Postscript to the royal family assassination. On the bus to pokhara I met an American missionary who has lived in nepal for 20 years. He also has a view. The good King was a progressive, doing good things for nepal. He was pro Chinese and anti communist Maoists. And it’s probably these views, as well as the Kings brother’s strong desire to be king, that feeds the conspiracy of India, the Maoists and the evil brother working together to remove the King. Ironically it was the Maoists once in government that were responsible for dissolving the monarchy altogether. At least the evil King was allowed to survive.
I’m now in Pokhara. Pokhara is on a series of lakes and, as people say, is beautiful. So different to Kathmandu. Even the Nepalese holiday here in Pokhara. It’s popular with tourists as well because it’s from here that you can trek the very popular Annapurna mountain circuit. When the bus arrived at the station I got accosted by many touts trying to get me to their hotel. I made the mistake of saying that I hadn’t booked yet. I brush them aside and start walking into the hotel area because Raju had given me some names of hotels at $18 per night. ‘I’m here to hike, I like to walk’ I explain but they follow me on their bikes. Eventually I get an offer of $10 a night with good wifi but not right on the lake. ‘Just have a look and if you don’t like, no problem’. Ok. I’m staying at the Hotel Buttercup.
Had more tremors last night in Kathmandu. It doesn’t really get any easier to experience the shaking, especially when you are five stories up. I’m told it’s better to be high because if the building is to collapse, it happens at the bottom. The buildings generally stay intact, just drop!!!
angusmccoll 