This morning I left my home at 6:15 for Kathomandu, Nepal. I took a Keikyu train from Sengakuji station directly to Haneda airport. I met there Mr. Michio Matsuoka of Kurosunakai, Mrs. Tomoe Tsuchida, whose husband left for the country on earlier day, and Doctor Tsuchida's former students at Ibaragi University. We left Haneda at about 8:00 for Osaka Kansan airport on ANA141 and arrived at about 9:10. The plane was full even though it was early in morning. One thing I did not feel well during the flight, its pilot never made his greeting to passengers and did not inform flight route, weather and estimated arrival time. At first, we thought we had lots of time before we took a flight RA412 of Royal Nepalese Airway departing 13:30. But there were many things we had to do at Kansai airport. We received our luggages at Black Cat Express counter inside the terminal which were sent from our homes and carried them to the check-in counter of Royal Nepalese Airway. And also we took lunch and filled up application sheets for Nepalese visa. So we did not feel that we had waited for long hours. The airport terminal was a magnificent building designed by a French architect. As it has lots of space for passengers but has fewer passengers compared with Tokyo Narita airport, it was comfortable to wait for the flight.
Last night, I was wondering whether I should bring two sets of Vaio note computer or to have one of them. Finally, in spite of the fact that the old one is much reliable and easy to operate, I selected the new one which is easy to carry. I tried to confirm whether it is possible to connect my note PC to outside telephone line by calling some of hotels from Tokyo but I could not get clear answers from them. So even though I carry a heavier one, I might be unable to put it on-line. That is the reason why I made such a decision.
I fell in sleep right after I was on board the plane. I was waked up when supper was served. The plane stopped at Shanghai air port for getting fuel. The size of duty free shop inside the terminal was seemed to be reduced compared with three years ago. The plane arrived at Kathomandu at 10:20 Japan standard time as scheduled. It took about an hour to get visa from an immigration officer inside the terminal. Doctor Tsuchida came to see us at the air port and picked up us to Hotel Sunset View. It took about ten minutes drive from the airport. My room has a good panoramic night view of the capital. The owner is a Nepalese but his wife is a Japanese. So a few of their staffs can understand Japanese. But I could not connect my PC to the outside line from my room.
This is my second visit to this country since March 1997. I felt it was quite a long trip to Kathomandu from Osaka at the first visit. But this time I felt it was not so far from Osaka. The terminal was refreshed a bit. But passengers had to wait in long lines in order to get visa just the same as in old days. The streets were never improved. Many policemen were on streets to check vehicles on street. The temperature here is almost the same as in Tokyo.
While we were at Kansai airport, we happened to meet Dr. Pramod Shretha and his wife of Tribhuvan University. They came back to Kathomandu on board the same flight. He said he was coming back after he made a few lectures on the second Industrial Revolution at Osaka and towns around it.