I need a sleeping bag suit

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18-23-DEC-2007

The Starbucks China Green Tips green tea from home is giving me some serious cubicle nostalgia, since I used to have at least 2 cups a day every day back in cubicle land. Oh, those were the days...

If a cabbie only asks for 100 Rs ($1.67) to go the 4-5km from Thamel to my placement, he has absolutely no idea where he's going. But I give him the 150 Rs anyway because I'm in the Christmas spirit.

The office is freezing as always, and we have another Wed consisting of a health talk and meeting. We hold a Secret Santa drawing and I burst out laughing uncontrollably at mine. Perfect. Provided the rare chance he Googles my name and reads this, I dare not disclose. But Secret Santa shopping is so cut out for me.

It's cold out at night so I desperately need another sweater. Since Nepal is the place to go for top quality low price cashmere, I give in. I try on a navy sweater and it is SO warm. After having tea with the shopkeeper and talking with him about how long I've been in Nepal, I tell him I know how much the sweater is supposed to cost. I don't really, but I do have a rough idea. And it is not 4600. I tell him that's ridiculously expensive and he's going to be mad at me at my offer. He assures me otherwise, but the smile is quickly wiped from his face. He tries to go for a compromise but I won't have it. I eventually walk out of there with an amazing cashmere sweater for 2800 that will keep me warm for the winter. So worth it. I am in the best mood ever!

I enjoy trekking outside of Thamel for food as often as possible, due to the inflated prices in the tourist district. Sometimes, when the group plans to meet up for dinner, I'll sneak in some cheapo vegetable momos ahead of time (kind of like pierogies but shaped differently). They're only 20 Rs (30 cents) and sooo tasty! And this way, I don't feel bad about paying normal prices for beer. So everybody wins.

When the lights are out at the hotel I have to put on my makeup my candlelight. Feels kind of rustic so I like it.

I meet Penny, Paul's friend from home, and Mike, his brother. They are so sweet! Hey I'd kind of like a visiting crew if anyone is up for it! 😉

During one of our nights out, Ben isn't feeling too well so he decides to come out with us in his long john's. At least they're black. He looks so ridiculous, I can't seem to get enough photos of this. It doesn't help that he's clad in head-to-toe black with neon trainers. He's carrying his jeans on his shoulder and eventually decides to put them on at the dance club. Probably a good move. Unfortunately, at the same time, I take my favorite pink and red sweater off because I'm a bit toasty dancing like a wildwoman and someone decides to steal it. I am not happy about this. It's not a huge loss since it was about $4 in Tibet, but I lovvvvved it.

I forget my 'banana pants' in the Hotel Tradition one morning in a hurried rush to get out of there in time, but luckily they do not have the same fate as my beloved sweater and I am able to retrieve them. I am not having the best track record with my clothing...

That morning I am ravenous and eat two toasted tuna sandwiches, an orange and a slice of apple pie. I then resolve to not eat anything else for a full 24h because my stomach is stretched to the max. That never works out. Steve calls me Packman because I eat everything in my path. I'll work it off eventually.

During Steve's last morning, I have daal bhaat at his house. Genious move, because it ends up being my best ever. I don't think he realizes how good he had it! We part ways for what will probably be a long time. Will be weird not having him around...

Not only does Helena's have the best chocolate cake on the planet, but their eggplant lasagne is to die for. I dig into Penny's leftovers and vow to order it next time. I am drooling just thinking about it...

Penny, Mike and I really want to buy sleeping bag suits- you know, those down puffy suits that they wear on expeditions to the top of Everest? That would probably be the best suveneir of all time, but then you have to worry about the logistics of getting a thing like that home because it's so big. You'd have to wear it on the flight back, and you'd be hot as hell. And it may pose an issue with security. You could go skiing or sledding in that thing and not have to worry about snow going up your jacket. But to kill our dreams, it's around $2000. Damnit.

Later that evening, we head to a sheesha place where the wood stove breaks out to flames in the corner of the room. The entire place lights up in an orange glow as the floor is on fire. It's quickly contained, though I can't say my flight instinct didn't kick in as I grabbed for my belongings when I saw the corner erupt into flames.

Because I want to save room for daal bhaat, I don't order food with Kieran and Teddy after our day of health checks at JCH, so I just get a packet of biscuits and a banana muffin. But then Kieran doesn't want his chips, so I eat those too. I drop of Steve's key with his family and they make me eat a roti and a piece of radish. I am stuffed, but I still find room for daal bhaat. Damnit, I AM a machine... I resolve to start my morning walks again because of how much I am eating. I am having problems sleeping.

To my avail, it is freezing in the morning, and I don't want to budge from my sleeping bag. Ashock, the 19 year old boy at Kieran's house is so much more sociable w/Kieran when I'm around. He has a bit of a thing for me, which is hilarious. Apparently he gets really excited whenever my name is mentioned.

While we're waiting to get into the office for health checks, Kieran and I go for a quick momo run but unfortunately the hole-in-the0wall place I always go to is not open. Will have to wait for another day. So I compromise and get a chocolate doughnut-y thing and end up with chocolate all over my face. It's like fingerpaints. The messier it is, the more fun you have. I will always live by that.

For the health check at Little Princes, it felt as though the three of us were in class seated behind a table, observing a health check demonstration. We were served chiyaa (Nepali tea), but I swear there was pepper in mine. There is a methodical way to avoid the skin that forms on the top, and I've got it down. I teach the others my worldly skills. The printer was a hunk of junk as always, refusing to cooperate and do the job it was supposed to do, but it finally pulls through. Unfortunately, this is not the case at BFCH, and Kieran has to write everything down for the volunteer there. I need a bat and put that printer out of its misery, Office Space-style.

Got Secret Santa shopping taken care of in one trip- so excited I was able to find exactly what I set out for!

I see potatoes on a stick at a street vendor on my way home one evening, just like in Tibet! Need to try them ASAP. It's been over 2 weeks since I've returned- I can't believe how quickly it's flown by...

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