<script data-ad-client="ca-pub-7996443132864226" async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>The journey in was quiet and pretty obvious to all that we were travelling through an extremely poor country. I think the children were now wondering what the hell mum and dad had got them into! As the car passed through streets ............. well you certainly couldn't call them streets, more like pot holed tracks running through festerring shanty towns, ..... the children were suddenly excited to see monkeys, dogs and COWS! rummaging through rubbish on the streets for food. ............... by this time even mum and dad were thinking what the hell have we got ourselves into!! We finally made it to the Blue Horizon Hotel, which Jo had booked as cheap 'backpacker' accomodation, which was good to keep the cost down and she had further saved money by putting all 5 of us in a room for 3!! This did cause a little confusion on the Maths front at the check in desk, but I don't think our pleasant conciege man was ready to argue with Jo.!! ............. We decided to leave children and went to the local Health & Wellbeing Spa Hotel ............ no ..... only joking ........ they were Full!! The room left a little to be desired, to say the least, but we were all too tired to be too concerned, although the children could not quite come to immediate terms with the basic nature of the accomodtion compared to the comfort of HK! .......... I think the only thing missing from the room was Terry Waite and a small long wave radio whispering the familiar tones of the BBC 'World Service', but sleep was sleep and we needed it. After dowsing ourselves in mosquito repelent we all got changed for bed whilst listening to Fred reciting 101 ways to die from a mosquito bite, whilst Harry went for the nuclear protective suit as a safe option and Imogen ................ well I think a mosquito would probably bite off more than he could chew with Imogen so she was fairly safe!
We awoke fairly late all of us benefitting from a lie in and after the usual lectures of not drinking the water we had to teach the children how to clean there teeth without using tap water, which took some time and a little wretching, but we soon made it down stairs to a wonderfully freindly greeting and a beautiful sunny day. Our image of the night before was quietly disappearing.
Although the room left a little to be desired, the garden courtyard was very pleasant and relaxing and we ate a little brunch before heading off to Monkey Temple and the historic square. The Temple on the hill was amazing looking down over the whole of Kathmandu and the chiildren were hugely excited at seeing monkeys everywhere. The old historic Dubar Square, the area of ancient wooden palaces, was again great and we tested the local cuisine, which unsuprisingly was spicy, but the children enjoyed it. On the way back we stopped the cab and got out and walked through the streets which were absolutely amazing. They were completely chaotic, noisey, lively, exciting, I would say dangerous, but every car, motorbike, bicycle, tuk tuk and pedestrian that seemed to miss each other by no more than milimetres, just mingled in with complete disinterest to the constant sounds of car horns. The whole thing seemed to work like some perfectly practised synchronised swimming event.
Harry in particular enjoyed learning the art of bartering for goods, however, Imogen had not quite understood the process. Resembling a scene out of 'The Life of Brian" it would work something like this:
Harry: "Rup1000, (about $12) no, can't afford that, it is too expensive ..... I will give you Rup500"
Seller: "No not Rup500" .......... it is Rup1000"
Imogen intervenes "Its ok Harry, Freddie has Rup1000 in his wallet, he can pay the lady for it". ...... "thanks Imogen!".
"1/2 a dinara for my life storey!! ........ "
