degrubs

We leave after a small lie-in and head to Thimphu, the capital of this magnificent country. The road is in a surprisingly good state, mainly considering the sheer drops of the valley. It is a huge engineering achievement. The ride is pleasant if at time a little stomach tightening. The journey takes approximately one and a half hours, filled with amazement at the countryside and fear of the other trucks (however nicely decorated they are). Thimphu is not a rip-roaring metropolis but it has roads and roundabouts (where policemen direct traffic with wonderfully flowing arm movements, as if they are doing Tai-Chi). It is said to be the only capital in the world without traffic lights. To be fair, there is hardly the need for it: there are two "important" road junctions in the city, both ... read more

My last day in Kathmandu is fairly uneventful. I leave Bahktapur after lunch and arrive in the early afternoon. I try a few hotels here but none convince me that their doors can lock safely: I manage to open every door they show me with my leatherman. I return to the Shangri-la where they are so pleased to see me, they offer me a small suite on the club floor. I readily accept. The picture I join to this blog was taken today, opposite the hotel, on my way to the cafe. I am slowly becoming a vegetarian. The better part of the afternoon is spent sorting out the last details before my great trip to Buthan and India and, indeed, sorting out the blog. I hope you have all noticed that every single day now ... read more

The plane for Kathmandu was only leaving in the early afternoon, so I had a bit of time to kill in the morning. I checked out of the hotel and went in town. As I was walking about, I saw a sign "scooter and motorbike rental". I hesitated a long time before renting one: I was in Nepal where people can't drive, I am on my own, there are no hospitals and the last (and first) time I touched one of those was in Vietnam, in Dalat, where I very nearly crashed it and it was taken prematurely away from me. In the end, with full knowledge that my mother would not approve, I rented a scooter for the hour. It was great fun, a bit uncertain at first but I quickly mastered it and scooted ... read more

As the hotel car drops me at the airport, I still feel rather sleepy but excited at the though of what I was about to do. I saw a brochure detailing possible excursions around the Annapurna. I go through the customs procedure with an amused feeling: the check-in desk is just that - a simple desk, all is done by hand, no computers to be seen anywhere. My check-in is done in record time (about 30 seconds), the security check consists of a single question from a guard asleep in a corner: do you have something you shouldn’t have? I reply, with my best smile, that of course not, he gently pats my pockets so that his conscience may rest easy, ignores my bags as it is clearly too much effort and waves me through to ... read more

Namaste everyone. Namaste is my new word for the day, it means: hello, welcome, pleased to meet you, see you soon, thank you all at once. In actual fact, the real meaning is: "may the whole of your qualities be blessed and protected by the gods". So there, you, Namaste all. Today is my admin day. There is much to be done. Go to the French embassy and clear the security issues for Pokhara and the surrounding region. Go to the travel agent and sort out my visa for Buthan. Find a New Hotel. Get my washing done. Exchange books. Book flights to Pokhara. Organise excursions in Pokhara. The hotel served me a most delicious breakfast on the roof of the hotel (I am getting quite addicted to the Nepalese tea, served very sweet with a ... read more