Woke up early after a
pretty good nights sleep and decided to head off to Thamel. This is
meant to be the most popular area for trekkers and backpackers to
stay. Its in the taxi for some more obstacle course work, it should
be scary, but I think because the speed is relatively slow, 20 –
40 k's it's a blast. Just lean on that horn and push your way
through. I think everyone here is in a permanent state of carbon
monoxide poisoning, you just wouldn't believe the smog. Lots of
people walk around wearing those little medical mask things. Back to
Thamel .. again dozens and dozens of alleys, all not quite one car
wide, shops (stalls) everywhere. Pashminas, Tshirts, jewellery,
camping gear, trekking gear, food, lots of exotic and interesting
looking food, drinks, saris, fabrics, clothes, cyber shops, map
shops, so much to take in. Alleys off alleys, its just mind blowing.
Being so inconspicuous, I got picked up about a dozen times by
'guides'. All beautiful young men who 'don't want money'. You can see
why so many women come back with husbands from here. Thank God I'm
not in the market for one. I also had my first taste of begging. A
woman kept following me with her baby asking for milk for the baby.
Ohhhhhhh it was so hard to say no. I found a place for coffee which
unlike the tea here, bears a close resemblance to the coffee that I
know and a little boy stood 2 feet away from me the whole time just
saying 'please' in this sad sad voice. They must be able to spot me
from 100 paces. I am going to have to learn how to deal with it, as I
know that giving is not going to help, but in the mean time I feel
like some western cliched tourist who doesn't give a shit. As Thamel
is really the main tourist spot, and this has been the only place I
have encountered the begging and picking up thing, I assume its our
behaviour (ie tourists ) that encourages and enforces this way of
earning a living. Its quite a sad and sobering thought. After doing
my usual thing of wandering around without any idea where I am for a
couple of hours, (did I also mention going around in circles due to
my excellent sense of direction) its taxi time again and off to New
Rd, which is apparently a more upmarket shopping area. This means the
stalls are bigger and not as dusty. Toni, you would just drool over
the fabric here. There are dozens and dozens of sari and pashmina
shops and the fabric is absolutely beautiful. Its also the electrical
centre and hopefully I can pick up a converter as my battery power on
the mac is getting a tad low, and worst of all .. the iPod is flat.
My never ending ability to hone in on shops also found me wandering
down a laneway and I found myself at obviously a very privileged and
upmarket mall. There were actually guards at the entrance with hand
held scanners and all. At least I now know where to go when I need
some Yve St Laurent gear ..
Yay, the mac is going
and the iPod is charging, its time for a rest. I hate to admit this
but the adapter I bought was only 5 amps and didn't work. It turned
out the hotel power board is multi adaptive and I didn't look closely
enough to see the extra notches cut out for our Aussie plugs.
You know its absolutely
amazing how I find it so hard to just sit around and do nothing. I
feel like I should be moving but I would really like to rest. There
is nowhere I have to be, nothing I have to do .. yet another thing I
have to learn .. How to do nothing .. Here goes ..
PS I have organised to
start my work with Tewa
tomorrow. How well am I doing at doing nothing ...
Side Note: For those
that don't know I am working at Tewa on behalf of the Jagriti
Foundation. Might as well make the pitch and let you know that
you are quite welcome to make a donation if you wish to.