Boarder Crossing -

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All excited about our boarder crossing, untill we had to trapse with our back packs for like half and hour to get there.... Went through ok and made it onto the Friendship Bridge. Here there is a red line painted half way along it signifying the boarder.... as we crossed a Nepali guy shouted to us 'Leaving China" and waved his hands.... Probably how most of us felt.... It was bizzare it actually did feel instantly dfifferent as we crossed the bridge, the army guys were smiling and friendly (although they still looked scary) and everyone seemed a lot more lively and happy. Boarded a bus to our first stop - a resort at the top of the Kathmandu valley.... On our way we had to leave our bus and walk for 20 mins with all our gear as there was a road block - the reason, a truck driver had killed some locals who were on a bike, now the local town had closed the road demanding money from the truck driver. The driver wasnt paying so the set fires, chopped down tree's (we had to stop at one point wainting for a tree to fall before we could continue) and built walls along the road. The government wont get involved as they say its a local matter. The road had been shut for nearly two days with queues miles long....

Our first place in Nepal was lovely - we had hot water.... Yipeee..... The views were stunning, Rox loved it.... Had a chilled out couple days here was very nice to have a change of pace....

Arrived in Thamel, stayed in a really nice hotle again - it was very posh.... For our last night we wnet out as a group for dinner (very good food), had a group quiz to see how much we'd learnt about each other - was funny... Drunken night out, although the nights finish at 11 as everything shuts.... Literally everything to, no food, no lights, no shops.... Bizzare... The rumour is its part of the Maoist governments control, not sure of the reasons for it though...

We viseted the Monkey temple and Durbar square - very cool places.... Monkey temple was funny, a Nepali couple brought in bannana's and started to ffed the monkey's - needless to say they went crazy and there were hundreds of the buggers - the woman shat herself which made us laugh.... Had an excellent view of Kathmandu... We had a lovely goodbye meal with our firends Sam and Catherine before they headed off into India... Checked into our hotel, Out of four nights we've only actually had the room we booked once... Its so funny, a little family run hotel, reminds me of Fawlty towers... actually quite like it even though its a shambles.... Mer and Rox love Nepal, food is good (western food is done pretty well to), shoppiung is good - fake North Face stuff everywhere... We might come back just to shop....

As we had 7 days until our trip to India starts we booked a two night three day trek.... The first day was soooo hard, it wall all up hill for like 5 hrs... It was basically like walking up a stasircase for the whole day, we got through 6 litres of water.... The views however were worth this 10 times over.... We had a tour guide and a german guy with us, and in our hotel for the first night we played cards and had a well deserved beer. Our guide taught us a Nepali cards game, all the staff of the guest house became interested, as did the kids, so it turned into a massive game with all locals, me Rox and a german guy... Was really funny. One thing that stuck out was when the german guy asked one of the waiters to take a photo - he had a big, fancy Cannon camera, the poor waiter didnt even know what it was amd it took about 5 mins of explaining for him to take the picture....

A 7 hour trek today to Nagakort which was a bit easier, although both Rox and I had blisters on our feet. Again the views of the Himalayas was breathtaking. This had some parts where wer actually had to climb, Rox done it easy - very impressed..... This was a new Rox on this trek.... In Nagakort we stayed at a pretty fancy hotel and there was big group of Thai tourists, with an extremely camp leader who by the end of the evening was up an dancing around the restraunt - joined by local (possibly drunk) Nepali porters and guides.... Was an interesting end to the eve.

We finsihed of our last day to Bhaktapur, a world heritage site... This is a city basically that has managed not to be ruined by capitilism and globalization. Very nice, was really relaxed and interesting to see some local culture.... Our way back took longer than expected as there was mass demonstrations as the public went on strike as the YCL (young comunist league - a sister faction of the Moaists) 'allegedly' kidnapped and murdered two local Nepali citizens - so Kathmandu has been preety much shut down for two days.... Quite interesting.... People are pissed that the YCL are going against the peace deal signed when they outed the King.... ITs nice because they hasve a major paper printed in English so we can stay up t6o date....

We're now waiting for our Dragoman tour to start.... We'll prob get the internet again in Dheli in around two weeks... Sorry there are no photos, Nepal thinks it has broadband, but really its just like dial up - plus the have intermitten power, i.e. at least twice a day the power goes off... It makes for interesting times.... Love to you all.....

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