Day 17 - Good-Bye Kathmandu and Hello Bangkok

We finished packing and went down early to check-out. The hotel entrance had an awesome porch where you could sit and watch the outdoor activity. We wanted to relax before getting to the airport.

The airport was nothing like I had ever experienced before. Our guide dropped us off at the airport, gave us some last minute instructions, and said good-bye. We waited in a long line to get to the X-Ray machine just inside the door. Once through, we had to get the airport tax. There we no signs, so we got in the ticketing line. A security person reminded me about the tax and I had to go back to get it. I was afraid that by the time I got back to Kim, she would already be at the ticket counter. Boy was I wrong. She had not moved since I left her. I could not believe how slow they were.

A day after we got into Nepal, I saw that our visa was going to expire the day before we were going to leave. I was expecting trouble at the immigration counter when we were leaving, but fortunately it went smoothly. The airport was not organized very well. We were never sure what was going to happen next. The only time we had been searched on this trip occured here. They went through each bag. Kim had a pair of her panties sitting out for all to see. When we made it through the last checkpoint, I expected to see gates like in the US. Instead there were two rooms both unmarked. We went to one door and showed our tickets to the security guard. I wasn’t sure that we communicated clearly. We walked in and hoped we were in the correct place. Fifteen minutes later they called our flight.

When we touched down in Bangkok, I noticed that the rum I bought in Kathmandu had leaked inside the bag that had the laptop. I didn’t want to open it because it would stink more as we went through Customs. We met our new guide and went directly to another dinner with Thai dance. It was good, but not as good as the Nepalese show. Outside were many shops and Kim had to pick up one more souvenir. Just as she picked it up, a rat jumped and ran away a foot from her hand.

We got things ready because we were getting up at 3:00 to get ready to go to the airport.