LAST DAY IN KATHMANDU - goodbye bicycles, Freak Street, Yeti Travels, KC's! 1976

[The Thamel quarter of Kathmandu had become home and I was already growing nostalgic at the thought of leaving the place.  But the group were melting away and it was almost time for Nikki and I to make our way to Delhi to find the elusive return tickets.  One more day of cycling the backstreets of the city, mooching around Freak Street, drinking endless milky coffees - and of course a visit to KC's.

WEDNESDAY 29TH DECEMBER, 1976

"Di up really early - bus at 6.15.  Said a sleepy goodbye!  Said a second sleepy goodbye to Shirley a little later.
Morning - breakfast with Heidi at Shangri la - talked of education and interpreters!  Hired bicycles with Chris and Nikki and went to Yeti Travels - tickets to Delhi confirmed!  Signed away most of travellers' cheques!  Gave us sweet tea.  Chris's money come through too, so he treated us to coffee at the Ra Ra Restaurant!

Back on bikes - really good fun.  Lunch at Kathmandu Guest House with Heidi - had savoury pancake rolls.  Later set off on bikes again down narrow lanes - hair-raising ride avoiding cows, people, vehicles, gutters, porters with swinging poles of earth, dogs and babies!  No one gets out of the way - though we soon got the idea of ringing bells continuously!  No wonder Nepalese are addicted to bells and horns!

Went to Aunt Jane's (parallel with Freak Street) for their lunch.  Very small restaurant upstairs - very famous - perhaps first of the 'trendy' places to go.  In Freak Street plagued as usual by boys with Tibetan books and people offering hash.

On way to Yeti Travels again, nearly got knocked over at roundabout - one of many near collisions!  Great fun though.

Had coffee and apple crumble at KC's for last time - sob! sob!  After dark spent last of rupies on little presents eg Nepalese hats - shops are lovely at this time because still bustling with sounds and life and welcoming lights.  Know this narrow crossroads so well - on first night the bus got stuck there - quite nostalgic about leaving."

BOXING DAY IN KATHMANDU - bicyles, buffalo steak and the blues! 1976

[Word came through that return tickets for Nikki and I were waiting at Post Restante in Delhi - this was the pre-electronic quaint old days of handwritten letters and cryptic telegrams where mail was sent to post offices in large cities to await collection.  So the next step in finding the elusive tickets was to arrange to back-track to Delhi ...]

SUNDAY 26TH DECEMBER, 1976

"Slept in!  Got up and went with Nikki to book tickets for Delhi.  Yeti Travels confirmed flight to Patna but not Delhi - our usual luck.  Back to hotel - Di still sleeping; Heidi got touch of flu but wandering up and down corridor!  Went and joined Sally and Adrian in Shangri la for pancake.

Then went into Yeti Travels again to check mail - got letter that should have received on 23rd - from family in Malvern - various rude messages tacked on end of Mum's letter! [from brother Torquil]  Met Rob there - he gave me lift back to hotel on back of bicycle - hair-raising experience!  Dodging cows, rickshaws, roundabouts - nearly thrown into gutter but didn't come off once!

Met Sally on roof (superb view over Kathmandu and surrounding hills, could see Swayambuth easily).  Went and gave jackets to little man to put dragon on.

Had drinks in Anders's room with Heidi, Bill, Shirley, an American couple en passant (French interjection!)  Then Di, me and Sally went and ate at Shangri la - buff steak and chips, then coffee at KC's - met Hans and Chris.  Then went for drinks in Gary and Beryl's room (Canadian couple that met us all over Xmas and live near Bill and Shirl in Vancouver). 

Great evening - packed at first - Chris and Nikki (went early because Chris got dizzy spell), Rob, Maree, Diane, Mark and Pam, Hans, Chris, Di, Sally, me, Anders, Heidi (left then came back!).  Had great chat with Little Chris about Skye - he climbs in Cullins - very keen - made me feel close to home.  Listened to tapes, then Gary and Rob started playing guitar - Rob played blues and Gary played bongo drum; then Gary played folk songs and lovely Philipino song.  Shirley came in because couldn't sleep.  Then got complaint about foot stomping from bloke below!  Beryl broke party up at 2.30 because of noise.  Said goodbye to Di, Rob and Maree."

XMAS EVE IN KATHMANDU - PARTY TIME! 1976

FRIDAY 24TH DECEMBER, 1976

"Xmas Eve!  Di not well.  Went into town early and sent telegram home, "Happy Christmas - love you all. Alcoholica"!
Met up with Mark and Pam - wandered back - Mark bargained for our postcards - any excuse for an argument!  Walked through backstreets - cows, dark shops, rickshaws, kids with pockmarks - Pam worried in case gets chickenpox.  Met Rob and Maree eating rock hard gooey things - Mark said looked like cow pats!

Went in later to collect suits - Di went back because sick.  Yeti Travels, then expensive tea at Ra Ra Restaurant - not good.

Had bread and cheese and curd in room - Di in bed; Heidi egg nogging!  Then went to rum punch party in Chris and Nikki's room.  Really good fun - lots of people there, great drink.  Rude comments about my green suit - "come in your pyjamas" etc.  Sang Christmas carols then decided to sing outside KC's - so we all grouped at the door and sang away - difficulty in remembering words, but appreciated by diners at KC's Xmas Eve party.  Sally knocked down some of new kitchen wall!  KC very tolerant with us.  Some of us sneaked in and listened to guitarists and drank Night Lifes, while others went on to sing elsewhere.

Tried to organise going to midnight mass but didn't know where place was - Mike had already set off walking, had said I'd go too.  Joined others in cake shop - KC lit cake with brandy on - all had some - kept pouring rum into my coffee - no one paid for anything!  All very merry.  Went round kissing everyone merry Xmas.  Back to restaurant - funny little urchins grabbing onto us out of the dark.  Locked us into restaurant, so Nikki rushed back for Chris and others!  Pushed back tables and had a disco - really great bop.  Finished about 3 o'clock!  Got Xmas kiss from KC!"

KATHMANDU - COFFEE, CAKE, KOTHAYS & FAREWELL MEAL, 1976

[As I say in a letter home: 'we all seem to have booked in at the same hotel - apparently we're the only group who've stuck together after the trip finished!  Had a farewell dinner the second night here before Neva flew away and we had speeches and jokes and presented Geoff with a drinking cup!' 
Having been replenished with badly needed funds from home I appear to have gone on an eating spree.  The letter continues: 'The street down from our hotel is full of good eating places and thanks to the money you sent me I've been trying out lovely Chinese and Tibetan foods - chicken with cashew nuts, buffalo and curd, Kothays (things in batter) etc!  Not the least attraction is KC's cake and pie shop!  They serve such huge portions of mouthmelting creations and their coffee is lovely, so we drink gallons as there wasn't much on the trip.']

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER, 1976

KC's great restaurant, Thamel, Kathmandu, 1976

"No one could lie in because conditioned to wakening at crack of dawn!  Had lovely hot shower.  Pam and me went to KC's for breakfast - toast and coffee!  Then met Jan at bank and so went back for more toast and coffee.  Joined people lazing on hotel balcony (ie concrete terrace where spread washing).

Not long before decided to try a KC cake - huge helpings, everything from fruit salad pie to sponge cake!  Then went in search of Yeti Travels for mail (already heard tickets not arrived from London).

Went via maze of backstreets - fruit sellers, clothes, bicycles galore, small squares, mangy dogs, smell and filth, buffalo roaming lanes; tallish brick houses with old dark carved wooden window frames and doors.

Eventually onto broad main streets and got mail - heard money come through, so relief that can live again!  Post Office with Jan - race in queue for stamps.

Gathered at hotel to discuss what giving Geoff [driver] and to order for group farewell meal.

Had meal in Star Hotel - fruit juice, steak (cold) veg (few) cake (revolting) tea (sweet)!  Apart from disappointing meal, speeches by Rob and Geoff and Fred were funny and Rob told wide-mouth frog joke (promised since Florence, Mich. Angelo campsite!)  Good atmosphere to end evening - Neva's last night."