Some things never change.....the lack of productivity, efficiency and order. As we got off the plane in Delhi for our 3 hour transit at the airport for our next flight to Nepal, we were made to line-up single file for security check. I was impressed by the single file lines initially, but alas I spoke too soon...apparently there was a "women only" line-up which was not labeled...and all the women were made to go in a different line, but the bag went through the same x-ray machine as the men's because the other one was not being operated. There was about 10 security people attempting to increase efficiency yet there were creating chaos.... I went into a curtained cubicle where a female officer practically molested me and gave me a really slimey smile...I got out of there as fast as I could.... here I was back in India and Nepal, not in North America any more.... Going through this tedious security process and various other things... Pat's impression of their method was "quality by quantity".... by employing more people to do a task, they achieve quality??? (maybe)
Anyways, we arrived in Kathmandu safe and sound, managed to get our entry visa...officers sitting around reading newspapers, no line-ups, just push your way through kinda thing...
Kathmandu was more populated, dusty, polluted than 6 years ago with houses everywhere!!!! where there used to be fields and empty lots were crammed with new buildings...every other day was "bandhas" or protests (which affected us quite a bit since the protests took place mostly in front of the parliament building close to our hotel). Although, taxis were still running so it wasn't a problem most of the time...so weird...
Compared to 6 years ago, the city has become significantly expensive...inflation...mostly affecting us tourists with 10% service charge on top of tourist price and VAT which is 13%...I know its all relative and if you convert it to dollars it is cheaper but still....really? I have been feeling quite ripped off...and not knowing the value of goods, it is easier to get ripped off!!!
We have visited the tourist spots like Thamel, Patan, Durbar Marg (the Royal Palace is now a museum!), and Swayambhu, other than that we have been doing a lot of family/friend stuff. Went to our old house/farm where I grew up and finding that the house, the trees and everything gone....even the walls! the bamboo that used to line the driveway to our house was also gone...
We went to visit our land where my father's ashes were buried, all the trees that were planted had grown and everything was so green and beautiful and peaceful...glimpse of what Kathmandu was like in the old days when my parents generation was traveling around being hippies....everybody refers to the "good old days"....without frequent protests, the tourist industry was booming, less cars, less populated, no water shortages, electricity was more available (no "lights out" for 14 hours/day) etc., etc...
I can only hope that things will move in a more positive direction for Nepal in the years to come...I would hate to see my old neighborhood be crammed with houses.
Anyways, we arrived in Kathmandu safe and sound, managed to get our entry visa...officers sitting around reading newspapers, no line-ups, just push your way through kinda thing...
Kathmandu was more populated, dusty, polluted than 6 years ago with houses everywhere!!!! where there used to be fields and empty lots were crammed with new buildings...every other day was "bandhas" or protests (which affected us quite a bit since the protests took place mostly in front of the parliament building close to our hotel). Although, taxis were still running so it wasn't a problem most of the time...so weird...
Compared to 6 years ago, the city has become significantly expensive...inflation...mostly affecting us tourists with 10% service charge on top of tourist price and VAT which is 13%...I know its all relative and if you convert it to dollars it is cheaper but still....really? I have been feeling quite ripped off...and not knowing the value of goods, it is easier to get ripped off!!!
We have visited the tourist spots like Thamel, Patan, Durbar Marg (the Royal Palace is now a museum!), and Swayambhu, other than that we have been doing a lot of family/friend stuff. Went to our old house/farm where I grew up and finding that the house, the trees and everything gone....even the walls! the bamboo that used to line the driveway to our house was also gone...
We went to visit our land where my father's ashes were buried, all the trees that were planted had grown and everything was so green and beautiful and peaceful...glimpse of what Kathmandu was like in the old days when my parents generation was traveling around being hippies....everybody refers to the "good old days"....without frequent protests, the tourist industry was booming, less cars, less populated, no water shortages, electricity was more available (no "lights out" for 14 hours/day) etc., etc...
I can only hope that things will move in a more positive direction for Nepal in the years to come...I would hate to see my old neighborhood be crammed with houses.
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