BoP Ride to Nepal - IV

DAY 6 - January 23rd: Kathmandu

This was the first and only full-day I had to relax and roam around. The day started really early, as I got up at 4.30 AM. The staff at the restaurant below had indicated that parking the bike in the airport may not be safe. I was also worried about carrying my helmet inside the airport, so I decided to take the taxi instead. There was one right outside the hostel that took me to the airport for Nepali Rs 700. I think it was quite a steep price for the distance, but considering the hour, I didn't think too much about it.

The flight was to take off at 6.45 AM. It's a 45-mins flight (called the Mountain Flight) that shows you Mount Everest and other high peaks in the vicinity. All seats are window seats. However, Sunder had told me to reach early and get seats in the first couple of rows, as the engine might block the view if you are sitting near the wings. I was probably the first person to report at the Yeti check-in counter at 5 AM! I chose a seat in the first row, went past the security check and into the boarding area. I had a long time before take-off and the food stall was just opening up, so I just took a nap on the seats there. I woke up at 6, had breakfast with tea and waited for boarding to commence.

As the clock ticked past 6.30 AM, I was a bundle of nerves. Mountain flights can get delayed or cancelled because of the fickle weather in mountains. I absolutely did not mind a long delay, as long as we took off. Once-in-a-lifetime is a bit too much, as I do intend on returning to Nepal some day, but I definitely wouldn't get a chance soon. Due to the weather up there, Everest-viewing flights by other airlines were also delayed. At around 7.50, things began to look up. Buddha Air's flight was called for boarding, and their original take-off time was before my Yeti flight, so I was quite positive. At 8.15, they called for us to board. YAY!

As we took off, the friendly air-hostesses explained the protocol. First the left side of the aircraft would get to see the peaks. Those sitting on the right, like me, would be called one by one to spend a few moments in the cockpit. Then the aircraft would turn around and the protocol repeated in reverse. As I awaited my turn, I noticed the contrast was remarkable on both sides. On the right side were low black/brown hills that barely rose above the cloud cover. On the left were peaks covered with snow that almost towered above the aircraft. While I awaited our turn to see the peaks, I saw an intriguing sight of a river of clouds. What you see in the pic here is not a glacier or river, but clouds shaped by the mountains around them. I was soon called into the cockpit and saw a brilliant view for a few seconds before being ushered back out. As usual, I forgot to take a photo.

We were all given a pamphlet that accurately showed the peaks and their respective heights. At first glance, for a city-boy like me, all the peaks look the same and I wondered if I could even spot anything. In reality, the peaks are quite distinguishable if you look at them long enough. The air-hostesses also point out to the features that can help you better distinguish one peak from the next. As we took a turn, I started paying attention to the peaks and accurately spotted peaks like Makalu, Amadablam, Lhotse and of course, Mt. Everest.

Once we had reached the 'last' mountain, the air-hostess came up to me and asked if I wanted to come into the cockpit again! I think they had time for a few more visits only and approached the first couple of rows. I jumped at the opportunity and took a small video from the cockpit. Please pardon my below-average video taking skills, I am not a natural and I had to decide between viewing and video-taking in less than 20 seconds.

Till now, the experience had been tremendous. Watching the huge peaks, the river of clouds, going inside the cockpit twice, the lovely service provided by the air-hostesses, everything made the delay worth it. The crew decided to add a cherry on top of the cake by offering champagne! What better way to celebrate this breathtaking scenery?

As we made preparations to land, we were all given a certificate signed by the pilot. I must say, Yeti Airlines not only had impeccable service, they also know what clicks with the tourists and marketed their services really well. For this entire experience, I have PS to thank, for arranging the tickets at such short notice and that too discounted! Credit to Sunder too for recommending the Everest flight in the first place.

I took another taxi back to the hostel. I was meeting PS for dinner at around 7 PM and had the entire day to roam around in Kathmandu. I also wanted to get my helmet visor replaced, as it had fallen on the ground and there was a big scratch right at eye-level. Before that though, I got in touch my dad's friend in Kathmandu for a trip to Pashupatinath Temple. While he was busy elsewhere, he put me in touch his driver, Shyam, who said he'd meet me in the parking lot of the temple. It was now around 11 AM and Kathmandu, for a city that small, seems to have a lot of traffic. Navigation was old-school (asking people for directions) as I did not have a mobile holder attached and did not have my tank-bag. It took me over 40 mins to reach the temple entrance. Another 15 mins were spent figuring out the parking lot's location, as the regular route was barricaded for some reason.

We entered the temple from the back gate. Shyam seemed to know a lot of people there and cheerfully greeted and talked to the guards and other staff. I'm not a religious person but the temple was beautifully constructed and had a peaceful air to it despite the crowds. We walked around for a bit inside, saw the sanctum sanctorum and walked through the maze of 184 shivalingams. As we stepped out, I spoke to Shyam about purchasing a khukri, and whether he had any idea about taking it over the border. Instead of listening to my question, Shyam simply walked over to the nearest stall selling memorabilia and asked him to show me khukris. I was looking at one of them and Shyam started bargaining with the stall owner there! In no time, they decided on a reasonable amount of Nepali Rs 650 and turned to look at me. Seemingly a decision had been made for me. At ₹400, it was a steal and I could afford it even if they do not allow it over the border. After purchasing it, I thanked Shyam for showing me around and went back to the parking lot. As I was taking my bike out, a bunch of bikers came in. I introduced myself to them and was intrigued by their 'SK' number plates. I assumed they were from Nepal, but turns out they were Indians! This was the Eastern Enfielders from Sikkim, who had entered via the Siliguri border a few days ago. They also had reached Kathmandu the previous night, only difference being that they entered the city at 9 PM and saw no traffic on the roads.

I got stuck in traffic again, on my way to the helmet shop. It was a fruitless visit too, as they only accepted Nepali currency and I had used up most of mine. The owner, however, kindly offered to hold the visor for me till the evening in case I got hold of NC somewhere. I reached the hostel and went to sleep after lunch. I woke up feeling refreshed at 5.30 PM, but was in no mood to go back to the helmet shop, so I called and informed him to not hold it for me. I'd have to risk using the scratched visor for now.

I was to meet PS at Radisson Hotel nearby, where she was attending a conference. Once again, Google Maps failed, as it kept leading me into private roads or dead ends. I had to ditch it and use my intuition to find the hotel. I was meeting PS after more than 6 years now and it was a joyful reunion. We went to Lalitpur on the other side of Kathmandu, over the Bagmati River that divides the city into two halves. It was now 7.30 PM and there was barely any traffic. It was a breezy ride to our destination, Patan Darbar Square.

I have never seen something like this in all my travels in India. The Darbar Square is like a heritage site/old palace/town center/hangout spot/plaza, all in one. The buildings are mostly made of wood and stone, in a distinctive architectural style that I am not informed enough to comment on, but resemble Buddhist monasteries externally. It is an incredible sight in the night, with little lights all over the complex that beautify the buildings but are not bright enough to overpower the view. Once again, I was so lost in looking around that I didn't take pictures. But trust me, a night visit to Patan Darbar Square is worth it.

We walked around for a bit, talking and admiring the views. PS grew up around here, so this was probably a daily sight, but I couldn't take my eyes off from the buildings as we walked. We were starving and went for dinner to Cafe du Temple. The rooftop was empty, probably because of the cold. Service was a bit below our expectations, but the food was delicious. It was a nice change to have soup and American chopsuey, instead of thakali. Post this heavy dinner, I still had room for dessert. PS recommended Roadhouse Cafe, where we had their signature 'Sizzling Brownie'. It was simply mind-blowing and a perfect way to end my day in Kathmandu. I had a very pleasant evening with PS, as we caught up on each others' lives and talked about our college friends, so many of whom we lost touch with but still knew enough about, thanks to social media! It was getting late, so I dropped her home, thanked her again for being an excellent host just like her fellow countrymen and found my way back to the hostel. I had to ask for directions till Thamel, but managed to navigate on my own through the little streets. Guess I still have some hope left in the navigation department.....

Link to Part V