::Title: Tibet / Nepal / Thailand Trip 1998
::Author: Steve Engelhardt, steven_t_engelhardt
::
Tibet / Nepal / Thailand Trip 1998 part 2
Sept 27: Sunday continued: Border - Katmandu
As I continue toward Katmandu we stop at a checkpoint and
my passport is checked, I am told they are looking for Tibetans.
One of the Nepalese men wants to stop for lunch at his house, so we wait
After 15 Minutes our driver will wait no more, evidently his wife
Is keeping him entertained. We continue on, going down hill. We
Pass several local busses with people riding on the roof. We also pass
Through several towns, it is lunch an my driver points out that they are
Going to streams to bath. The road gets better and is finally paved.
We let off the last man. Then in the next town a policeman asks for a lift.
We take him several miles and through several towns, and again we stop so he
Can eat. This time it was quick and a few miles later he gets off, We are
Getting close to Katmandu, the traffic is getting bad, we pass a Circus on
The outskirts of town. We pass by the Airport and the Royal Palace.
We are in the center of town and traffic is at a stop. My driver lets me off
At Hotel Marshyangdi a upscale place, I stop and they are full however another
Hotel next door is not and I am escorted over there, they want $44 USD a night
I look at a room, very nice with TV aircon and full bath. After 3 days on the
Bus I was looking for someplace nice to stay, I offered the $35USD and the accepted. I get some laundry ready and I check out the TV, pretty much all
Indian. There are a couple of radio stations that speak English. I explore
The local area and I find a excellent Indian Restaurant.
Sept 28: Monday: Katmandu
Katmandu: Swayambhunath Temple
This morning I will walk to the Biman Airline office to purchase
an airline ticket for Wednesday. Well I get lost and I am on the opposite
end of town from the Thamel where my hotel is located. I finally find the
office and I purchase a ticket for Bangkok via Dhaka Bangladesh. Next I take
a taxi to Pashupatinath Temple (Hindu) where I watch a Cremation. The Ghats
are on the Bagmati River which flows into the Holy Ganges. There are lots of
street vendors selling all kind of trinkets, they are every Temple I go along
with beggars. Next I take a Tuk Tuk to Bodhnath Stupa a Buddhist Temple.
I take many pictures and stop and have lunch. I return to my hotel and I
Meet several of the people from the bus who told me about the last fight.
At the hotel I purchase a plane ticket on Buddha Airline for a site seeing
Flight to Everest. I go shopping around the Thamel and I again have dinner
At Indian restaurant.
Sept 29: Tuesday: Katmandu
Katmandu: Freak Street
I get up early and take a taxi to the Domestic Airport, a dingy place
for my flight to Everest. At 9:30 my flight has been canceled due to weather.
I return to the hotel and get a refund $99 USD. I have breakfast for 85R which
Consists of 2 eggs cereal, toast and orange juice $1 USD = 65R. I then take a Tuk
To Swayambhunath Buddhist Temple otherwise known as the Monkey Temple. It is on
A top of a hill and it is very steep, I have to maneuver around the Street vendors, beggars, and Monkeys to reach the top. The view is impressive from the top. I return to the hotel and later venture down to Durbar Square where there are many temples. I check out freak street and several people offer me hashish.
I return to the hotel.
September 30: Tuesday: Katmandu - Dhaka Bangladesh
Everest
Today I have a flight to catch, first I visit Durbar Square again
and I do more shopping. Today is the second day of Dasain a 10
day festival that celebrates bountifil fertilility and conquest of evil.
Many store's are closed or have short hours. There are many animals for sale
on the street that will be sacrificed. I check out of the hotel at 12, they
however let me stay in a room for 2 hours. I take a taxi to the airport for my
flight. Biman airline at their cost will put me up at a hotel in Dhaka
Bangladesh with meals included. I am considered In-transit. This is because
The flight to Bangkok does not leave until the next day. Well after getting to
the airport I get to, yes wait some more. My flight is 1 Hour late departing.
On our flight we pass by Everest
Which was nice, we then flew on to Bangladesh. From the air you can see
The river delta, you see what looks like small islands connected via land bridges, At 18:30 We arrive and I stop at the transfer desk. There are
4 of us there, myself, a Japanese man, and 2 Japanese women. We are escorted
through the airport, immigration, and onto a bus for the Airline hotel
Blue bell Hotel, which is about a mile from the airport. We are paired up
And I share a room with a Japanese man. There are about 25 people working
At the hotel and we are the only guest and we have to share a room? There
Must be at least 30 rooms here. We are treated to lunch, which is wonderful
Consisting of rice, some kind of potato and very tasty chicken. We go to
Our room and try the TV and aircon, they do not work, the hotel tells us that
There are power problems. We will experience numerous power problems during
Our stay.
October 1: Thursday: Dhaka Bangladesh - Bangkok Thailand
Dhaka: Bangledesh Work on washed out road
This morning we have breakfast provided by our guests and we ask
out city tour, no they do not have one, we are like prisoners, we are
not officially in the country and they are worried if something should happen
we are in transit passengers. They do allow us to walk around a few blocks
however, they are rebuilding the street next to the hotel by hand, the floods
weaken the road. After returning to the hotel they serve us lunch, the same
food as last night. It is equally wonderful, I have extra helpings. Later
they take us back to the airport and our flight to Bangkok. It is a 2 hour
flight to Bangkok and we arrive at 19:30 and I catch the A2 airport bus.
I am left off close to Khaosan road. I find my way down an alley and I stop
At MarcoPolo Hotel, I check out a room there, it is pretty dumpy but cheap
250B or about $5 USD, and it does have aircon. October is the rainiest month
and it just poured that evening.
October 2: Friday: Bangkok
Grand Palace: Bangkok Thailand
This morning I take a Taxi to the Grand Palace for 120B or $3 USD
it really is walking distance from Khaosan road. It is marvelous very
brightly decorated, very ornate. It is quite large and I spend a lot
of time exploring it. I return to the hotel for lunch and then I take
a Tuk Tuk to Wat Pro and the reclining Buddha. It is very large and very
Beautiful. I then take a taxi to Siam Square where I have lunch at Macdonald's.
I find the Hard Rock Café and get my tee shirt. I return to the hotel and
I find an Indian restaurant and they had very good Indian food.
October 3: Saturday: Bangkok Thailand
Grand Palace: Bangkok Thailand
This morning I take the #9AC bus to Chatuchak Market. With over
8,000 stalls it is very large. I purchase a few things there. Just about
everything can be purchased here. I was amassed at the animals and fish
that people bought as pets. I take the #9AC bus back to Democracy monument,
from there I walk back to my hotel. I saw an Indian restaurant at the end of the street and I check it out, it was very good. I then go to the river to take
a boat down the river, everyone wants to sell me a 400B river tour, I just want
ride regular ferry down a couple of stops. Well I pay 2B and all I get is across the river and back. I return to Khao San Road and do some final shopping.
October 4: Sunday: Bangkok Thailand - Minneapolis USA
At 4AM I get up, checkout and get a taxi to the airport, At
least there is no traffic this time of day. It cost me 320B for the taxi
and 500b airport tax leaving me with 180b or about $4 USD not worth waiting
in line to exchange. The airport is new, very modern. I get on 747 to
Tokyo, it is a 6 hour flight and it is full, we fly over Laos, Vietnam,
And the Philippines to Tokyo. After getting to Tokyo I stop at duty free and
Purchase a few things on my credit card. I then get on a 747 for Minneapolis
A very long 10.5 hour flight.