The flight from Heathrow to KTM was made in 3 painstaking stages, each a stage less luxurious than the last. The first flight to Bahrain went well, lots of Westerners politely and quietly stowing their baggage and going to sleep. Kung Fu Panda (with Arabic subs) was the in-flight movie, and easily the best part of the flight which woul've been pretty pleasant if it weren't for the man to the left of me who kept wanting to rest his arm on my leg...
At Bahrain my flight onto Nepal was delayed by about an hour, so I spent most of my time sitting awkwardly and silently between Arabs and Nepalis, being the only white person on the flight. Infact the plane I got on was not the one straight to Katmandu, after 20 minutes the plane stopped in Dammam and some people got off, and many more (mainly Nepalis) got on. The changeover was painful - it took hours, and after sitting down for about a day, I couldn't bear the hour long wait while the amazed passengers pressed all the buttons and around them and pointed at everything in the plane. I find these people to be very inquisitive and engaged with everything - which can be a great thing but at the time I was incredibly tired and unable to sleep. The plane on the second and third legs of the journey was significantly worse for wear than the classy (for a cheaper airline) flight from the UK. Oh, and for both flights I was in the middle section of chairs, I'd have killed for a window seat to properly see the Himalayas from the air. All I got was glimpses from behind the back of someone's head.
At KTM airport, I notice a few westerners but none of them in the hour-long queue to show their visas/disembarkation cards. I reluctantly join behind many Nepali's, some of which gesture to me and point at other queues but I stay and everything works out okay. Waiting for my baggage which I hadn't seen since over a day before, was a little trying - there was many baggage conveyors but no way to tell which was my flight, and everyone I asked told me a different thing. I manage in the end, and walk out of the airport to meet torrential rain and about 15 people crowding round asking if i need a taxi. It has begun!
At Bahrain my flight onto Nepal was delayed by about an hour, so I spent most of my time sitting awkwardly and silently between Arabs and Nepalis, being the only white person on the flight. Infact the plane I got on was not the one straight to Katmandu, after 20 minutes the plane stopped in Dammam and some people got off, and many more (mainly Nepalis) got on. The changeover was painful - it took hours, and after sitting down for about a day, I couldn't bear the hour long wait while the amazed passengers pressed all the buttons and around them and pointed at everything in the plane. I find these people to be very inquisitive and engaged with everything - which can be a great thing but at the time I was incredibly tired and unable to sleep. The plane on the second and third legs of the journey was significantly worse for wear than the classy (for a cheaper airline) flight from the UK. Oh, and for both flights I was in the middle section of chairs, I'd have killed for a window seat to properly see the Himalayas from the air. All I got was glimpses from behind the back of someone's head.
At KTM airport, I notice a few westerners but none of them in the hour-long queue to show their visas/disembarkation cards. I reluctantly join behind many Nepali's, some of which gesture to me and point at other queues but I stay and everything works out okay. Waiting for my baggage which I hadn't seen since over a day before, was a little trying - there was many baggage conveyors but no way to tell which was my flight, and everyone I asked told me a different thing. I manage in the end, and walk out of the airport to meet torrential rain and about 15 people crowding round asking if i need a taxi. It has begun!
3 comments:
Wow! Im so proud you're doing this Ryan :)
I'm going to keep checking it every day and see what you've been upto and hopefully see some photos
Hope to see you when you're back, first time in like, 3 years!
Love you x
i did a comic about you you can see it here www.abysscomics.com/funner.htm
from jamie
Hey Narayan,
I see you have made the final part of your journey to being a complete hermit you crazy. I hope you have a great time there by far away and you had better see me before i go to the scary world of uni or i will be a sad bunny. Have an amazing time,
Much love
Emily
xxx
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