Mar 7
First night at Hotel Marshygndi in Kathmandu. Holy Cow...and they are, you know. Holy. Pye dogs wander the streets in tandem with the cows but occupy a sub-par strata of society. A distance of light years from the dogs of Istanbul who are marked for legitimacy by a yellow plug in one ear.
I'm feeling a little disoriented by this virtual version of Kathmandu overlaying my sepia-tinted one from 45 years ago. Yes, I was sixteen when I was last here.
I have an idea that I will be learning un-attachment on this journey. Like to an elevator that might carry us to our fourth floor room. We walk. And when I got up at 6:30 this morning, I really wanted my bed tea that I grew so accustomed to at Bonnie's, and since there was a room service menu that touted a continental breakfast for 390 rupees - 3.90 US, I picked up the phone with a very short curly cord - remember those? and called room service. He told me that there was a buffet breakfast in the dining room. Okay, I said. I can take a hint.
Last night cousin Doug Darlington and his wife Sue met us at our hotel for dinner. They live in Victoria BC and being retired from his cabinetry business, they spend the winter months first in Goa and now in Nepal. Cousins help make the unknown known. Susie has a list of must-see places that sound familiar from the past but which will be all new.
Off to Lincoln School today. The principal Brad says he wants me to meet with his senior and sophomore classes to discuss my project (I have a project?) and hopes it will "give our kids a nice push" for their own projects on third-culture kids. I'll meet the two teachers in charge to discuss what we will talk about on Monday. Now I am starting to feel nervous, but have to remember what - oh yeah, that unattachment thing, go with the flow. Nameste!
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