I never realized how big my nose was before.
After the Mardi Himal trek, it was about 3 days before I could even step up a street curb without my calves and thighs feeling like they were on fire. My level of activity was limited to eating and waiting for sunset at one of the lakeside restaurant shacks.
My immobility was a perfect time to fill out the needlessly complicated online form for my India Visa. Made all the more difficult by my having to do it on my phone and not knowing when, where or how long I’d be there. They even required that I provide a name of an Indian citizen who could vouch for me. I think most people make it up but being a rule follower, I found a volunteer I worked with from India who offered himself up. I submitted the form and waited the 3 days.
Over those 3 days, I had come to the realization that Pokhara had pretty much run its course for things to do. My days consisted of finding food, eating food and walking the food off from one end of the main street to the other.
in short, Pokhara was starting to lose its lustre, especially as the days drew cloudier and the Himalayas were no longer visible. It was time to go.
As soon as my visa came through, I got on the all day bus to Kathmandu with a plane ticket to India a couple of days later.
I had spent a few days there when I first arrived so nothing new caught my eye. A whole crew of my volunteer team were there as they started to make their way home for the holidays. Was good to see everyone one last time in the same place.
Here is where it gets exciting. the following night started out low key. Just out for a beer at the Irish pub and early to bed. That is until 2 friends showed up and we sat down for a long chat over beers. was a good night. Bars close early so we split up around 10 and headed in separate directions. The streets go dark in kathmandu and I got a little lost and pulled out my phone for a google map check. Next thing I know I am on the ground and my phone is gone. Not to mention, the huge bloody gash in my forehead. I broke rule number 1, don’t focus on your phone while out in public. You become a sitting duck. We all do it, I know. but as soon as your eyes lock into the screen, you lose awareness of everything else. It was my fault and just my turn to re-learn a lesson.
My phone was unlocked when it grabbed because I was using maps so I have been spending mt free time trying to change passwords for emails and the finance apps. The really bad thing is that I had a note file that has all the passwords, its pretty far buried and a little coded but can still be used if found. I have been receiving a lot of emails from online lenders since about my recent application for a loan but that might just be Holiday spam.
i wont really be able to tell the status of my accounts until I get home so i am hoping all is well.
In conclusion, i dont want this to reflect badly on Nepal or the Nepali people. This was just one person. up to this point, I would be hard pressed to name a place, US or around the world, that has nicer, more genuine and happy people then those I met in Nepal. I am not alone. It has been a unanimous opinion among the travelers I have met.
My story shouldn’t be taken as anti-Nepal, just anti-stupid.
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