From Varanasi, India, to Kathmandu, Nepal

Nepal tour day 1, but India/Nepal tour day 11. We flew midday from Varanasi, India, to Kathmandu, Nepal, on Air India––a 1 hour 10 minute flight. Before landing in Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal), we could see the Himalayas (if you were sitting on the right side of the plane) above the cloud (smog?) cover but at first they just looked like clouds. No camera ready to take photos of them.

We had to set our clocks ahead 15 minutes. Both India and Nepal set their clocks according to where the sun is at a certain hour, so India is, for example, 13 1/2 hours ahead of Los Angeles time and Nepal is 13 3/4 hours ahead.

We had filled in Nepal visa forms and added a passport photo to them. A 15–day Nepal visa cost us each $25 U.S. in cash. Some other currencies were also accepted.

You can use India rupees in Nepal but no 500 rupee notes as these have been counterfeited in great numbers. You aren’t even allowed to bring these notes into Nepal, but no one checked us to see if we were doing so. Nepal rupees are exchanged at 100 to $1 U.S. I exchanged money at our hotel, but found that most everything was priced in U.S. dollars, probably because the exchange rate is so easy both ways.

Photo: Our tour group waiting for our bus to pick us up. The 18th SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit was underway in Kathmandu and not only did it delay our bus’ arrival but after its departure from the airport.

Kathmandu

Another group waiting for their transportation in the airport’s parking lot.

The SAARC Summit Banner

The SAARC Summit is for “Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity.” There banners announcing it and welcoming its participants throughout Kathmandu. It is a big event.

The SAARC Summit Banner

There were eight countries involved in the summit and all eight prime ministers of these countries were in attendance. Four of them were from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and India.

The SAARC Summit Banner

The other four prime ministers were from the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

I was very interested in seeing the differences between India and Nepal. The streets were clean with little if any trash on them. We asked our local Nepal guide about this later whether this was because of the summit. She said yes but that the streets are usually clean but not as clean as they were now.

There is less dirt and more cement near buildings than in India and many  apartment houses. And, of course, no cows roaming around. In the area we were in, no hectic traffic.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

More apartment houses.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

Older apartment houses.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

There were policemen or military about every 50 yards on the streets––security for the SAARC Summit.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

Wide streets in this section of Katmandu.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

Women in colorful clothing on the street. However, we also saw many young women wearing Western clothes.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

Another wide street.

Seen on Our Way to Our Hotel

And another. There was little traffic, but this could have been because of the summit. There was a need to get the prime ministers and the delegates quickly from one place to another.

At Our Hotel

There was a wedding party and the bride and groom leaving our hotel as we arrived. A band was marching in front of the wedding car.

Incidentally, some of the SAARC delegates were staying at our hotel, but I wouldn’t have recognized any of them. Friends who took this trip last year said that Jimmy Carter was staying at their hotel for another summit or conference. I would have recognized him.

The Band and the Wedding Car–MOVIE

The band and the wedding car.

The Wedding Party

Some of the wedding party.

Dinner at a Nepalese Restaurant

An optional traditional Nepalese dinner was offered, which I went on, at the Utsav Authentic Nepali Restaurant in Kathmandu.

Dinner at a Nepalese Restaurant

The Utsav was located in an ancient Rana palace court.

Dinner at a Nepalese Restaurant

Our delicious dinner was served on metal plates. I think this dish is called momo––dumplings.

Dinner at a Nepalese Restaurant

You could have beer––here Everest beer! Or wine. Rice wine was also served. I had caught the cough going around our tour group, probably from not being warm enough on our Ganges boat ride yesterday morning. My cure: scotch at our hotel, then wine and two shots of rice wine at dinner. It worked pretty well.

I think the tour cough could have been caused by the air pollution in India. The air was not better in Kathmandu, which often leads the world in having the worst air pollution.

Nepal Dancers at the Utsav Restaurant–MOVIE-1

Entertainment at the Utsav.

Nepal Dancers at the Utsav Restaurant–MOVIE-2

Entertainment at the Utsav.

Nepal Dancers at the Utsav Restaurant–MOVIE-3

Entertainment at the Utsav.