Kathmandu for a long weekend

Gwen's flight was delayed from UK so I have come away to Kathmandu on my own which is an experience in itself. If I have to travel on my own I would have preferred it to be somewhere a little more Westernised. However it is character building. I feel very safe and the people are very helpful and very very friendly.
Kathmandu is third world although not in the same way as Georgia. The houses are brick and built to much higher standards and are not add ons at all. The houses are about 4 stories high and you can see the reinforcing steel going in on the new brick structures.
The streets very narrow. How two cars pass with motorbikes on each side with pedestrians walking in between and no one being touched is a miracle in itself. Rubbish is a problem here. I am doing my bit by refusing anything in a plastic bag. If Grergia was the home of the Lada then Nepal is the home to the Suzuki car and the Honda motorbike. A huge percentage of the population ride motorbikes, Mum, Dad young child sandwiched in between sometimes with bags. Women always ride side saddle. Covered in tuktuks can carry up to 9 or 10 and buses have passengers on the roof or hanging out the doors. Its a busy bustling city and I am loving it. Every smoke filled breath, gas fume, smiley face, gentle person piece of this country.
Yesterday I hired a driver, asked one of the other single ladies at the hotel to join me and went up into the mountains close to the Tibetan border, and a reasonable distance from Everest. It was magnificent and I was so pleased to go out of the city. Today I am going to roam around the city and try hard not to get lost. This is the downfall of being on yr own.
The power goes off here around 5:00pm and the generators kick in if you have them, or the shops have lamps and candles so I promise to be home by dark.
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