Icon Villa, Delhi

Pashmina scarf display, Kathmandu, Nepal, October 25, 2005

Hanging around my room at the Icon Villa trying not to imagine that every bang I hear from the street is a bomb. I should know the difference having heard the bomb that exploded in Kabul in late 2004 but my nerves are still on edge. I've altered my plans for the day and won't go to the nearby cinema or shops, but I am about to go just along the road for a shave. I think I'll head to the airport early.

Back to Delhi

ADDEMDUM: I'm in New Delhi now - safe and sound and unaffected by the horrible bomb blasts (or the train crash).

Market wares, Kathmandum, October 27, 2005

Waiting in Kathmandu International Airport to head back to Delhi. Excited to see Twin Otters (great Canadian aircraft that I used to ride in the Canadian Arctic) puttering around.

I'll miss Nepal but it's certainly time to move on. I feel something strange about my three weeks since leaving Kabul - time is supposed to feel quick when one is having fun and I have had fun but strangely, three weeks in my job in Kabul always seemed faster. Inexplicable.

Last night in Nepal

Market seller, Kathmandu, Nepal, October 27, 2005

Today - my last full day in Nepal and anywhere before I get home to Ottawa on Monday - was both lovely and interesting. On my way out morning I noticed that almost all the shops were closed. I learned that the government recently shut down a critical radio station and several political parties had called for a national strike today. Somebody explained that shopkeepers were confused about whether it is better to support the government (by opening) or the opposition (by closing). In the meantime many of them were washing their closed shutters in preparation for a big festival tomorrow. By late afternoon I noticed that some more shops had opened for business.

I met Kabita (pictured yesterday) again and she introduced me to her father whose rice she's been drying. She lead me to her real job which is money changing in the Thamel (mostly touristy) part of Kathmandu. We went for tea and I learned that she's studying business - but that's on hold because she has also had to help her sister in law with a new baby. She hopes to resume her studies soon.

She then showed me something I'd been told didn't exist in Kathmandu: a tattoo parlor. I now have a third tattoo. I got my first tattoo on my left arm about four years ago - it's my own design of a penguin holding an old Speedgraphic camera, representing two of my passions. It only has black ink because I like black and white photography. (I only stopped the artist just in time before he added some coloured detail.) When I visited Thailand this March I was so enchanted by the country and its people that I decided to get 'peace' in Thai tattooed onto my right arm. I planned then to add 'peace' in the local language of any other country I visited and came to love. The writing is one centimetre high and the plan was to allow one centimetre of space between 'entries'. Nepal has been the next qualifying country and I now have 'santhe' ('peace') tattooed exactly to specification. (I also had it embroidered onto a t-shirt.)

Tonight will be my last night in Nepal. I've gone to a different restaurant every night and eaten nothing but splendid food. I confess it hasn't really been Nepalese. (Some lunches have been.) The first night I was so excited to learn that there are Mexican restaurants here that I didn't hesitate. I had a steak. The next night I stayed at the hotel and had pizza. On the third night I went to a fairly well-known restaurant called 'K-too' - it has all sorts of world food but I went straight for the steak. Last night I went to the Via Via Cafe which is a very swanky lounge - and I had an extraordinary chicken fillet in a delicious mustard sauce. I don't know where I'm going tonight but I think it will involve another steak as tomorrow I'll be in Delhi and beef will be right out of the question - even at T.G.I.Friday's, where I'll probably end up.

[Added later: I had spaghetti bol. at La Dolce Vita... then found a restaurant called 'Steak Restaurant' on the way back... sigh...]

Kabita

Kabita, Kathmandu, Nepal, September 27, 2005

I think I'm ready to admit two things:

• I'm looking forward to going home.
• I've seen quite enough temples, stupas, Buddhas and erotic carvings.
  

Today I did most of the Lonely Planet's walking tour number 1 ... until making admission number 2 (above). Even when a statue in a bazaar is impressive because it's over 1000 years old and being used to prop up some seller's wares, I've had enough of it.

I did, however have two special moments with local people.

Firstly, one of very many touts in the Durbar Square approached me with the usual "Where do you come from?" routine, but then knocked me for six when in response to "Canada", he said "I am a great admirer of Margaret Atwood". (He has a degree in English lit.)

The second was when I stopped to photograph Newar women drying rice in a tucked-away courtyard. I started talking to Kabita (which means 'Poem'). She is very interesting. The courtyard is a common space for rice drying and they take it in turns to spread the ride on tarps under the sun. They rake it into patterns that remind me of Japanese gardens. Most of the rice being dried today is for eating but a slightly darker type is for making beer which Kabita hopes I'll try. On a hot sunny day, 20 minutes is enough drying time. Then they shovel it up. She gave me a chocolate and asked me for a CD of my photographs so I'll be back tomorrow to learn more of the process. I confess I was a bit surprised that she seemed so educated and conversational but so completely unpresumptuous - a lesson I shall try to remember.