TRIP HOME

So did some shopping in Kathmandu...... love the bargaining....even started making friends with some of the shop owners. Instead of throwing my shoes away I had them repaired. The shoe repair man invited me home to meet his wife and kids....and suggested I buy him a shoe repair box. A shop keeper who sells clothing suggested we visit Thailand together next time I'm in Nepal.

I had heard I needed money to pay a tax at the airport when I was leaving. I made enquiries and found it was about 1700 rupees. Went hurredly to the ATM... but it rejected my card. Went to a second machine just in case it was the blackout. This one told me to contact my bank. Starting to worry so I looked at Western Union and found out how to get money sent. Then I went in search of a phone to ring Australia. On the way I found another ATM and so in desperation tried this one. Relief as money came out. Relieved now I naturally did some more shopping!

Arriving at the airport I found the tax had been cancelled. Had Nepali money but nothing for Abu Dhabi or Malaysia. Since I would only be in Abu Dhabi for a short time this was OK. So I bought some chips and chocolate for any stop-overs....... just in case.

My hand luggage was too big but they were happy to send it as regular luggage and again since I would not need things in there until Malaysia when I had a long stop this was good. I went up through "security". The waiting lounge was packed....400 men and two Indian women........Amanda will love this when she gets here. After an hour a man at the door said something I couldn't hear but half the men there ran to the door and lined up. The line stretched right around the room. I waited. Half an hour later there were three or four left in the line and so I joined the line. Through the door and I went.... and into another waiting room....yep....people were lined up here again at another door. I sat down. After frisking people one at a time the guards let them out to the plane. I was last to board.

Arrived at Abu Dhabi. Found the waiting room and settled for an hour wait. A man collapsed....maybe heart attack, asthma attack or drug over dose. He was breathing but people started giving him heart massage. Some called for an ambulance. A crowd had gathered but everyone wanted to try something else. They were arguing over his body. An American girl, Bridget and I thought they should put him in the coma position and leave him. I slipped through and turned him on his side in case he started being sick. Armed guards pushed us away from him and then turned him on his back to see if he was breathing. Finally a medic turned up....and first thing turned him on his side! They took him away on a stretcher.

Big wigs turned up on the tarmac in white cars with flashing lights and armed guards, who led them into a side room. After a while they were led out, back to the cars and away. Shortly after they told us the flight was delayed for 6 hours. But they gave us a meal, blankets and drinks. So settled for the night talking to Bridget who was travelling to see her boyfriend in Malaysia. Actually they have done a lot of work at the airport since we were here 7 weeks ago. Their airline which we were impressed with, was recently awarded best airline in the world. Amanda and I had found the airline great on the way over and now, despite the delay I was finding them very good.

I finally boarded the plane the next morning. Shown to my seat at the back. A man asked to swap so he could sit near his wife so I did. Found I had three seats to myself...... until they brought a man with a sick bag down there so he was close to the toilets. Unbelievable! It was the fellow who had collapsed in the terminal. It had been an asthma attack. At the hospital he had been given two injections and he immediately threw up. He wasn't looking well but insisted he had to get to Malaysia......he was a little out of it! Another passenger complained about him being allowed to travel. For over half an hour they argued about whether he would be allowed to travel or not. The airline were trying to talk him out of it but he kept insisting he was OK. After phone calls to the hospital they let him stay. He slept most of the time, but I somehow was looking after him. Now and then I had to check his pulse to see he was still alive and still breathing. Every now and then he would wake and I'd get him to drink. Some times I thought he was in a bad way and at others he was good. Once or twice he threw up. The head stewart kept coming to check on him as did nearly every hostess on the plane. He didn't recall much about what happened in the terminal and was surprised at what I told him. He said he had had asthma attacks before but not for a long while. He didn't have any asthma medication. And he had to get back to Malaysia where he had been working until recently because the girl he had been happily engaged to had suddenly broken it off. He described himself as half Persian, half Austrian. So the trip was a real soap opera!!

At Kula Lumpar I was relieved when we landed at the main terminal because I thought I would have to get here from the other terminal (miles away) in time to take off for Melbourne. However after getting my baggage I searched for the Air Asia counter to book in. Found out it was in the smaller terminal. I needed to get a bus there. The fare was something like 25 cents..... but I had no money, only Nepalese. Went to try to change this to find they wouldn't accept it. But I could get money on Visa...... but had to get a huge amount. Rummaged in my bag and found a small Arab Emirate note from our trip over. Found they would accept this...... it came to about twice my bus fare. I got the bus to the other terminal. The line here went on and on and on. But finally got through..... luggage and all. There was a one hour delay but after a long, uncomfortable journey arrived back in Melbourne.

That first night I ate at a Nepalese restaurant in Melbourne. Weighed myself. 107.5 kilos. In the last four months I have lost just over 30 kilos. The next day I went and bought some new jeans and a belt..... 'cause the ones I had wouldn't fit any more. It was good when I asked for the size jeans I thought I would need and they only had the size smaller. I tried them and had to go back and say can I try the next size down. After trying them I had to go back again and ask for another size smaller. These fit.....and I'm sure on the way out the sales girl was checking out my butt.

Already I am missing Nepal. Particularly the people. I really enjoyed photographing the faces. And they seemed to enjoy seeing themselves in the camera. Here are some images. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them.