Woke up about 8:00, but didn't get mobile until about 9:30. The nighttime temperature here (and room temeature) is so nice...in India, it was so flippin hot in the room, it was uncomfortable to even try to "soak" in bed...here's it nice!
Today was my day to relax and not do too much.
I showered, and went for breakfast and a restaurant behind a big bookstore.
Then I had to bring a picture of myself as well as a my insurance policy information to the rafting company, for their records. On my way there, a boy started talking to me, asked me where I was from, I told him Canada, and he said, "Canada, capital city Ottawa." He then wanted me to ask him any country in the world, he could tell me the capital. I rattled off half dozen countries, and without hesitation, he knew each and every one. I figured he'd want something from me at some point, so I kept ducking into shops, but he would be waiting for me when I came came out. Then he asked me if I would buy him milk powder, for his baby sister at home. Milk powder? What could I say? I said I would, we went to a store, they had a big can of it for 500 rupees, but that was too much, I told him. The store owner dug up a smaller package, for 150 rupees, which I bought for him, he was thankful and ran off. I heard later in the day that they may do that to tourists, then they'll take the milk powder (or whatever they coerce the tourist to purchase for them) back to the store and get the money for it. Don't know if that's true or not.
Heading back to my room, an into a German girl, staying in the room next to me. Sabine, she's here to work at a hospital as part of her education, she's workign towards being a doctor. We went for lunch, I had a apple pie, then walked around a bit, then we did our own thing. She wasn't happy with this guest house, and was going to check out he same hotel she stayed at last time she was here for work (3 years ago), so made arrangements to meet later in the day.
I went off for some shopping and bought a nice local print (can't remember the term that describes this type of print) and a long sleeve shirt (for my rafting trip), and a book. The book I bought in India sucked, I sold it to Sabine.
Later in the afternoon, we met up in the courtyard at the hotel. She talked to the people at the hotel she stayed at last time, they remembered her (from three years ago!) and gave her the same price for the room she got last time. She's staying 3 months. We also met a British guy, Andrew, who had just arrived. He's on his way to New Zealand, but spending two weeks in Nepal first.
After the sun went down, the three of us headed out to have supper. I had sizzling steak, and was it ever delicious!!! Yum!
We walked around Thaml for a bit, I ordered a silk sleeping bag, which I have to pick up tomorrow at 6:00pm. It's too easy so spend money here!
Abot 9:00, we headed to G's Terrace, a rooftop restaurant/bar that has a live band. The band was great, they did both English and Nepali songs, we had a drink. They stopped playing at 10:00, then started talking to some locals at the bar...one was too funny, he had long hair, kind of "hippie" looking, and very excitable, and I'm sure his brain was half cooked from too many drugs! He didn't speak english very well, but he always seemed to get his point across. I told him I was rafting, he asked me which river, I told him the Tamur...you should have seen him! I got so excited, telling me that's the wildest river in Nepal, he was standing up, telling me about great it is, he was so exctied talking about, he wouldn't sit down. I wish I had a video camera! We were all laughing hysterically at this guy.
He then started talking about a party in Bhaktapur (abotu 1 hour east of Kathmandu), it's a multi-day New Years Eve party (the Nepal New Year, is April 14, the year 2062 (or 2063, I forget now)). He got all excitable talking about it, and me and Andrew decided to go with him to the party tomorrow (Sabine had to start work tomorrow).
We left the bar about 11:00 and went to bed.
Sabine left her pack in my room, because she wouldn't have time to move to the other hotel tomorrow morning, so she'll get her stuff from my room tomorrow after work and make the move.
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