Day 3

Once again it is about 3am and I am wide awake. I actually don’t mind waking up this early as it gives me the opportunity to write a little and read. In addition, I will need to be up tomorrow morning at 4:30am to begin the 4 hour journey to the site of what I believe is the worlds second largest Bungee Jump. My good friend from high school, Chris Johnson and his wife happen to be here in Nepal as well, and he has convinced me that jumping off a bridge and falling some 500 feet with just a cord around my ankles is a good idea. This is so reminiscent of the old days when good judgment was overshadowed by peer pressure from my good friend Chris….well not only Chris, but he is the only one I can blame this on now. Apparently the location of the jump is on the border of Nepal and Tibet, thus the 4 hour drive. The absolutely lame thing is that I am a bit fearful of heights. Not so much so that it interferes with my rock climbing, cliff jumping or flying…but I have been know to freeze on the ledge here and there. Chris and Liz have strict instructions that if I don’t jump on the count of 3 or less…they are to push. Regardless of what ends up occurring, I will surely only write later that I jumped without any hesitations and that I performed the most graceful of swan dives the long way down….well until the bungee catches and my body is jerked into a series of abnormal tortuous and twisted positions. Well enough of that for now….If I survive, you will read the first hand account in a day or two.

So yesterday was my first “real” day in Nepal. I was feeling great and I didn’t have to spend most of my day looking for lost luggage. I decided to venture out into Thamel. It is the area of the city where my hotel is located and it is quite the tourist trap. The very second that stepped through the gates of the hotel, I was immediately overwhelmed by beggars, street merchants, and people asking me where I am from. I know that in a weeks time they will recognize me as someone who is not interested in buying their wares, or handing out rupees to anyone who asks….or at least that is what has happened in previous trips. The Nepali people are some of the most genuine and kind people I have ever encountered. I think that alone is a great part of the reason I am so enthralled with Nepal.

As I was walking the dirt street of Thamel yesterday I had the unfortunate experience of witnessing first hand a scenario that on many levels represented that which is wrong with America….I heard her before I saw her. A loud screechy voice with an obvious American accent….yelling….” No you are trying to rip me off? I would never pay you 200 rupees for that. I will only pay 150.” (a difference of about 70 cents mind you). Then I saw her. This very large woman (the size that I would normally be stuck next to on a plane) wearing a mini skirt. Yes you read that correctly a mini skirt. It was the most horrific and traumatic sight I have ever beheld. I will not lie….at that moment I felt a little embarrassed to be counted a fellow countryman….Had I not been in such utter shock at the sight of it all, I would have thought to grab my camera and take pictures. Not so much of the woman herself as that would have been a waste of film, but of the looks on the faces of the poor Nepalis who stood dumbfound observing this debacle. I won’t take the time to draw the parallels I recognized between this scenario and that which is wrong in America…but I believe that there are many and I will allow you to come up with your own. Let’s be honest….there are just some women who should not wear mini-skirts. Just like there are some men who should do us all a favor and leave their shirts on. (I know, I am one of them)

Anyway, I went to dinner last night with Chris and Liz. It was good to get caught up with them and little and hear what is going on in their lives. The picture is of them.

It is late, or early...however you want to look at it. I will write more tomorrow.

Oh and bad news, the Bungee jump was postponed a day, Apparently they were having some "technical difficulties"....Make of that what you will. I am more nervous about this now than ever.