Nepal-第一天

Kathmandu
加德满都
去尼泊尔的之前上网查了机票的价钱，最便宜也要两千起跳，搜到便宜的有700左右，不过要转机，去程要在Delhi转机并耗时11小时30分。回程要在mumbai转机，耗时更久共17小时15分钟。为了省下多于一倍的价钱，耗就耗吧。在机场里看书，上网，睡觉时间很快过去的。我挑战自己的能耐，想看看脱掉明星光环的自己到底可以去到什么极限？
到了Delhi是新加坡时间凌晨4点45分，下个登机时间是8点45，心想还好也只是4个小时，可我竟然忘了时差，包包推过x-ray的时候瞄到墙上的钟写着3点。。两点半点！！！！我的天～～
我要怎么在这冷清而且商店廖廖无几的机场打发时间？ 不过很快就平复下来，看书看个昏天暗地，累了倒头就睡在躺椅上，用外套罩脸，包包当枕头，也顾不了仪态，反正我在这里是个“平凡人”！！想到这点我很快就睡着了。
登机时我陶醉在明媚的晨曦里，想到两个小时后我就能踏上梦寐以求的土地，心脏飞快的跳。 想到这里我仿佛可以闻到尼泊尔的芳香。这时的我怎么想都不会预料到第一个晚上我就坐在酒店的沙发上凄凉的流泪。。。。
三舅提醒我飞往尼泊尔是一定要坐在靠右的窗户，这样就可以看见喜马拉雅山脉。所以一路上我眼巴巴的望着窗外，寻找神山的踪影，盼到脖子都酸了还是一点迹象都没有，全是云和荒凉的旱地。。。最后实在撑不住眼皮快闭上的时候，周围哇声四起，我马上打起精神往窗外一看，果然不负神山圣名。屏气凝神生怕一眨眼她就会消失，那震撼就算要我再跨过大半的地球来看她，也值得。。
到了机场就去办签证，没带大头照因为知道机场里有照相棚，可是竟然要六元美金，我后悔。。
过了关卡领了背包，我走去计程车柜台叫了一台车，一堆人在推荐不同的饭店，大家都说比我要去的酒店便宜地点更好。我坚持要去书上推荐的那家,大伙儿见生意没做成都一蜂窝的散了，我松了一口气。。
上车的时候正好奇怎么司机带了个人上车，聊了一会儿才知道原来是个导游，长得干干净净，叫rush。一路上他介绍了不少景点，还讲得一口漂亮的英语，我都自愧不如。抵达时收了他的名片，发现他的旅行社就在我饭店附近。答应他说下午聘他的车子去走走，他开心的离开了。
饭店外观还不错，柜台说单人房已满给了我双人房不过要多付10块钱美金，十块钱不是多，只是我不喜欢他们的高傲的态度，这时心里就想起rush说的那些更大更便宜的酒店。。酒店没电梯，我住4楼最里面的角头间，到了四楼已经气喘如牛。房间一般般，把背包放下，赶紧就把电话拿出来充电，开了电源键，没反应！！赶紧跑去开灯，一样没动静。。虽然知道尼泊尔不是24小时供电，可是再怎么说我都算是半个城市小姐，没手机，在新加坡还好，大不了就借别人的，可是现在要报平安，要织围脖，要写日记，没手机真的不方便。跑下楼去找柜台，他说停电会一直到晚上7点才恢复。我看了看手机电源显示12% 心想只要不拍照上网应该还可以供到晚上7点吧。
照原先计划出门。吃饭后找上rush的旅行社，因为在2楼所以我还是小心翼翼的，看见办公室窗明几净，里面挤了大堆头，还有一位笑容甜美的妹妹，马上就卸下防心。租了车子连司机去两个地方，巴德岗王宫广场Durbar Square和猴庙Swayambhunath（monkey temple）。因为只有一天留在Kathmandu，只好慎选两个我觉得非去不可的景点，拿什么做标准？不是lonely planet，不是旅游书籍，是我的心，我的心早已被图片里Swayambhunath塔上的眼睛勾去了魂，我要站在那里跟那双眼睛说：“我来赴约了。”猴庙猴子多，乞丐多，许愿的人也多。我是个基督教徒，看着这对佛眼，我却感到平静，风尘仆仆的飞过几千里，两天没睡上3个小时，站在这个塔下，望着这双眼睛，我失神了。。这双眼睛如果幻化成一个人，从塔上走下来我想不管天涯海角我都会跟他走。。我到处拍照，一个佛像，一张画，一个人拍起来都炫目。突然在一个楼的屋顶看见一只狗，我正惊讶一只狗怎么爬上3楼的屋顶，赶紧咔嚓咔嚓的拍下来，有个老外走过大声说了一句：“good picture！”接着就消失在巷尾了。
来到Kathmandu不到巴德岗王宫广场就有愧于学设计的自己，里面有名的55页窗宫，过去这些窗口的背后有多少个争宠的妃子在企盼？又有多少的孤独终老的灵魂？金门精致的雕刻不止把窗口的肖像给雕活了，同时也把一个个妃子的灵魂给锁进去了。55窗宫后的梦是凄惋的。我站门前幻想自己是古代的妃子，跳窗而逃，宁愿沦落挨饿街头，也不愿盛装等候一个不属于自己的国王宠幸。
这里还有一件很讨厌的事，导游！他们会一直一直缠着你喋喋不休的讲解，你说不要也不通，他就赖在你身边口沫横飞的讲，讲到我真的不好意思拒绝，单刀直入告诉他：你价钱太高了，除非减半”最后我们以500rs的价钱成交，我的后半部广场变得走马看花，导游机械式的讲解完全没给你喘息的空间，看完等于没看！讲解我也听到一知半解。。实在气！我看着他冒汗的额头问他：”你结婚了吗？“他展颜一笑：“我有4个小孩，我之上有8个姐姐是家里唯一男丁，家庭负担重啊！”还掏出钱包让我看孩子们的照片。心里不禁想；“你们爸爸烈日当空厚脸皮的积极拉客，为的就是保持你们开心的笑容吧”之前的不悦也一扫而空。

Before I went for my Nepal trip, I went online to check out the air ticket price and the cheapest direct flight I can find is about $2000. For stopover it costs about $700. I have to stop over at Delhi from Singapore to change flight which takes about 11hr 30mins and from Mumbai to Singapore which takes another 17hrs and 15mins.To save cost, I took the latter option.. I believe time will pass very fast since I can read books, go online and sleep during the stay at the airport. I want to challenge my ability by putting down “stardom” status and see how far I can go.

It was 4.45am when I reached delhi and the next flight was at 8.45am.I was thinking I still have another 4hrs but I totally forgotten about the time difference between Singapore and delhi!! When my baggage went through the xray scan, the clock was 3 and it was 2.30!!!! OMGG~~~

How to kill time at a freezing cold airport with practically no shops at all? I managed to calm down after a while by reading books the whole day away, lie down to sleep when I’m tired with my jacket over my face and my backpack as my pillow. I don’t care how unglam I look since I’m a “normal person” here and when I think of this, I fell asleep faster.

I was infatuated by the beautiful dawn upon boarding and my heart skipped even faster at the thought that I can step on the land which I long for even in my dreams in 2 hours time. I never expected that I actually spent my first night in Nepal on the hotel sofa crying miserably …

My uncle reminded me to sit at the right window on the trip to Nepal so that I am able to catch the view of the Himalaya Mountains. During the journey I was stretching my head out to catch a glimpse of the mountains but there was nothing but clouds and land. My neck was aching so badly that I decided to close my eyes. But I spunk up immediately and continued to look outside the window and caught the view of the Himalaya Mountains. I gave my full concentration on it fearing that the sight will vanish at the twinkling of an eye.

I regretted paying 6US dollars for doing passport photo for visa at the airport as I know that there will be photo studio around.

I received my backpack at the custom and walked to the taxi counter to get a taxi. There was a group of people introducing different hotels and all of them said that the hotels they recommended are cheaper than the one I wanted to go and the location was so much better but I insisted on going to the one recommended by the book and they knew that they can’t pursue me further and walked off…

I was curious why the driver brought another person along in the taxi and after talking to him, I found out that the person was a tour guide and his name is rush. On the way to the hotel, he introduced to me some tourist attraction spots in fluent English. I was ashamed of myself. Upon arrival at the hotel, I took a namecard from him and realized his office is nearby. I promised him that I will look for him and he left happily.

The hotel outward appearance looks good and the receptionist said that single rooms were fully occupied and gave me a double bed room but I had to pay 10US more. 10US is not a lot to me but I dun like their proud attitude and I thought of what rush told me earlier on about the bigger and cheaper hotels elsewhere. The hotel has no lift and I was staying at the 4^th floor right at the corner. I was panting away when I reached my room. The room was so so only. I put down my backpack and wanted to charge my phone. I opened the power source key but there was no reponse!! I switched on the light and there was nothing.. Although I knew that Nepal doesn’t have 24hr power supply but I am a half city young lady, without a phone in Singapore is still okay because worse come to worst, I can still borrow from people but now I need to report my safety, weibo, write my diary, without my phone it is so inconvenient! I ran down the stairs to look for the receptionist and he said that the power supply will only be back at 7pm. My phone battery level was only 12% at that moment and I told myself if I don’t take photos, dun go online it can still last me till 7pm. I went out as planned and looked for rush at his office after dinner.

I rented a car to 2 places, Durbar Square and Swayambhunath（monkey temple） Since I only had a day at Kathmandu I can only choose 2 places to go. I did not depend on lonely planet or any travel guide book to choose the 2 places but I followed my heart. I was attracted by the pictures at Swayambhunath and I told myself that I want to stand there and tell it that I have kept an appointment with you. There were a lot of monkeys in the temple, many beggers and many people who came to make wishes. I’m a Christian, in Buddha eye I actually felt tranquil. With less than 3 hrs of sleep for the past 2 days, standing under the tower and looking into the eyes, I was out of sorts… I took pictures everywhere, a Buddha, a drawing, I suddenly saw a dog on top of the rooftop. I was shocked how the dog got up there and snapped away immediately and an old folk walked back and shouted “good picture” and went off.

There is something I hate about this place, the tour guide! They would keep pestering you to take up their tour package until I couldn’t take it anymore, I told them straight in their faces that the packages they offered were far too expensive and I am willing to consider only if the price is reduced to half. Finally the price deal was 500rs. The tour guide explanatories about the attractions were way too fast that I could hardly breathe and absorb the details. I asked him “Are you married?” he smiled and told me that he has 4 children and 8 elder sisters. He is the only child and all the financial burdens are on him. He took out his wallet and show me his family photo and in my heart I was thinking, your father worked so hard to maintain a smile on all your faces.

 

回到酒店下午6点多，回到房间打开门发现门锁是松的，坏了！房间一整天都在没上锁的状态！我冲进检查房里的物件，发现都还在松了一口气。。天渐渐黑，电还是没来，手机只剩4%了。我实在是累，快两天没睡了，眼睛一闭上就可以睡着，可我还没吃晚餐，用ipod调了闹钟，小睡一下。八点醒来一片漆黑，早先开了灯也没亮。电还是没来！！我还没洗澡，电话完全死了，肚子饿得难受，我摸黑下楼找柜台，晚上换了个女的，问她为什么还是停电？她说酒店的发电机垮了，正在修很快就恢复。走去餐厅时心里不忘咒骂lonely planet的好介绍。
餐厅分室内外，外面晚上至少十七八度，桌子都满了，宾客谈笑风生气氛欢乐，形单影只的我更显得孤单。足足等了一小时饭才来，边吃着头上边冒烟，我点的柠檬茶吃完饭了都还没上，可是结帐时却把柠檬茶也算进去！气煞!我去找经理要回钱，欺负我一个女生。吃完结帐都9点半了四周还是一片漆黑的，连刚才吃什么都没看见！心里正盆算着要怎么跟柜台算账，走上去的时候见到人很多，柜台里一个男人递来两根蜡烛，说还在想办法。我就坐在柜台前的沙发上等，太暗了书也没办法看，洗澡的温水没有，ipod快没电，住这里因为有wifi，可是现在屁都没有！
柜台客人走了，我上去理论，柜台说发电机坏了今天停电。我望去窗外一栋一栋的小楼里都有灯，就我们这家的发电机坏？！我说：”那你还我钱，至少还一半。“他说没办法。一整天累积下来的劳累和不满终于爆发，我吼他；“我付那么多钱住一间双人房，可是现在连洗澡都不能，说是有wifi，可现在连电都没有！我明天就走了，电话不能充！“我不知道他听懂了没，我用英语参杂着中文继续骂：”而且你们把我一个女生放在最高最角落的房间，现在整栋楼黑天摸地的，靠这两根蜡烛我都不知道有没有勇气爬回我的房间！还有你们的门锁是坏的！！坏的！！你给了我一间不能锁门的房间！！你们的餐厅是强盗，你也是强盗！”我像个疯婆子一样站在柜台大声骂，接待员吓傻了，发愣的站在那。讲完我一屁股坐在沙发上，这时才我发现脸颊温温湿湿的，竟然给气哭了。一个外国女生往我手里塞了纸巾，我抹了抹脸缓和了情绪，突然为自己刚刚的举动觉得很羞愧，觉得自己太矫情了，跨了几千里来这里发脾气。我看了那个男人一眼，他还在傻傻的望着桌面，心想停电也不是他的错，现在真后悔刚才的举动。我吸了一口气，冲去柜台拿了那两根蜡烛就往楼上跑，跌跌撞撞的跑回了自己的房间。你不可以绝对不可以再冲动！我跟自己说。。。
回到房间，我给自己洗了手脚，水是冰的，我用毛巾从头到脚指头抹几遍还是觉得脏，把心一横，把莲蓬打开，飞快的冲了一下，手脚冷的发麻，不过这下也终于把两天的疲劳给冲走了。
把电话插上充电器，开着电源，一夜的漫长等候。。躺在床上我告诫自己要戒掉城市的脾性，回归自然漫活是我来这里的目的不是吗？我闭上眼睛渐渐睡去。。。

It was 6pm when I returned to the hotel. When I reached the doorstop, I realised the door lock is spoilt! I dashed into the room to make sure that all my belongings were intact and was relieved everything was okay.. The sky turned dark and the power supply is still not back. My phone battery level dropped to 4%. I’m overly exhausted, haven’t slept for the past 2 days but I haven’t taken my dinner. I set alarm using my ipod and took an hr nap. When I woke up at 8pm, It was pitch black, I switched on the light and the supply was not back yet! I haven’t taken my shower and my phone is dead and my stomach is growling with hunger. I found my way down in the dark and questioned the receptionist ( this time it is a lady) why isn’t the power supply back yet? She said that the generator in the hotel was spoilt and is in the midst of repairing. I was cursing the recommendation stated in lonely planet while walking to the restaurant. The temperature went down to 17-18degrees. The tables were filled with customers and they were talking merrily and happily among themselves which makes me feel more lonely. I waited for nearly an hour for my food to be served. I was fuming mad and the ice lemon tea I ordered did not come but they actually billed me for that. I went up to the manager to demand a refund. After setting the bill, it was 930pm and it was so dark that I couldn’t see what I was eating just now! My heart was thinking on how to settle with the receptionist later. A guy passed me 2 candles and said that he will think of a solution so I sat at the sofa at the hotel lobby waiting.. waiting… It was too dark I couldn’t read and there was no heater to take a shower, my ipod battery is dead soon, the reason why I chose this place is because there is wifi but now there is nothing!

The hotel guests at the counter left and I went up to them. They said that the generator is spoilt and so the power supply was cut off. I looked out the window and saw lights coming from other houses but why is the generator over here spoilt?!?! I demand a refund from them, at least half but the receptionist said they couldn’t do it. I finally erupted and shouted at them that I paid so much money to stay in a double bed room but I couldn’t do anything and can’t bathe and it was stated that there was wifi here but now there’s not power supply at all. I am leaving tomorrow and I couldn’t charge my handphone!! I wasn’t sure if he understand what I was trying to say but I reprimanded him in English with a mixture of Chinese that they gave me a room at the highest floor right at the corner and now everywhere is pitck dark even with these 2 candles I don’t even know if I have the guts to walk up the flight of stairs to my room! Oh and to add on, the door lock is spoilt!!! You actually gave me a room that couldn’t be locked!! You guys are robbers!!! I was like an insane woman screaming at the front counter, the clerk was stoned and scared, I went back to the sofa and sat down and realized that I cried. A foreigner came up to me and offered me tissue, I cleaned away my tears and calm down myself. I took a glimpse at the guy at the counter, He was still taken aback by my actions and I was thinking it wasn’t his fault after all and I regretted. I took a deep breath, took the 2 candles at the counter and ran up to my room. I told myself not to be impulsive!

I finally stepped into the room, washed my hands and feet. The water was freezing old. I use a towel to wipe myself from head to toe but I still feel dirty. I got no choice but to take a quick cold shower and this finally washed away the last 2 days of fidgetiness. I turned on the electricity and charged my phone, waiting and praying that the power supply will be back soonest. I lied down on my bed and I told myself repeatedly to put away the city life manner and to enjoy the slow moving nature at the other end of the world. Isn’t this my aim earlier on? I closed my eyes and fell asleep gradually…

待续…..

to be continue……