KT to KTM

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 27 Apr 2018 22:57
Koshi Tappu to Kathmandu
 
 
 
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Breakfast as usual at nine and just as we finished one of the chaps told us our taxi driver had arrived shortly after nine. Mmmmm, the maniac was not due until half past one. We packed and decided to go at eleven in case we could get on an earlier flight. Buddha Air is like getting on a bus with British Rail timeliness....... Our driver must have taken a chill-out pill as he was so very calm and collected. The music level was perfectly acceptable and he only bit hard on the break to prevent us hitting a stray pig. Bear’s case only fell on me once and we made the domestic airport at twelve thirty. Still too bumpy a journey to manage any pictures. Same old same old when it came to sprawling villages, messy towns and constant dust. We were soon in the waiting room, ready for the twelve ten, now due at one twenty five. One twenty five came and went but we enjoyed the activity at the snack shop and the jaunty bow in the ‘well-stocked’ shelving.
 
 
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We took off from Biratnagar around two ten.
 
 
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Very hazy as we left the city behind but we could make out the complex river system, soon to become one raging river in the monsoon season (should begin in June but all predictions show it will be very early this year). If we were really lucky we might just see the Himalayas but as we neared thick, fluffy white clouds.
 
 
Flight
 
Our thirty five minute flight, complete with water and peanuts landed, so much nicer than the estimated twenty four hour bus journey, if the roads were sound and nothing delayed, but not for us. Cases reclaimed but no sign of the ‘placate’ our hotel had promised. Bear had rung the hotel to say that we were due in two hours earlier than we had booked and all was arranged for an earlier transfer. Bear rang again and soon we were settled in a car. For some unknown reason we had to divert to international to pick up a bell-hop who had been waiting, placate in hand for us ??? Oh well. Back through the dusty, bumpy, chaotic driving of Kathmandu.
 
 
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Hal an hour later, Beds was amid a pile of comfy cushions, on a soft bed and there he stayed motionless for the next sixteen hours.
 
 
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The rest of our room comprises of a single bed, two settees and a huge bathroom. The bath currently has no plug but we hope to sort that out in the morning. A toilet with ne creepy-crawlies and a sink with hot and cold water. Luxury. We are on the fifth floor of five and although we are in the heart of Thamel, silence. Double luxury.
 
 
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At the foot of our bed, a large dressing table with hairdryer (wow) a television with Sky (more wow) and to the right a view over the side of the building. To the left a window looking over the roof garden and our tiny patio area. Then the heavens opened. Time to answer emails, catch up on stuff and get an early night. We luxuriated in comfort and hot water but sleep was disturbed by dreams of noise and camp life and also sudden explosions of wind from Himself. He had nipped down for Hungarian Goulash at suppertime and found what he thought were many small roast potatoes. They were indeed cloves of well cooked garlic, but none the less, the resultant flatulence was of record breaking violence...........
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL A FAIRLY PAINLESS DAY
                     VERY SMOOTH, BUDDHA AIR GIVES BR A RUN FOR ITS MONEY