The third week has been a very a busy one at the office. Peak season makes everyone at the office run around like chickens. Not headless chickens tho cause everyone knows exactly what he is doing making the office smooth like clockwork.
This week no outside the office trips as a tour guide for me but a busy one behind my desk.I updated the booking system and more specifically the itineraries to the latest up-to-date information to apply sales people and customers with valid information on the various hiking and trekking trips.
I am kind of starting to feel myself as a local.The people in the neighborhood and the ones in the restaurants and bars I go to start to recognize me and begin to chat very now and then. Especially the ones at the laundry service seem to become ‘local friends’ not to mention the people at the gym and the grocery store. I am a real attraction for the locals at the gym and most of them dare to approach for some chit chat…..where are you from, what are you doing here, do you like Nepal are random questions.
So nothing exiting this week.I live an office life working weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm and I also work on Sunday. Saturday is the only day off in High Season.
Stomach was still a little sensitive to food. No spicy and local food for me this week. A great diet tho, lost 3 kg in the last week J but it is not worth the trouble!
Hanna, my teacher went back to Finland on Tuesday morning and she left me some useful supplies for an upcoming trekking trip. She was happy to see that I adapted to the Kathmandu life and I was a part of the work force.
Tuesday in Kathmandu a strike was announced. No public transport, no motorbikes or cars allowed on the streets and most shops were supposed to stay closed for three days, starting wednesday. No commotion however in the office, completely opposite to what I expected. All people in the office drive motorbikes and not being allowed to drive it makes it impossible to get there since public transport is not driving either.
And it is not the police or something that does not allow you, it’s the people on strike and if they go mad they pull you off your bike, set it on fire leaving you with a few punches.
But I guess most Nepali are so used to this that some of them actualy disobeyed the non traffic rule, drove their bikes and worked happily without noticing anything.
The area where the office is a better one anyway and for most people around there no reason for a strike. Not to far from the office tho the riot police came to action and therefor some co-workers had to take a huge detour not to end up in that riot.
Funny enough tourist transports are allowed and without any traffic it minimized the amount driving from one Highlight to another.Kathmandu was exceptionally quiet and way less polluted this day. A great side effect For me it was time to get a haircut and off I went to a local barber.Spending the equivalent of just €2.5 he did a great job and even gave me a head massage.
Close to where I found the barber, the company I work for is building this beautiful, traditional Newari style hotel with 36 rooms that is supposed to be opened in September this year. Our boss introduced us to his new hotel and showed us around on the construction site. I cannot wait to see it fully operational. A good reason to come back one day.
Friday we headed for another night in Thamel. Sudeep, one of my Nepali co-worker, the brand manager for RMT passed a university test. Reason enough for celebrations. On a side step: I have to admit I am impressed. Some of them go to school from 6 to 9 or 10 before going to work. Man these guys make intense days.
We started at the Funky Buddha. It was new place to me. It was a really cool place and there is playing good music. Dance and trance combined with a bit of lounge. I guess you need to be in the mood for that and after the snack and a few drinks it was time for good old rock at the Reggae Bar. Good company and great music. The Nepali called it a day at midnight but my Dutch roommate and I decided it was no time to go yet and had a few more drinks before heading home. At least that was the plan but walking home we encountered a few lovely French girls my roommate met the night before and they convinced us (Oh yeah, they had to try really hard….NOT) to go with them to the Factory, a club in Thamel which left us with a perfect night again.
Saturday we decided again to take it slow, because we had hangover. First we go to the dinner and after that we go to the swimming and taking the sun.
Let’s see what’s great and new next week.
TOUCH
