Trip to Nepal/ Viaje a Nepal

Nepal, Nepal... what a change after India! It is so relaxed, laid back, people are so friendly. We've been in Pokhara for a couple of days now, taking it easy and enjoying the peace and quiet for a bit. The trip from India to Nepal wasn't too bad. Maybe because I had had several people telling me how long and crap it was, it wasn't as bad as expected. It took 1 train and 3 buses, but we made it from Varanasi to Pokhara in under 24 hours, so all good. We did have a bit of an issue with the money collecting guy on the last bus though. To start with, he lied to some Czech guys about how much the trip would cost, but that got sorted out and they paid the promised price. And then when it was my turn to pay he said he had no change, and that he would give me my change later. He played dumb, so after everyone had paid I went up to him and asked for my change. He said he had no change, despite having a shitload of bills in his hand and said "change later, later, wait, patience". So I waited. Until we got off the bus 2 and a half hours later. And that's when I asked for my change again and he said he did not owe me any change, that he never said that etc etc. And man, did I go off! I started swearing and yelling, calling him a fucking cunt (excuse the language), fucking liar, thief, etc etc. He got back on the bus and told the driver to start driving. So I ran next to the bus, holding onto it with one hand while hitting it with the other for about 100 metres, all the time swearing at him while he gave me a little smirk. Until I said I would report him to the police. So he asked the driver to stop and gave me my change. God, was I pissed off, it was almost a full 80 cents that he owed me you know! And I turned around to see the other 5 tourists (Jane, the Czech couple, and 2 Finnish guys) surrounded by about 20 locals, with a lot of yelling and arguing going on. So I joined in, for the customary battle amongst touts to see which taxi we would take, to which hotel, and just how much they would rip us off this time. And a lot of locals doing the touching us and our bags and not understanding the concept of personal space. It's all so much fun:) But apart from that one initial situation on arrival, we have only met lovely and extra friendly people here in Nepal.

Nepal, Nepal... que diferente a India! Es muy relajado, buena onda, la gente re amigable. Estamos en Pokhara hace un par de dias, disfrutando de la paz y tranquilidad. El viaje de India a Nepal no fue grave. Tal vez porque varias personas me habian dicho que era tan malo y largo, no me parecio tan terrible. Nos tuvimos que tomar 1 tren y 3 buses, pero llegamos de Varanasi a Pokhara en menos de 24 horas, asi que todo bien. Aunque tuvimos un pequenio problemita con el tipo que juntaba la plata en el ultimo bus. Al principio le mintio a una pareja checa sobre cuanto costaba el bus, pero lo solucionaron y terminaron pagando el precio prometido. Y despues cuando me toco pagar a mi me dijo que no tenia cambio, y que me daba el cambio mas tarde. Se hizo el boludo, asi que cuando todos terminaron de pagar le fui a pedir mi cambio al frente. Me dijo que no tenia cambio, a pesar de tener un manojo enorme de billetes en la mano y me dijo que "cambio despues, despues, espera, paciencia". Asi que espere. Hasta que nos bajamos del bus 2 horas y media mas tarde. Y cuando me pedi el cambio de nuevo ahi me dice que no me debia nada de plata, que nuna me dijo que me tenia que dar cambio. Y me saque! Empece a gritar y a insultarlo, diciendole los peores insultos en ingles (ver seccion en ingles para mas detalles) y diceinedole que era un mentiroso y ladron. El tipo se subio de nuevo al bus y le dijo al conductor que empiece a manejar. Asi que yo me puse a correr al lado del bus, sosteniendome de la puerta con una mano y golpeando el colectivo con la otra como 100 metros, todo el tiempo gritandole al tipo mientras me miraba con una sonrisita guachita. Hasta que dije que lo iba a denunciar a la policia. Y ahi le dijo al conductor que frene el colectivo y me dio mi cambio. Que bronca que tenia, eran como 80 centavos de dolar que me tenia que devolver, no es joda! Y cuando me doy vuelta veo a los otros 5 turistas (Jane, la pareja Checa y 2 tipos de Finlandia) rodeados por mas o menos 20 turistas, y mucho griterio y discusiones. Asi que me les uni, para la pelea de costumbre para ver que taxi nos tomamos, a que hotel, y por cuanta guita nos van a cagar esta vez. Y los locales tocandonos y tocando nuestras mochilas y no entendiendo la nocion de espacio personal. Muy divertido:) Pero aparte de esa situacion al llegar, toda la gente que conocimos en Nepal es super amigable y tienen la mejor onda.