The Nepalese Adventure: Day 21
Day 21 - Saturday
Early start this morning as I'm off to Battar on the bus which I know leaves around 8:15 am.
Desperately need a shower as not had one for three days. That lingering whiff of death still clinging to me so swimming shorts on, Towel? Yep - wont forget that again! Shower Gel (savouring this luxury from the western world) Yep! Clean shirt? Yep. I get to the showers to find 5 women there already, 2 doing their laundry, one showering, 2 waiting. Unfortunately, of the three pipes, only one is emitting any water! I know exactly what the problem is because one day, when I was there on my own, I climbed up to investigate the inbalance of water flow from the three pipes. The last in the line gets most of the water whilst the first sometimes gets none and the middle a significantly reduced amount. Well the source of water, as I've mentioned previously, is a just a big hose that comes down the mountain from somewhere. The hose feeding these showers pours the water into a concrete gutter, along which are the three exit pipes. There is no shaping to the gutter so most of it flows to the end of the gutter and exits at the last pipe.
Well today I do not have time to "mess" about. I stripped to my shorts, hauled myself up the bank to above the showers (Why do I keep calling them showers? They are water outlets!) and strategically placed some bricks and very large leaves to stem the water flow from traversing the gutter, forcing a diversion into the first two outlet pipes. Job done. Dropped down to the middle shower before anyone else knew what was happening and could beat me to using them. No queuing here remember! That's fine though, they normally just stop what they're doing to watch me shower anyway. Good 2 to three minutes to shower, 2-3 seconds inside the shorts. (Needs cleaning but with an audience?? Come on!) Anyway, time's a wasting. It's critically important to get to town today. There is a hotel bed waiting for me. With sheets. And a mattress. And who knows what other delights. I hope....
Damn - no dry shorts! Wet ones back on under my towel and back though the village. Strange! Why is there a bus in the village already? It's only 7:20... Back at the Homestay I asked Theresa if that is the bus for Battar (I know there are 2 in the morning). The answer is "Yes, and only1 bus today". Yikes, I haven't packed. And I need to swap the power supply out of the PC I'm taking in for repairs and put the faulty one back in... Aaaarghhhh. Into panic mode. Pretty much same as at home really. Rucksack packed. Power supply swapped. PC packed in a box I found yesterday (See! Some preparation!) and back through the village to the bus.
The bus looks quite empty. Excellent! A small boy was saying "Hi" to me so I asked him to climb on the roof of the bus whilst I passed him the PC box up. He was happy to do so, though seemed to just place it in the middle of the roof rack. I was along the side of the bus so instead of going to the back I just took a step from the high kerb stone onto the steel "trim" of the bus and then onto the open window ledge to set it in a place I hoped it would remain, by some small miracle, for the next two hours. Sometimes a packed bus has its advantages - like people on he roof to watch your stuff!
The boy then came and sat next to me on the bus. Turns out Krishal is travelling to Kathmandu (via Battar) with his parents. They were more than content for him to come and sit with me. That's nice but I've found the easiest way to endure these bus journeys is to drop into a semi-comatose state until they're over. No chance of that happening... We chatted about his school, his family (he retrieved a phone from his mum to show me photos). You have photos? Yes (I carry a small pack of immediate family member photos with me for exactly these occasions. Now that is preparation!). Went through all the photos twice. He then went to the front of the bus to talk his parents through them. He was back with You have phone? Yes. Can I see? No. Why? Very Little Battery. (Ok, a small lie - I know he just wants to see what games I have - it happens in the restaurant all the time. I'll get it back when its dead!). Can I see just one time? No (Can't be caught out on my lie). How much money you have? Not very much (I'm fairly sure he means in my pocket, not my net worth!) Can I see, just one time? No. Can I see your computer? Yes (plenty of battery and no games on there anyway.) What else you have in your bag? Not much. Can i see? Kindle was a new experience for him. He later said he would get my box down in Battar and I was to give him Rupees. Deal struck! He was very sweet, very curious and very proud to be talking to the Englishman whilst everyone else tried to listen. Tried to? Oh didn't I mention the chicken? For the whole 2 hours there was a chicken somewhere near the front of the bus squawking. I did catch a glimpse of it at one stage. It was in a carrier bag with just its head sticking out. Not happy at all. I can only hope it was the one from outside my room!
The day was going well so far. Fixed the shower. Caught the bus. Made it to Battar. Box was still on the roof. Computer still inside.... Computer shop closed. A couple of texts (There's great 3G in Battar!) and a phone call established it will be open "later". I've learned not to bother asking for anything more specific than that. Any specific time would of course be Nepali time anyway 😊.
Only a fifteen minute walk to the hotel (it should have been nine but I spent three minutes walking in the wrong direction!). Minor concerns at reception as they didn't seem to have a record of my reservation unless I was from the American Embassy. I almost said yes! But then they gave me a key. Room is great. Strong Free Wi-Fi, 2 x Double beds, Sheets, duvet, pillows, flat screen TV, hot and cold water, a shower (to myself) and a real toilet. And THAT is why Karen is the best girlfriend ever! (all of it, not just the toilet.)
Had a shower and went to the restaurant for lunch (no time for breakfast and it was too risky with the nearest toilet a minimum of 2 hours away).
Lunch: Bread-crumbed chicken and chips in a basket. Ketchup. Cold Coca Cola.
After a lunch out in the gardens, i grabbed the computer and headed to the shop. I explained the problem and said no rush I'll come back for it tomorrow before catching the afternoon bus back "Bus sir? Tomorrow sir? Elections tomorrow. No transport allowed in Nepal!" None? "No sir" What a disaster!!! I was gong to have to stay 2 nights in the hotel. 😊😊😊😊.
Pottered around a couple of the shops to get some pricing for things for the school. Plastic stools for the computer lab (currently it's 2, sometimes 3, kids to a chair), water containers for the school toilets, water filter canisters etc.
Returned to the hotel. Took another shower. It's hot out there today, much much hotter down in Battar than where the village is which is about 1000 metres higher. Did i mention I've got AC? .
Video WhatsApp'd Karen and all the kids (+ 2 of the 3 grandchildren) and caught up with some of the rest of the family.
Dinner: Chicken Satay. Ice old beer.
Blog and then bed. An actual bed.
Good night. xx
Early start this morning as I'm off to Battar on the bus which I know leaves around 8:15 am.
Desperately need a shower as not had one for three days. That lingering whiff of death still clinging to me so swimming shorts on, Towel? Yep - wont forget that again! Shower Gel (savouring this luxury from the western world) Yep! Clean shirt? Yep. I get to the showers to find 5 women there already, 2 doing their laundry, one showering, 2 waiting. Unfortunately, of the three pipes, only one is emitting any water! I know exactly what the problem is because one day, when I was there on my own, I climbed up to investigate the inbalance of water flow from the three pipes. The last in the line gets most of the water whilst the first sometimes gets none and the middle a significantly reduced amount. Well the source of water, as I've mentioned previously, is a just a big hose that comes down the mountain from somewhere. The hose feeding these showers pours the water into a concrete gutter, along which are the three exit pipes. There is no shaping to the gutter so most of it flows to the end of the gutter and exits at the last pipe.
Well today I do not have time to "mess" about. I stripped to my shorts, hauled myself up the bank to above the showers (Why do I keep calling them showers? They are water outlets!) and strategically placed some bricks and very large leaves to stem the water flow from traversing the gutter, forcing a diversion into the first two outlet pipes. Job done. Dropped down to the middle shower before anyone else knew what was happening and could beat me to using them. No queuing here remember! That's fine though, they normally just stop what they're doing to watch me shower anyway. Good 2 to three minutes to shower, 2-3 seconds inside the shorts. (Needs cleaning but with an audience?? Come on!) Anyway, time's a wasting. It's critically important to get to town today. There is a hotel bed waiting for me. With sheets. And a mattress. And who knows what other delights. I hope....
Damn - no dry shorts! Wet ones back on under my towel and back though the village. Strange! Why is there a bus in the village already? It's only 7:20... Back at the Homestay I asked Theresa if that is the bus for Battar (I know there are 2 in the morning). The answer is "Yes, and only1 bus today". Yikes, I haven't packed. And I need to swap the power supply out of the PC I'm taking in for repairs and put the faulty one back in... Aaaarghhhh. Into panic mode. Pretty much same as at home really. Rucksack packed. Power supply swapped. PC packed in a box I found yesterday (See! Some preparation!) and back through the village to the bus.
The bus looks quite empty. Excellent! A small boy was saying "Hi" to me so I asked him to climb on the roof of the bus whilst I passed him the PC box up. He was happy to do so, though seemed to just place it in the middle of the roof rack. I was along the side of the bus so instead of going to the back I just took a step from the high kerb stone onto the steel "trim" of the bus and then onto the open window ledge to set it in a place I hoped it would remain, by some small miracle, for the next two hours. Sometimes a packed bus has its advantages - like people on he roof to watch your stuff!
The boy then came and sat next to me on the bus. Turns out Krishal is travelling to Kathmandu (via Battar) with his parents. They were more than content for him to come and sit with me. That's nice but I've found the easiest way to endure these bus journeys is to drop into a semi-comatose state until they're over. No chance of that happening... We chatted about his school, his family (he retrieved a phone from his mum to show me photos). You have photos? Yes (I carry a small pack of immediate family member photos with me for exactly these occasions. Now that is preparation!). Went through all the photos twice. He then went to the front of the bus to talk his parents through them. He was back with You have phone? Yes. Can I see? No. Why? Very Little Battery. (Ok, a small lie - I know he just wants to see what games I have - it happens in the restaurant all the time. I'll get it back when its dead!). Can I see just one time? No (Can't be caught out on my lie). How much money you have? Not very much (I'm fairly sure he means in my pocket, not my net worth!) Can I see, just one time? No. Can I see your computer? Yes (plenty of battery and no games on there anyway.) What else you have in your bag? Not much. Can i see? Kindle was a new experience for him. He later said he would get my box down in Battar and I was to give him Rupees. Deal struck! He was very sweet, very curious and very proud to be talking to the Englishman whilst everyone else tried to listen. Tried to? Oh didn't I mention the chicken? For the whole 2 hours there was a chicken somewhere near the front of the bus squawking. I did catch a glimpse of it at one stage. It was in a carrier bag with just its head sticking out. Not happy at all. I can only hope it was the one from outside my room!The day was going well so far. Fixed the shower. Caught the bus. Made it to Battar. Box was still on the roof. Computer still inside.... Computer shop closed. A couple of texts (There's great 3G in Battar!) and a phone call established it will be open "later". I've learned not to bother asking for anything more specific than that. Any specific time would of course be Nepali time anyway 😊.
Only a fifteen minute walk to the hotel (it should have been nine but I spent three minutes walking in the wrong direction!). Minor concerns at reception as they didn't seem to have a record of my reservation unless I was from the American Embassy. I almost said yes! But then they gave me a key. Room is great. Strong Free Wi-Fi, 2 x Double beds, Sheets, duvet, pillows, flat screen TV, hot and cold water, a shower (to myself) and a real toilet. And THAT is why Karen is the best girlfriend ever! (all of it, not just the toilet.)
Had a shower and went to the restaurant for lunch (no time for breakfast and it was too risky with the nearest toilet a minimum of 2 hours away).
Lunch: Bread-crumbed chicken and chips in a basket. Ketchup. Cold Coca Cola.
After a lunch out in the gardens, i grabbed the computer and headed to the shop. I explained the problem and said no rush I'll come back for it tomorrow before catching the afternoon bus back "Bus sir? Tomorrow sir? Elections tomorrow. No transport allowed in Nepal!" None? "No sir" What a disaster!!! I was gong to have to stay 2 nights in the hotel. 😊😊😊😊.
Pottered around a couple of the shops to get some pricing for things for the school. Plastic stools for the computer lab (currently it's 2, sometimes 3, kids to a chair), water containers for the school toilets, water filter canisters etc.
Returned to the hotel. Took another shower. It's hot out there today, much much hotter down in Battar than where the village is which is about 1000 metres higher. Did i mention I've got AC? .
Video WhatsApp'd Karen and all the kids (+ 2 of the 3 grandchildren) and caught up with some of the rest of the family.
Dinner: Chicken Satay. Ice old beer.Blog and then bed. An actual bed.
Good night. xx
Comments