New Year's Eve

All the hotels, restaurants, and bars in the area are getting ready for the New Year's celebration. My hotel has a whole roasted pig out front - quite a sight. The potted plants are decorated with cotton, dirty from the dust and pollution, to simulate snow. A Christmas tree stands in the courtyard, like a sentinel at the gate. The have hired a local musician, who plays guitar and sings American pop and Nepali folk equally off-key.

I walked around Kathmandu today, but haven't taken a single photo. Each time I bring out my camera, I am surrounded by beggars and merchants. There are other westerners around, and they also are approached. There are many fascinating shrines, temples, and architecture, but so many people crowd the streets that it is hard to get a clear picture. I rang the bell at one temple, and spun a couple of prayer wheels at another (that's for you, Nicole!).

Most of the streets are narrow, and filled with people walking, on bicycles, motorocycles, pedicabs, and 2-way car traffic. I have not seen any accidents, but I imagine they must have many here.

I pause in front of a store window, and immediately hear "Namaste, madam." "Something for your family, madam." "You would like to buy, madam. We have many colors and sizes." "Please, madam, I am hungry and need milk for the baby". ""Would you like someone nice?" Hashish?"

I have resorted to answering in Russian, hoping no one understands. Ya nye ponimayoo. I don't understand. Ya nye govoreet Nepali. I don't speak Nepali. They give up and go away.

The tourist area of Kathmandu is a little tiring, but in other parts of town, it is a bustling big city, much like any other.

K-K-K-K-K-K-K-Kathmandu

Yesterday I came to Kathmandu. I had been driving everyone pretty hard, so they begged me to take some time off for the New Year. I have not seen much of Nepal other than the little town of Bharatpur, and I wanted to do some shopping.

The 11:45 Buddha Air flight was 2 hours late. They require that you arrive 1 hour early, so the other passengers and I spent quiet moments in the sun reading and waiting. I did not bring any food with me, as the flight is only 20 minutes, and I became quite hungry.

The 18 passengers finally boarded the modified Beechcraft KingAir. I sat right behind the pilots and got to see what they were doing and saw a great view out the front window. The flight attendant closed the door as the engines started, then handed out candy and cotton balls. The cotton is for your ears - the aircraft is very noisy.

One pilot flew the airplane, and the other handled the radios and lights. We climbed over the Annapurna mountains to 9500 feet, then glided into the clouds. We couldn't see anything around us. The pilot banked the plane and began to descend to 5500. Out of the mist appeared the Kathmandu airport -- on top of a small hill surrounded by many larger hills. I can't wait to bring my students here! When pilot made a perfect landing, the other applauded him.

After landing, I grabbed a cab to take me to the hotel. The Shivani Air hangar crew had made hotel arrangements for me before I left. I guess they wanted to make sure I left town. I was told the cab fare should be about Rs300, but all the drivers quoted Rs400. "The price of gas is very high now." They are right - the price has risen a lot recently. They pay about Rs80 per liter (over $5 per gallon).

I checked into the Hotel Mandap, in the heart of the Thamel district of Kathmandu. This is the main shopping area, and the most popular for westerners. I walked down to the restaurant and ordered grilled chicken and chips (french fries) and steamed vegetables. And 2 Cokes. It was 3:00. Everything here is fresh, not frozen. Even Coca Cola is bottled locally.

I walked around the area for a while, to see what was around, and encountered many street merchants. They are very aggressive salespeople. I guess I look like a tourist.

When I got back to my room, I started the water for a shower. I took literally 5 minutes for the water to turn from ice-cold to hot, and when I finally got in, it felt scalding. Or was I that cold? One of the best things in life is a hot shower, topped only by a hot bath. Or sleeping in on a cold, rainy morning.

When I woke up this morning, the room was freezing cold. The heavy blankets I had piled on top before I fell asleep kept me warm and toasty. I lay there drifting in and out of sleep, making plans for the day. Someone in the next room took a shower. Another group met noisly in the hallway outside my door before they took off on their adventure. I want to sleep until noon.

Around 8:30, I got up and went down for breakfast. Today is going to be a sight-seeing day. I can't wait to find out what everyone else around here already knows about Kathmandu.

The Sun is Like the Moon

All of Nepal is foggy throughout December and January. The fog is heaviest at night and early morning, gets brighter by noon, and never completely lifts during the day. This makes flying difficult. The fog is so thick, the sun is barely visible. The Nepalese say "The sun is like the moon".

We were able to fly for a couple of hours yesterday, the first time in a week. Even then, the visibility was bad, and no one was allowed to fly solo. It is perfect Instrument flying weather, because there is no turbulence, lighting, hail, or other hazards. Our airport, however, does not have an instrument approach. We have a GPS on board, so have created our own "instrument" approach to practice with. We still need visula conditions to get clearance from the tower.

They tell me by February or March it will be very windy. At least it won't be cloudy. And I can't wait to see what we do during the monsoons.

Because of the weather and the mountains, Nepal pilots are in high demand. Other countries, like India and China, are hiring all the experienced pilots. Soon Nepal will face a pilot shortage. By then, my students will be ready.

Food and Other Stuff

Nepali food is similar to Indian food. A typical Nepali meal is rice with a sauce or gravy, and some chicken pieces. They use a lot of different spices, and it is really very delicious.

Naveen, our cook, has worked at restaurants and motels, and is a very experienced cook. He only uses a 2-burner propane counter-top stove, but can make incredible meals. The people do not use ovens - only restaurants and hotels that cater to western tourists have ovens. Kitchens are all cupboards and maybe a space for the refirgerator. We have a microwave, but it's only the heat things. There is no microwave popcorn in Nepal.

Sometimes we get a craving for non-Nepali food and make requests. Naveen made spaghetti the other day. It looked just like real American spaghetti. But he used Nepali spices. It was different. Even mashed potatoes have spices in them.

Nepalese eat with their hands. Specifically, their right hand. They do not use tableware or napkins. Fortunately, they understand about westerners, and have provided silver for us. We use facial tissue for napkins.

Naveen grown popcorn in his backyard, and brought some to the house the other day. He cooked it on the propane stove in a wok. Nepali popcorn is crunchier than American popcorn, but it is very tasty. Naveen is accustomed to Americans using utensils to eat everything, so he considerately serves the popcorn with a spoon. He thinks popcorn was invented in Nepal.

Bathrooms are another issue. The traditional Nepali bathroom is a pit in the floor. They do not use toilet paper, but rather use a spray hose. I have not gotten the hang of this yet, and have trouble using the hose without getting my clothes wet. Fortunately for me, I have a western-style toilet and they provide all the paper I care to use. Very considerate people, these Nepalese.

There are no public bathrooms, either. If you need to go, just stop off the side of the road. When I am out walking, it is not unusual to see someone standing off the road facing out into the fields. No one pays attention. I haven't mastered the art of public urination, and just hold it until I get home.

The Brick Factory

Last night Paul got the truck and drove me to Shaven's brick factory. Shaven is an old friend and business partner of my boss (Shivendra). He lives most of the time in Narayangarat, and has a wife and son in Kathmandu. But his brick factory is on the other side of the jungle, about 30 miles from Bharatpur.

All buildings in the area are made of bricks, so factory owners are usually wealthy. The 300-year old process is fascinating. The bricks are hand formed, stamped, and stacked to dry. The raw bricks are then buried in the ground, under an elaborate dirt-covered scaffold, surrounded by wood, and fired. Two tall iron chimneys on a short dirt mound are all that mark the location of the brick. We walked over the ground while the bricks were being fired, and feet the heat through our shoes. The night was chilly, but our feet were warm.

Then Shaven took us to his tiny house that he uses while he visits the factory, and his cook prepared "snacks". Snacks to a Nepali are a meal for us. For snacks we had grilled chicken, beaten rice (rice that is cooked, then beaten until it is flat, then dried until it is crunchy), some kind of beans, and pickled cabbage salad (very spicy). And beer. We brought a bottle of whiskey to Shaven, which he really likes.

Two hours later, we had dinner. Boar that was cut up into small pieces, and cooked shish-kabob-style on an open fire. White rice with spicy gravy. And more pickled cabbage salad. And more beer.

We listened to Shaven tell his stories. He knows at least six languages, and was very active in politics at one time. He has a lot of connections. His brother is the chairman of his political party.

We drove back home late at night, and slept in late this morning.

My House

The house I live in is one of the best in Bharatpur. It was built by the Chief of Police, and the neighbors say he got all his materials and labor for free. It is now owned by someone else and provided as a home for the flight instructors.

All the floors are made of marble, including the front porch. The high ceilings are painted white and decorated with gold filigree designs and stars. My room has a large ceiling fan for hot summer nights. The temperature is cooler now, and fans are not needed.

All the buildings here are made by hand - the bricks are formed by hand and fired in underground pits, the foundation is dug by hand, the cement is mixed and poured by hand. Sometimes a power saw is used, but other resources are not available. Everyone works on the house - the children, the grandparents, friends and neighbors. Most houses are built to be 2 or 3 stories high, although they are built in stages: first the ground floor, then everyone can move in, then the next floor for more bedrooms and another bath. Rooftop balconies and gardens are common.

The ground floor of my house has a large living room, formal dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and a traditional Nepali bathroom - with a pit in the floor instead of a toilet. When Nepali guest spend the night, that is the room they use.

My room is on the second floor. There are 2 bedrooms, one bath (with toilet), and a sitting area with a TV. We have cable, and we get all the Nepali stations plus CineMax, HBO, and Stars. There is a vast network of pirated cable here, so premium channels are "free". I have a private balcony off my room which faces the morning sun.

When my boss is in town (maybe one or two days a month), he stays in the other bedroom.

Paul, the other instructor, lives on the third floor, where there is only one bedroom and bath. From here are stairs to the roof, where you can get a pretty good view of the town.

The front of the house once had beautiful gardens and lawns, but the owner brought in a baby pig. The baby grew up into an adult boar and destroyed almost everything. We now keep him penned up in back. I am not sure what Shivendar has in mind for this fellow.

We also have 2 miniature deer, male and female. They are the size of large dogs, and are as friendly as dogs. They keep the grass trim and eat the leaves off the trees.

Cooking in Nepal is an adventure, because they do not have stoves. But more about that later.

Thanks

I want to thank everyone for their comments and emails. Although I might not be able to reply, I read what everyone has to say. Thanks again, and I hope to be able to share my adventures in person with each one of you.

My Life So Far

I now have 5.5 Nepal flight hours. Flying here is so different from the US. For one thing, we are the only flight school in the country, so there is no one else up there practising. The airport has about 3 flights a day that arrive from Kathmandu: 2 from Buddah Air and one from Yeti Airlines. If there is a demand, more flights come in. There is no such thing as General Aviation; everything is commercial. Most of the airline pilots have gone to the US for training. Also, there is no Avgas in Nepal. My boss has it trucked in barrels. The feuling process is quite a production. The roll a barrel out to the airplane, hook up some kind of a siphoning system, and fill the tanks. It takes about 5 people to do this.

We have a full crew at the airport: engineers, mechanics, security guards, and others. The students like to hang around also. They help each other out and practise their hand signals. They bring the aircraft into the ramp just like the Big Guys. They are all on the Airline Pilot track, so it is good for them to be familiar with procedures.

Starting the airplane is quite interesting. They hook up the APU each time (just like the airlines) and have a fire extinguisher standing by (required by Nepal law). Then the pilot has to call the tower and ask permission to start the engine. The full crew stands around and waits for this to happen. When the engine has started, the APU is removed, and then the crew signals the pilot it is OK to proceed.

The tower was intimidated by all this at first, having only dealt with commercial airlines. But now they take it in stride. They get a little stressed when a flight is due in and a student is in the pattern. Usually, the student must do some 360s from the time the airline is within a mile of the airport until they have landed. This is complicated by the fact we have no taxiway. We must back-taxi on the runway before we can take off.

Once in the air, the Himalayas really shine. It would be hard to get lost with that landmark. We are very close to India, however, and must be sure not to fly too far south. Some day we hope to get permission to fly there.

On the Internet At Last!

Internet access in Nepal is dicey at best, and getting to my blog in the past week has been harrowing. I will post what I can, but I might get kicked off at any moment.

My plane ride to Kathmandu was 3 days long, although it seemed more like one continuous day. I finally made it! I expected to spend 3 days in the capital city, because that's how long it took the previous instructors to get through the paperwork. My boss picked me up at the hotel and took me to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal offices, and walked me through the process - it took about 5 minutes. Shivendar is a man with connections.

That afternoon, he had his driver take me down the scenic and depressing road to Bharatpur. It is very beautiful here, if you don't look at the squalor some are forced to live. The himalayas are everything you would expect.

OK , It's Official

I received final confirmation of my travel schedule, and I leave TOMORROW. Depart OKC for Chicago around noon. I will spend about 8 hours in Chicago, so will try to sight-see while I am there. Maybe a nice dinner on the lake shore. Then I head for London -- a long overnight flight.

Arrive in London about noon the next day. Again, another 8-hour layover. Will definitely sight-see -- probably head to the British Museum. The Tube takes me right from the airport to the museum. I didn't get to see as much as I wanted the last time I was there, so I will take advantage of the time I have. Plan on another nice dinner in London.

Then I head for Bahrain. I only spend a few hours there, so not enough time to see the city. Then, a long flight to Katmandu, the capital of Nepal. I arrive there in the middle of the night (their time; I will probably be wide awake). Hopefully, my new boss will be at the airport for my arrival, because he is in charge of my transportation from there to Bharatpur, my final destination.

The whole trip takes 3 days. That should be a breeze for a bus-traveler like me.

Getting Ready

I have always wanted to fly in Nepal. Now I am getting ready to go there to teach flying to future airline pilots. Part of getting ready includes:

• Obtaining uniform shirts
• Sending copies of my flight documents, logbook, and passport to Nepal for government approval
• Getting a first class medical (there is no second or third class in Nepal)
• Deciding what I should take, and what I can't live without for 3 months

I will go to Baltimore on the 6th of November to get checked out in the aircraft. Soon after that I will be off to Nepal.