Monkey Temple

10th October 2011
Today most of the group went to Bhaktapur, I took this trip in 2007 so my plans were to go off exploring on my own. One of the main sites which I have not seen in Kathmandu is Swayamburnath, also known as The Monkey Temple.
Just outside the gates to the hotel usually stands a row of small taxis. My plan was to visit one of the small shops near by to buy a bottle of water and then return to the taxis.
Whilst passing the row of taxis one of the drivers asks me where I'm going. His taxi is in the middle of the row, no honour amongst drivers here. I negotiated the price down from 400 rupees to 300 and say I'll be back after buying the water. Not wanting to miss out on the fare, he says I can buy water on the way and promises to stop at a shop.
I get in the taxi but at the junction with the main road we were stopped by a policeman. The driver had a quick word with him and then tells me we will be delayed for five minutes, it's the president of Nepal! Shortly afterwards a truck filled with solders, two black 4x4s, a load of motorcycle outriders, a stretched limo, more motorcycles and 4x4s drive passed. Once they had passed we headed off through the crowed small streets of Kathmandu. True to his word, we made a short stop for me to buy the water.
On the way the driver tried to negotiate a price for the return journey saying he would wait for me and that I would only need an hour to see the sight. When I said I was going to be longer than an hour and that I did not want him to wait, he said both ways would only be 600 rupees. He was willing to sit still for an hour for a guaranteed fare. I told him not to wait but did give him 50 rupees more than the negotiated price for the single journey.
Swayamburnath is a stupa on top of a hill on the west side of Kathmandu. It's quite a climb up to the top of the steps and you need to watch your camera and bags as the resident monkeys are known to steel them.
Having had a good look around, walked clockwise around the stupa with the pilgrims and spun all the prayer wheels I could find, I headed back down the hill to see if I could find a taxi to take me back to the hotel.
The first driver in the queue quoted me 700 rupees. I told him I had gotten here for 300 and whilst he tells me it's impossible to do it for that, another driver listening to the conversation, says he will take me to the hotel for the 300 rupees. Once again no honour between taxi drivers in Kathmandu and off I go to the car of the second driver.
In the afternoon I ventured into the Thamel area of Kathmandu. This is a maze of small streets filled with small shops. You can buy all sorts of souvenirs here and trekking equipment. Apart from the larger shops, on the entrance to the area, most are selling fake brands when it comes to trekking clothes. I remember parts of the area from my previous trip to Kathhmandu and keep returning to this part and radiating out from there down other streets. I think it would be easy to get lost on the maze.
In the evening I met up with some of the group for our last evening meal together. Tomorrow morning we start the long journey home.

Phil