Entries about shopping

Time to leave the tranquillity of the Temple Tree Resort and return to manic Kathmandu! With our pick up for the airport not due until 11.00 we had plenty of time for a relaxed breakfast in the garden and to pack.

Flying back to Kathmandu

When we arrived at the airport we were told we were too early to check in for the 12.25 flight as the desk only opened an hour before. And when we did succeed in checking in we were told our flight would be delayed by half an hour. In the event it was more than an hour late, as were all the flights leaving around then, it seemed. According to one of the departure boards the delays were due to ‘air traffic congestion‘. Since no planes were arriving for a while, and none departing, we could only conclude that the congestion was in Kathmandu, affecting incoming flights from there.

After sitting in the crowded departure area for some time, only half understanding the announcements, we finally heard a call for our flight.

The plane was larger than the tiny one we'd flown on to Chitwan. I had a window seat and although the window was grubby I was able to enjoy views of the mountains poking above the clouds.

Although we flew Buddha rather than Yeti, and from Pokhara to Kathmandu rather than in the opposite direction, I am very conscious that this is the route flown by the plane that very recently crashed just before landing in Pokhara. We are obviously thankful that none of our Nepal flights resulted in disaster. It makes the small matter of an hour's delay seem very unimportant. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones in that crash.

At Kathmandu’s small domestic arrivals area there was a bit of a scrum around the baggage claim belt. While waiting for our bags we spotted the man who was there to meet us and he helpfully assisted with the bags. The drive to the hotel was slow, with the traffic quite a lot busier than when were here at the start of our trip. That had been at the tail end of Diwali but now everyone was back at work – or perhaps all on the streets of Kathmandu!

After checking in and being allocated the same room as on our previous stay we went out for a walk around the nearby Thamel streets. We were in search of a singing bowl as a souvenir and found a nice one in a small shop with a friendly assistant who waited patiently while I made my choice.

We were also in search of a cold drink and found the relative haven of the Northfield Cafe where we got talking to an Indian visitor about the English cricket team, whom he admired. Then we went back to the hotel to catch up on messages.

In the evening we had dinner at the Thamel House, where we’d eaten earlier in the trip. We again had the veg set menu, with soup, momos, spicy fried potatoes, dal bhat and a delicious yoghurt flavoured with nuts and cinnamon. The waiter also came round with shots of a local spirit for us to try, which was rather good!

We finished the evening with a wander around, taking a few night photos.