Last night, a hotel man told me that the Annapuruna mountains could be seen early this morning in twilight after five o'clock. So I got up before 5:00 am and waited at the side terrace of swimming pool for a view of mountains but in vain. Last night I could see many stars in sky right over my head although it had flashes of lightning. This morning too, there were many stars over my head until the twilight came. But the mountains never came out this morning.
Although buildings and facilities of both hotels at Jomson and at Pokhara are excellent just like western resort hotels, their management is very poor. Especially a manager of former hotel can speak a little in English but he is incompetent as a manager. He disappears when the customers need his help. We suffered from his inability very much. At the latter hotel, it took thirty minutes for paying telephone fee when I checked out. While a clerk was calculating for me, he reacted an oral request from someone else. Both hotels are better than western standard as far as their facilities are concerned, no catalog nor broacher is available. I hope they will have good and competent managers at the earliest occasion resulting in comfortable resort for their guests.
| Separating a group who would continue trip down to south, Mrs. Tsuchida and I, together with Sundara, 24 years old, a guide (a Tibetan student, hoping to learn economics. All schools were closed as a long festival was on.) came back to Kathomandu. A Cosmic Air flight CA532 left for Kathomandu at 11:00 delaying two hours from the scheduled time due to bad weather over there. |
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I realized that physical strength of European and American, both sexes, is much stronger than Japanese while I observed them at the departing lobby.
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On our way to Kathomandu, the tops of Himalayan Mountains came out from thick clouds. After 35 minutes flight, we arrived at Kathomandu where it became fine. But we could not see white mountains. I purchased Nepalese tea at a tea house near royal place for souvenir. Then we took lunch at a Japanese restaurant, Koto. Many products such as carpets, wears and mandara, including live birds which looked like parakeets are on sale throughout the town. The shops on both sides of the streets were crowded with customers due to the festival here. As there are many customers, a huge amount of products is piled up at every shop. I felt extraordinary energy of the town.
Mr. and Mrs. Tsuchida's home at Kathomandu was called as Lama house, which is located on the top of hill from where the whole view of Himalayan mountains can be seen if it is fine. It was three storied building and has a big bath tiled with marbles on its second floor. This second floor is reserved for their home when they stay in the city. Dr. Tsuchida bought the ground about ten years ago but he presented it to Mr. Lama (a Nepalese young energetic business man who owns a travel agent) without any charge. Mr. Lama is living in this house with his family but he is responsible for keeping the second floor for the doctor and his family.
As soon as I arrived at their home, I restored my PC which became unworkable due to the troubles of power supply. And also I enjoyed their deluxe bath.
| Mr. Lama's family (his wife, mother and three sons) prepared a dinner for me and Mrs. Tsuchida. As the oldest son was absent, working together with his father, the second son hosted the dinner. He is 16 years old high school student but he presided it with some dignity. He said he likes mathematics and English and hopes to study at universities in England. The third son is 14 years old and said his favorite is mathematics. |
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Mrs. Tsuchida, Lama's two sons and Sundara took me to the airport a bit before 9 o'clock in evening to be on board Royal Napless Airway flight RA411 scheduled to leave at 23:45 for Osaka Kansai airport. Although I thought I had enough time for the flight, there were long waiting lines of passengers (about 95 percent of them were Japanese) with their big luggages for checking in. As their clerical work was so slow that the waiting customers became furious and noisy. Mrs. Tsuchida was very helpful for me to check-in.
The plane took off at 12:20 am after midnight.
