Beyond the city, we glimpse lushly green hills: the foothills of the Himalayas. Wow.
Anish, having worked with international volunteers for many years now, lets us soak in the atmosphere, pointing out the occasional landmark, as he drives us to our hotel, a small guest house on a cul-de-sac in Thamel, the bustling tourist district.
After checking in, taking a shower, and changing into clean clothes, Janella and I go to ELI’s volunteer house, where ELI’ers live and hang out during their stay in Kathmandu. This is the Sorrakhotte neighborhood, quieter than Thamel, and dramatically less touristy. In many ways it’s representative of Kathmandu’s residential neighborhoods: 2-3 story brick homes set on narrow side streets dotted with small shops and street vendors. As elsewhere in this city, it’s not unusual to spot the occasional goat or cow -- and dogs. Lots of dogs.
The volunteer house is a welcoming 5-story building, with an office for Anish and his staff on the ground floor. He shows us the highlights: dorm-style rooms with two or three twin beds; lockers for valuables; a Western-style bathroom; a large kitchen and, across the hall, an inviting dining room/hang out place. This is an especially nice space, with comfy cushions on the floor, low, beautifully hand-painted tables, the room bathed in the light streaming through the tall windows and the warmth of the orange-painted walls.
This being the very hospitable Nepal, we’re offered tea and lunch (rice with veggies and dahl), then meet ELI volunteers. Heather, Daniela, Jason, Angela: Janella and I try to remember their names as they share stories about their travels and their volunteer placements. You can’t help but get caught up in their stories and be impressed by their spirit, can-do attitude and the insights they offer into the Kathmandu experience.
Later that afternoon, we go looking for clothes in Thamel: Janella’s dying to get out of her travel stuff and into something fresher. The whole tourist district is one giant shopping opportunity, with countless shops lining the busy, narrow streets. Among the shops there are also restaurants, bars, ATMs and trekking companies thrown in for good measure. We’ve heard that shopping in Nepal is a thrill, and this doesn’t disappoint. There’s metal work, carvings, pashmina and cashmere, handmade artisanal paper products, gorgeous embroidery and rugs. There are also many stores selling hiking and mountaineering clothes and gear, and a great deal of fake North Face jackets and travel bags.
Within an hour, Janella is outfitted with a skirt, a pair of elephant pants (those ubiquitous pants you see in all of Asia) and two tops, one of them with pretty embroidery. All for under $20 - without bargaining much. Janella is thrilled to have something clean to wear.
The next morning is business: taking Anish’s advice, we head to the Chinese embassy where Janella tries to get a visa. We want to take advantage of our 15-hour layover in Beijing. While Janella doesn’t get the visa right then, she finds out exactly what she’ll need when she returns for it the next day. If any of you need to secure a Chinese visa in Kathmandu, here’s a tip: the lady in window #3 has all the answers. (Hers is also the longest line.)
At a meeting with Anish and his staff later in the day, Janella receives the email she’s been waiting for: her backpack has been located, and will arrive at the Kathmandu airport the next day. This is very good news indeed. Anish graciously offers a car and driver to pick it up, and a grinning Janella and her backpack are reunited less than 24 hours later.
We feel like celebrating, and in fact we get to, because that night Anish arranged for a special goodbye dinner for Daniela, who is leaving for the States the next day. All the volunteers, and all the ELI staffers, pack into a rented van and head out for what turns out to be a magical evening.
Anish takes us to Kirtipur, a medieval village in the hills southwest of Kathmandu. It’s a lovely place with winding cobblestone streets, and some wonderful temples, especially the Bagh Bhairab Temple, decorated with 18th century battle swords. (I’m told the pagoda-style architecture, which we so associate with China and Japan, was actually developed in Nepal.) The volunteers have seen similar architectural marvels in Kathmandu, but for Janella and me, this is our introduction to the richness of historical sites in this wonderful country. We’re instantly hooked.
Dinner is nothing short of fabulous. We go to Newa Civilization Restaurant, which celebrates the traditional cuisine of the region. The restaurant has wonderful views of the nearby hills, and large rooms that are welcoming to groups.
We sit on the floor in a large circle and eat off straw mats and traditional metal plates a whole series of dishes, some of them rather exotic (buffalo spinal cord and tongue.) This being Nepal, there’s also a large selection of delicious, spicy vegetarian options, which is good because about half of the group avoids meat. Along with the meal, we’re served chan, rice wine, which is poured from brass decanters into small bowls. For the uninitiated, rice wine can at first seem a little strange - milky white in color, somewhat salty in taste - but Janella and I are proof it’s a very quickly acquired taste. Before we know it, volunteers are pouring rice wine from the decanters right into their mouths. (Janella makes sure the moment is caught on camera.) They pester Anish where they can get it in Kathmandu: chan is clearly a hit.
Between the food, the great company, and this unforgettable setting - the evening is one for the memories. And it’s just the first of many amazing moments I’ll live on this extraordinary trip.
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