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Day 77 – Location: Kathmandu; Nepal

17/11/12

I couldn’t get to sleep last night, a problem I’ve been having lately. Maybe it’s because I started smoking cigarettes over the past week. Camille smokes and I gave it a go. I smoke the occasional joint when it’s going, but only occasionally cigarettes. I liked the buzz I got from it and started to smoke a bit. I know it’s stupid but I’m in a mood where I feel like trying new things. I’m already cutting down. It’s interesting to see things from the smoker’s side. For me it’s definitely a habit thing, when you want a break, lighting up is a good excuse and gives you something to do.

So I woke up really late and after lunch I finally caught up on the diary completely and did some blog work. I was expecting to hear from Jhabraj today so I didn’t do anything else in case he wanted to meet, in the end he never called and I spent the day killing time.

Small stupa at Bodnath

Day 78 – Location: Kathmandu; Nepal

17/11/12

I walked to the medical centre to get my last rabies jab, then spent the rest of the day in Thamel relaxing and working on the blog. I heard from Jhabraj, who was in Kathmandu to fit out and apartment he had hired for his daughters who had just graduated from university and so needed accommodation whilst they looked for work. I met Jhabraj and Sophie in the evening in a local restaurant, and Bhupen came to join us. We chatted away about Indian travels and Jhabraj invited me to join him and Sophie the day after tomorrow to visit his village up in the Langtang region.

Night falls over Bodnath

Day 79 – Location: Kathmandu; Nepal

18/11/12

Had another chilled out/boring day updating the blog, and popped into Thamel to collect my repaired small camera and zoom lens. Unfortunately they didn’t have a camera to test the fixed lens so I had to lend them my big one. That was annoying because later I was going to Bodnath specifically to take photos in the evening sun, now I’d only have my small one. At mid-afternoon I caught a taxi to Bodnath (my third visit there!) and met Sophie and Jhabraj. It was busy with locals. I took some snaps with my little camera.

Bodnath in the setting sun

Sophie and Jhabraj spin a giant prayer wheel

Evening prayers

We had dinner at the same rooftop restaurant I’d visited before and we chatted until nighttime, when we were hoping the butter lamps would be lit, enjoying the ambience of the sunset and the haunting sounds of the Tibetan horns. Unfortunately for Sophie, there didn’t seem to be much going on tonight, with only a few lamps lit around the stupa. We caught a local bus back with Jhabraj’s help and I went back to pick up my repaired zoom lens. I was pretty lucky to even get it fixed in Nepal, Panasonic is not a popular brand there. It was expensive for the repairs, but not compared to the cost of buying new equipment, and I was sick of walking around with what amounted to two paperweights! I went to bed early in anticipation for an early start tomorrow, when we’d be heading up to Langtang.