The adventure begins!

Monday morning Jim’s folks drove us to the Syracuse Airport where we caught our flight to Chicago and Istanbul before arriving in Nepal today (Wed.). We have gained 11+ hours and we are seriously sleep deprived. Sleep eluded me en route – probably system overload. After sorting out visas and customs in the small Kathmandu airport it was a hair-raising taxi drive (not going to lie – I almost pooped my pants when we came within a few feet of a toddler playing on the side of the busy, narrow, dirt road we were careening down) to one of Kathmandu’s many 1 star guest houses in the bustling heart of the Thamal district.

Our large, very yellow room has three single rock hard beds with matching pillow rocks and 2 five watt lights and one nine watt. My headlamp is brighter. The toilet stall is a combination shower room that spews brown water. I desperately need a shower but I’m still working up my nerve. Hot water is doubtful. For $16 a night you don’t get the Hilton. But it does have a lovely roof top garden.

Kathmandu is a wild, busy, intoxicating city full of smells and sounds. The continual beeping of horns is constant background noise. The only rule of the road seems to be – try not to hit anything

I had a few alarming minutes this afternoon. The constricted streets are a mash of odd angles, people, scooters, cars and vendors. I was out and I lost my way back. Do you think I could remember the name of our small hotel – complete brain blackout! I plunked myself down in a random store realizing that I was in a pickle. “It has a lovely roof top garden” I inanely tried to explain to the clerk as I looked out at a sea of roof top gardens. Then it hit me that I had the room key.  I yanked it out of my pocket and can’t even tell you how happy I was to see the hotel name written on it. The store clerk directed me and all was well. An embarrassing rookie mistake.

Keeping in contact is going to be harder than planned. Until tonight, we have had no internet access since Syracuse and the internet here is spotty at best. I don’t seem to have phone coverage as the texts that I sent to the kids haven’t gone through and I have received none, and now my phone charger has broken-down. My solar powered charger also needs my phone cable and so far, I haven’t found one that fits.

We don’t meet up with our group and start our trek until Nov. 24^th. Until then we will rest, hopefully sort this phone and charger stuff out and explore Kathmandu and the surrounding valley. Today’s weather was beautiful, sunny and 8 degrees.  I will try to post a couple of pictures tomorrow. And now I bid you good night.