Nepal Jan6/09

I hear the other traveller get up so after she leaves I check the alarm and turn it up as it was too low to wake me. I have a hard time getting back to sleep.

Fortunately I hear the alarm as staff did not knock at the door. My shuttle driver is working double shift and I get to the airport plenty early at 6:30AM.

Everything is smooth until I am told that I am overweight and it will cost $500NZ (40kg). I must have been looking at the weight allowance from Canada which was 50kg per bag when I booked instead of the 20kg total allowance....I feel panicked about what to do.

Despite me volunteering in Nepal they will only take off 5kg. I leave the line and get tape and sissors to see what I can take out of my bike box. I phone Peter, he says that I will have to leave things behind.

I feel very panicked as it took me so long to pack, I don't know what I can unpack that I can leave behind and still make my flight.

Cargo doesn't fly to Kathmandu so I can't send it by cargo. I wheel my stuff down to storage thinking that maybe I can store it there until Peter leaves, but reconsider it will be too expensive.

I phone Peter again. He tells me to wear as much as I can to try to reduce the overweight charge.

I go back to the weight scale and start pulling stuff out of my bags. I frantically get rid of some things and fortunately think to put my clothes in my carry on and put my light sleeping bag and thermarest in my checked bags. While I am doing this I am watching the time anxiously. As my weight is less I go back to the counter. Luckily I don't have to line up again.

This time my weight is 32kg (they will take off 5kg) but I still have to pay $250NZ which I agree to. I have to go back to the cargo desk to pay the charge before I can get my boarding pass.

Although there is a line up at Customs it moves quickly. I run to my gate as people are already lined up for boarding-just in time!

While putting my things away a flight attendant crushes my head between the side of the seat and her body. It hurts my ear and she doesn't even stop to say sorry.

When she comes back my way, I talk sharply to her about it, her coworker says that she didn't realize what happened. They get ice for my ear.

It is a 10 hour flight so I chat with my seatmate a educated Phillopino, Laura. She is visiting family in Nepal for one month. I watch "The Dutchess".

There is a short wait at Hong Kong airport. Although I talk to customer service at Cathay Pacific about the overweight charge they are unsympathetic and seem very unfriendly (it is their corporate revenue).

I repack my carryon as I am concerned if they will weigh it, however I am prepared to wear jackets to reduce the weight if necessary. People don't seem to smile much (except for the cleaning lady)so I am anxious to leave the airport.

While waiting I watch a 1 year old boy, he is so full of love, he wants to hug another child but the other boy keeps backing away from him.

We board a bus that takes us to the outside of the plane (Dragonair) to board it. I lose track of my waterbottle but am told I can get one on board.

The Dragonair staff is great! really attentive, cheerful and pleasant. One flight attendant gets me a big bottle of water as I am very thirsty (although they don't usually do this).

This flight is only 4.5 hours and it is a basic plane with no TV's etc. I am feeling quite tired. I try to get some sleep.

Things go well at the airport-I fill out the Visa form, pay the $100 US(90 days). My bags are arrived intact. One fellow offered to help me with my bags, I say no but he insisted -I end up giving him the #10NZ I had left as I had no small bills handy after paying the Visa. He only pushed it to one door then handed it over to me.

Noba has my name on a card, so he manages to squeeze my bike across the back seat of his car and off we go. He is a good driver and seems like a nice fellow although he doesn't waste any time asking for something for his kids when I mention that I am volunteering and brought things for the children.

The drive to the hotel was "interesting" driving along in the dark and then being on narrow winding streets, grey buildings with people lining the sides of the road. It was a quick glimpse and seems a bit scary at night.

The owner met me at the door and appologized that he couldn't pick me up himself as he was seeing friends off.

After sorting out some things in my room, I fall asleep to barking dogs, and the sound of cars and motorbikes.