A stroll in Kathmandu

 I passed some interesting neighborhoods and interesting people. Each time I asked for directions, they smiled and pointed the way. I walked near this building and I saw a half naked sadhu (a Hindu holy man) sitting crossed legged at the window and giving blessings to people who visited. It was freezing cold but he had a dusting of sand on his upper torso. Nepal in January is freezing cold and they don't have enough power for heating in rooms. The temperature inside and outside is the same. I slept with all my clothes. Hot water is erratic and you have to be back at your hotel at the right time to get a hot shower. There is only power for a few hours a day, the other few hours the generators are turned on but still between 1am and 7 am, there is nothing and the whole place is in complete darkness. It is a very interesting situation and none of the visitors seem to mind, me included, less carbon footprint. I remember arriving at 12 midnight and was picked up by my hotel people, we went through some dark dark streets if you can call it that. The streets were not paved and it had potholes at every turn. It was scary. I didn't know what I was in for or if I will even be alive at the end of the drive. I was shown to a freezing room and I decided I'm going to another hotel the next day. I can't accept no lights, no heat, no hot water. I learnt the next day, its the same all over town. We all got used to it. I had my headlamp with me and that was what I used some of the time. Nepal has been impoverished by a civil war but it is trying to come back. I like Nepal and I'm going back to do some trekking soon.