups in Nepal. WE also had a long discussion
with folks at the office of an environmental education group - learned a lot about the situation here. I may work on some article proposals and contact them again. WE also wandered a lot. It's fascinating to watch people here,
but watch out for those motorcycles.
Enough for now, we'll try to check in tomorow.PG