Arrived in Kathmandu in the early afternoon and headed for a traditional Newali meal then out to a bar for the results of the 50 rupee challenge.
Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been on the lookout for the most tacky item possible for 50 rupees or less. On the last day names would be put into a hat and you’d give your gift to that person with a contest for the least tasteful item. I found an appalling shop in Agra, where it was hard to spend the whole 50 rupees, but in the end I got a flower shaped lamp covered in hearts and doves. A sure-fire winner I thought but was scuppered at the handing out by a lack of electrical socket to show off the glowing doves.
We then retired to the Fire Nightclub until the small hours of the morning.
The next day I met with a couple of others to swap tales of nightclub happenings over my first bacon for months. Not knowing much about Kathmandu we just did the Lonely Planet top 5 things to do in town – Wandered round Thamel doing a bit of shopping until we got to Durbar Square which marks the medieval part of town.
We got to visit the living goddess – a small girl who would come running if you knock on the door whilst donating 100 rupees.
Following a walk down Freak Street, the old hippy hangout, we had a drink on a rooftop cafe overlooking Durbar Square before walking back to the hotel to move my bags to another hotel. This turned out to be a restored palace so we sat by the pool for a couple of hours before jumping in a cab to visit the Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath) and snack on deep fried yak cheese.
