I dont know what you think but these are real luxuries my friends! The day was full of shopping for things for friends,so, a few of us walked down to Thamel, kind of a bazzarr area for shopping. Lots of poverty everywhere you look, but only poverty to us, they dont see it that way. Shops full of counterfeit videos, phony brand names such as Mountain Hardwear, and lots of local souvenirs. We found a GREAT place to eat and enjoyed a real hamburger with real cheese (not YAK cheese) for the first time in weeks. Then it started to rain, not just a simple rain but a friggin MONSOON! Sat it out, power failures, lightning, winds, and bugs that seemed to be born from the rain appeared. Once it cleared we went shopping again walking under trees full of fox bats just waiting for night to fall. We found the Anapurna Hotel and had a GREAT dinner there for our last night together.
Next adventure, onto the International Airport (ha!).
The guides could only take me to the entrance then I was on my own! Armed guards looking for something and looking at everyone. We complain about pat downs in L.A.? Wow, I got patted down at least four times in one hour! Lots of political unrest starting up in Nepal so it felt like nerves were on edge. Waited in the boarding area then moved to a pre-boarding area for, you guessed it, another pat down!
Finally on the plane, waiting for take off and ta da! We rolled out, taxied down the runway, full power and LIFT OFF! On our way to Hong Kong!
Here I am in Hong Kong, got through customs and I am now walking around the city. Found a STARBUCKS and I am enjoying a cup of coffee as I wait for the STAR FERRY to take me on another tour of the HONG KONG port! Next step, back on the train to the airport, through Departure and onto LAX! Back home soon. I leave HONG KONG at 4:45pm and arrive in LAX at 2:45pm, 14 hour plane ride. Finally got smart and I changed my seat to an aisle seat! You cant see anything from the windows while flying over the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean anyway! Looking forward to getting home, getting back to work and back to the "normal" as I know it!
The last day in Kathmandu I lost a patch that I purchased and a very poor man picked it up and ran toward me to hand it back. This man was so poor and so needy my first thought was to hand him some cash, Rupees, to help him out as a reward for helping me. I tried but he refused. His friend said, in broken English, "he is good man with much pride he helps you and needs nothing in return". Yes, even in an impoverished nation good will and human kindness exists! This small act of kindness, of generousity, of selflessness made this entire trip worthwhile. Life is good my friends and I will see you soon1
NAMASTE!
No comments:
Post a Comment