From INDIA to NEPAL

 DELHI to KATHMANDU

Thursday 7 March

We had a good night's sleep and wakened thoroughly refreshed for the next stage of our trip, on to Nepal and Kathmandu. The start of our journey was hair-raising as the drive from the hotel had our driver heading along a one way street against the three lanes of oncoming traffic and round roundabouts the wrong way. Eventually he joined the traffic flow in the correct direction and we reached the airport in one piece. The airport is certainly a surprise, the open expanses of the check in hall were practically deserted and it was only a few minutes to check in and get through passport control. The security check was a slow while they carried out a very thorough search of everyone.

The flight with IndiGo airline was right on time and it was very busy with lots of obvious Trekkers on board. It took only an hour and a half to Kathmandu compared with the two days it took us last time by bus and train. It was difficult to distinguish from clouds what we thought to be snowy topped peaks, I photographed them from the plane anyway. When we arrived at Kathmandu there was a long wait and  and form filling to get and pay for visas ( $100 each ) and our baggage was all waiting for us when we eventually got through immigration.

From the airport we got a taxi into the sprawling city of Karhmandu and he took us to a small hotel. It wasn't anything special and the beds were very hard, I hope it is good for my back. A tour operator accompanied us in the taxi and wanted our business for arranging our trek, getting a porter and permits. We told him we were tired at the moment and he is going to come tomorrow and try again. We will probably use him, we have to have some assistance and one is as good another.

After dumping our bags we headed out for a walk in the centre of Kathmandu. Certain places we recollected but couldn't find the nice restaurant we used regularly. We found another quite good one and had a chicken and mutton curry. We shared them with rice and nan bread. We couldn't tell the difference between the two, and neither resembled chicken or mutton, maybe it they were horse which is all the rage in the UK at the moment. Otherwise the thick hot spicy gravy was delicious. On the way back to the hotel we stopped off at a trekking shop and I got a larger daypack and a pair of hiking gloves, we both purchased trekking poles. As we were about to leave the shop there was a clap of thunder and the rain poured down. We waited until it eased but eventually had to quickly run back to the hotel.

The lights were off in the hotel, no power. They said it was a scheduled cut and not due on again for three hours. Moira said it was like this the last time we were here but I don't remember. We lay on our beds and read, fortunately the lights came on before it got too dark. It was a other early night for us, the traveling and the clock changes are taking their toll and it will,take us a few days to acclimatise.