I had planned to catch the us back to Kathmandu today but woke up hungover and couldn’t be bothered. Another day here will be fine. I decide to walk the entire distance from Buddha’s birthplace to the World Peace Pagoda and track it on my phone. It’s hot today and I’m still tired from walking around yesterday. The complete circuit is just over seven kilometers.
I rest and cool off in the Thai building and catch up with Pillu and his friends. He shows me the text he sent to his latest love and has completely ignored my advice from last night, a plan we hatched with many beers. Instead of playing it cool, he spilled his heart out in the text. Her reply was short but polite.
We lunch and he pays. He’s embarrassingly generous for some one who earns little each day. He loves to talk, especially to the young women that come by his humble stall. He likes his job. ‘It’s easy work’ he says. I don’t think so.
angusmccoll 