It took me 2 days to get nto Kathmandu. I don't even know why I went but I'm glad I did. The country uses hydroelectric power and in the winter months the water level is too low to generate enough power so they only get a few hours of electricity each day. The other times power comes from generators but between the hours of 1am to 7 am, there is virtually nothing and the whole country is plunged into darkness. The roads are crowded and full of potholes. It is dirty because trash is everywhere. Its a hard life. I'm glad I witnessed it. I grew up in British North Borneo but I've never seen the conditions of my childhood this bad. The Kathmandu valley wasn't always like this. Back in the days before cars and people, there were three glorious kingdoms existing side by side. They were rich and religious and built some of the most lovely monuments that we see today. Today it is a little hard to appreciate the beauty because of modern encroahment into the sacred places. There are still a few places where they are a living museum meaning conditions today are the same as years ago. Since I only have a few days to see so many things, I had a plan in place and I managed to accomplish all that I planned. The first order of business was the sacred Hindu temple at Pashupatinah. A taxi took me there the first morning of my arrival. The mist was still over the temple and it had this other worldliness to it. The flower sellers were already up to sell flowers to the people who have come for their morning 'puja' or prayers. One is to offer some flowers to be blessed by the priest, leave some at the various shrines, take some home and keep it for good luck and health. The faithful do this every morning, it is usually the womenfolk. 
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