So, I am back in Kathmandu... despite having confirmed tickets I almost didn't get on the flight as it was so overbooked, but did eventually and arrived back in KTM to be surprised at the airport by some of my friends - it was so nice to see some friendlyfriends and not have to do battle with touting taxi drivers and bag carriers. I was sad to leave home, but it is nice to be back here, the hecticness and crazy traffic and dust and pollution seem to be growing on me!
What a difference 2 weeks makes, as the plane touched down the pilot said that the temperature was 30 degrees. When I left the weather varied between big red duffel coat wearing cold to warmish in the day, now it is HOT, and getting hotter. Quite nice really, blossoms are still out and smelling nice - makes a change! Only down side is that I fear my sunny flat may become a sauna, especially as I don't have mosquito netting on most of the windows (note to self check for mosquito netting when looking to move somewhere)... anyways I shall put up a net over my bed when the mosis start arriving and purchase a fan and it should be ok!
Along with blossoms the heat has also brought out the beautiful, pungent, rotting, stinking smell of the Bagmati river... mmm, fortunately it can only be smelt within a small radius of the river and I don't live at all close to it. It is however recommended to close all windows when driving past!
Other happy news is that instead of being increased to 12hrs a day load shedding has been drastically cut, I think to less than 3hrs per day. The local paper stated that the reason for this was: "Weeks of violence in terai (southern Nepal), which led to suspension of activities in various industrial towns in the southern belt, contributed to saving of power". Classic - so we benefit from other's misfortune...
Strikes and petrol crisis and protests seem to have been continuing, and there is currently a major build up to indefinite strikes in the valley mid April - we shall see if they happen or if there is a resolution! One thing that did amuse me was that apparently one day whilst I was away the association of Internet Service Providers (Nepal) shutdown Internet services for a couple of hours to express solidarity to a strike called by the business sector and traders. Can anyone else strike?!
What a difference 2 weeks makes, as the plane touched down the pilot said that the temperature was 30 degrees. When I left the weather varied between big red duffel coat wearing cold to warmish in the day, now it is HOT, and getting hotter. Quite nice really, blossoms are still out and smelling nice - makes a change! Only down side is that I fear my sunny flat may become a sauna, especially as I don't have mosquito netting on most of the windows (note to self check for mosquito netting when looking to move somewhere)... anyways I shall put up a net over my bed when the mosis start arriving and purchase a fan and it should be ok!
Along with blossoms the heat has also brought out the beautiful, pungent, rotting, stinking smell of the Bagmati river... mmm, fortunately it can only be smelt within a small radius of the river and I don't live at all close to it. It is however recommended to close all windows when driving past!
Other happy news is that instead of being increased to 12hrs a day load shedding has been drastically cut, I think to less than 3hrs per day. The local paper stated that the reason for this was: "Weeks of violence in terai (southern Nepal), which led to suspension of activities in various industrial towns in the southern belt, contributed to saving of power". Classic - so we benefit from other's misfortune...
Strikes and petrol crisis and protests seem to have been continuing, and there is currently a major build up to indefinite strikes in the valley mid April - we shall see if they happen or if there is a resolution! One thing that did amuse me was that apparently one day whilst I was away the association of Internet Service Providers (Nepal) shutdown Internet services for a couple of hours to express solidarity to a strike called by the business sector and traders. Can anyone else strike?!
1 comment:
Hi Telfy, and hello from Mali
Glad you made it back saftly and enjoying 'summer'. Although here it would definatly be winter. Last week in Kaffrine it was 46oc really toooooooooo hot. Yep think i will never take having electrity for granted again were on about 5 hours of cuts a day and unfortunly the hotter it gets the more cuts !
Spearsy
Yep skype soon
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