First day in Kathmandu

I can't believe it. I am back in Nepal.

When we got to Zhangmu, it was 0900hrs (Beijing time). Just when we got out of the 4WD, another 4WD driver offer us transport to Kathmandu directly for 100 yuan (20Sing). For the convenience, this offer is to good to reject. If I don't take up this offer, I have to find a transport that brings me across the no-man's land (appr 8km) between the Chinese border (also call Zhangmu) and the Nepali border (Call Kodari).


No man's land
No man land belongs to nobody, as the name implies. As a result, the road condition are bumpy and unpaved. People have no regards for these god-forsaken land. Truckload of garbage are simply discarded along the slopes. Some people say that the state of the border (between 2 countries) are a reflection of the relationship between them.

I used to think that one HAS to get their passport checked and stamped everything they enter a foreign country. As least that was the case for me. The woodlands custom is 20mins bus ride away from home, while the causeway is 2 km long. Yet I have to get my passport checked and stamped every time I step on Malaysia land. It was the case for all countries I visit.

In north America (continent), citizen of Canada and US are allowed to visit each other without passport. The same goes for citizens of EU, they are allowed to visit each other too. The last I learn is that Nepali and Indians are free to visit each other.

I checked into Kathmandu Guest House, the most prominent hotel in Thamel. Almost every landmark is made with reference to this place. Simplicity room is an affordable 4 USD per night.

Kathmandu 2007
Preliminary observation. More cars on the road, especially the Korean and Japanese made. More traffic lights. More upmarket outlets, shops and restaurant. No sighting of MacDonald's but I saw Baskin & Robbins.

Thamel is as busy as ever. Locals and foreigners roamed the streets. Ultra tourist friendly. Thamel is home away from home. Nice cafe and restaurant, fancy bakeries, extremely affordable accommodation, all forms of communication (local and overseas calls, Internet, CD burning, fax), a book paradise, available taxi, banks (SC have a lot of branches) and ATM that readily accepts foreign ATM card.

My late lunch at 1500hrs was a chocolate donut and Cinnamon roll,. I munch them while accessing the internet that claims to have fast access. It took 5 seconds to load the log-in page of Gmail.