Butwal

This week I have been off on my travels again - my Buddha Air gold card (air miles) is seeing some action... at this rate I will be upgraded to a 'Platinum' member!

This time I was again down south, but in Butwal. Its a town much like the others I have visited in the Terrai - flat (although nestled just in front of some lovely hills), full of rickshaws and exceedingly hot at this time of year.

Main street Butwal

There was also plenty of striking action which disrupted my visit slightly! The black stains on the road are the remains of burnt out tyres, from protests earlier in the day!

You can always count on a holy cow (or 3) to ignore the strike...

Marble work surfaces anyone? There was stacks of the stuff in Butwal, and all unattended! However I guess you wouldn't get very far fast lugging a big slab of the stuff... will have to remember a van next time.

If I ever have munchkins I think I shall dress them in this typical Nepali munchkin outfit... just for comedy value. It's something between a bonnet cape and witches hat (its pointed - although you cant really see that). This little girl/boy (?!) is very cute!

Airports are always a source of amusement in Nepal. On arrival at the airport there was some contradiction in the fact that whilst army men stood on the roof of the airport with guns cocked, at the side of the runway a small boy played on his bike! However this airport experience involved a metal detector that worked (a first) and a slightly more stringent bag search.
I thought I would attach a photo of the rooms you go in to supposedly be searched before you fly. Firstly the big sign above the door says that 'police behaviour and conduct is highly visible to the public'... that is just before you enter a small cubicle where the door is shut and you are alone with a police/security type person... not quite sure how visible their behaviour is? then another sign on the blue door says 'no search no flight'. This had me worried when i was ushered into the small room, the door shut behind me and the security women proceeded to look at me and then push me out of the other door and into the 'departure lounge'. ahhhh but she didn't search me... what would it mean? no flight???? hmmm of course not, for she had stamped my boarding pass to say I had been searched and all was well.