Almost there...
Trip Start
Oct 05, 2008
1
9
13
Trip End
Apr 26, 2009
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Kathmandu,
Nepal
Saturday, October 18, 2008
My eyes open and all I can see is the headlights of a big truck heading directly towards us, mere metres away.
You can imagine my reaction lol.
I quickly check around me and it ain't no dream as I am still on the road aghhhhh.
Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, Ben has woken me up to the news that the driver has at some point told him it is a 12 - 13 hour journey to Dehli. I can't beleive this is happening and assume Ben has got it wrong, so ask the driver in Hindi. To my shock he says "yes, course its a long way away". I tell him I have been told my verious people it was 8 - 9 hours, to which his response is "they haven't driven that far in there life, thats why they think that".
Ben is not happy at all and is chanting the mantra "Why does nobody ever listen to me. I told you it would take much longer".
I air my displeasure in Hindi, and get a quick response from the driver as he puts his foot on the pedal and re-adjusts himself for a full on racing experience. This makes me semi chuckle, especially when I witness the reaction from Ben "No! tell him to slow down. I would rather get there late than not at all. I dont want to die!"
I just let things go, and again put full trust in the drivers hands and resume my slumber. With the dying mutterings of Ben in the background.
I drift in and out of sleep, being woken every now and then by either shrieks from Ben, sudden "driving maneuvers" ... and I use that term loosly. Eventually waking up about 7am. Forcefully getting a gauge of how much ground we have gained, and so can we make it. Good news is the driver has done a sterling job, bad news is that it still means we cant make it to the flight, if we stop of and pick up our luggage from the hotel storage in Delhi.
Amanda comes to the rescue and suggests we ring the hotel and get them to drop of the luggage at the airport. Thus we can go straight to the airport and save ourselves valuable time.
We all agree and arrange this with the nice hotel owner Sanjay, for 700 rupees.
Make it in good time, getting to the airport at 10pm. So we have to wait for the luggage drop off, as they are at 10:15pm. Unfortunetly there seems to a one dimensonal tendancy to objey orders, as the drive was told to wait at the car park which is a few mins away from the departure area. And it took several calls to convionce/make him understand to drive up to the departure area.
Eventually got everything, and headed off for the loo, followed by rushing off to the only shop in the airport, and grabbing some chocolates and like for the trekking ahead of us. Also tried to get a Subway sandwish that was next to our gate but havign looked at the manky state of the salad, both me and Ben opted for cookies instead hehe.
Arrived on time in Kahtmandu and immediately felt the slight temp drop, which was welcome. Went throught the usual malarky with filling in the arrival cards and also the VISA application forms, with 2 passport photos (they have a person there to take the pics at hand). As per usual I got asked silly questions liek "when were you born" and "do you have your work security bade or pass on you". I entertained the ass wipe, but then changed my tone and added slight level of sarcasm. He realised he ain't getting anywhere so let me through.
