We had breakfast in a different place after the previous days poor showing. Chips, omelette and toast for breakfast. A vast improvement. Oz went in search of info about the Chitwan National Park and I went on a long hike to the Chinese Embassy. Whilst in the queue for the visas I got chatting to an American girl about India and the Trans-Siberian Express. She was refused a visa because she didn't have her ticket to China, which she was going to purchase in Hong Kong. The visa man was trying to be clever and was very supercilious in his manner when she said she'd been told over the phone by this office that she could get the visa.
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| Our Sadhu mate |
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| I'd fully recommend The Hobbit young man |
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| Nepalese carvings......pre-internet porn.... |
Then it was my turn and I had my travel vouchers with me. His excuse this time was that he couldn't issue the visa unless I had a Mongolian visa. I can't get a Mongolian visa until I'm in China and in possession of a Russian visa. He said I could buy a train ticket from HK to Canton (Guangzhou) and back. Why would I want to do that when I've already got a ticket and I've as much chance of getting one in Kathmandu as I have of buying a Billingham-Seaton Carew ticket. I gave up and made the long trek back to Durbar Square to meet Oz. On the way I checked the mail and found a postcard from CJ. Oz had already checked the post and he had two letters for me from Christy and a joint one from Bop.
We ate and then did a couple more of TW's walks around Kathmandu . All very templey but we got to see lots of nooks and crannies we probably wouldn't have noticed. We chatted to a few shansh marnie men but the rate has been barely better than the official rate. We also had our foreheads dabbed with a red hindu spot by a sadhu in Durbar Square. A bargain (?) at 5rp. In the evening we had an excellent Indian and Oz swopped 1984 and a Leslie Thomas book for The Hobbit. Will it be a bit too Quargs from Planet Tharg for him? it is rather Tolkienistically goblinesque in it's troll-like hobbitness. Eat your heart out Clive James.
We also went to Swayambhunath.
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| Swayambhunath |
2012
Wonder if Oz has managed to read The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings yet?
I'd been reading some books of Clive James criticism - far too literary for me. I barely understood any of his references.
I think I finished The Hobbit but it was all a bit Floggin from the planet Troggin. Rhian read it at school and in her essay on it she called Bilbo Baggins 'flamboyant'which was a euphamisim. Oz
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