Thamel

Happy Diwali! Ugh, I can't wait for this horrible festival to be over. Sure, it adds a little extra atmosphere, and it's a cultural experience, but at this point I just want to survive without any serious physical disabilities resulting from fireworks going off a little too close to me. Last night in Bhaktapur, the supposedly sleepy, traffic free town, there were horns and fireworks going off late into the night (just outside my window!). On my walk back to the hotel a teenager tossed a lit firework up into the air and towards me. It exploded mid air, but if he would have timed it worse I would be in the hospital right now (darn kids with their tomfoolery and their ballyhoo). Many shops and restaurants are closed as well, so it's an inconvenience (don't they know that I don't celebrate Diwali, therefore I should not be inconvenienced by it? Maybe I should tell them).

Anyway, I came back to Kathmandu by bus this morning, and I spent the better part of today researching what to do for India and getting out of Nepal. It looks like I'll be taking the bus to the border, crossing to India and Roxaul Bazaar, then taking a train the next day to Kolkata (Calcutta). I'll spend two nights there, then move on to Puri, one of the holiest cities in India (I think I've heard that before). From Puri I plan to go to Madurai, then on to Kochi. I booked the train tickets to Puri already, so those plans are relatively concrete (for me). The train to Kolkata is 18 hours long, 693 km (430 miles), and I'm riding 2nd A/C class (I usually go with 3rd A/C class, but that was full. 2nd has fewer people per train and lockable cabins) for...$20. Not too shabby. From Krakow, Poland to Prague, Czech Republic I took an overnight train (that was less comfortable than Indian trains) and paid about $100, so I'm pretty happy about the prices and quality of service.

I also watched a good old fashioned baseball game today. They were showing the Angels/Yankees game 3 on ESPN here this afternoon, so I sat down to watch it. It was good to get some Americana, although here in Kathmandu it's not hard to find.

Tomorrow I plan to do a little sightseeing, including the main square and the monkey temple, as well as booking my bus to the border.