Day 98:

C spent five months living in Nepal. Her gig there was working as a volunteer at a rural orphanage. But much of that time she spent hanging out with the hawkers who work the streets of Katmandu's Thamel district, selling junk to the tourists. So, here are a few facts that she learned which will interest no one save those who have visited Kathmandu:

One: The shops are almost all owned and staffed by Kashmiri people from India, not Nepali nationals. That common refrain of "it's from Kashmir" is actually an honest statement.

Two: Prices are marked up about ten times. The 400 rupee bag was purchased by the vendor for 40 rupees.

Three: During peak season, the shops sell only about three items each day, with a value of about 2500 rupees (60 bucks). Most of this goes back to the owner of the shop... who does not work as a salesman.

Four: The hotel bosses have a set rate for the rooms. The people staffing the place charge whatever they think they can get, and pocket whatever amount is over the set rate. The boss gets the rest.

Five: Before Nepal's royal family was mostly murdered, they hung out in Thamel during the off season.

Anyways. I've really grown to love Ladakh. It's a place of simple beauty, found in it's craggy mountains, dusty valleys, and even in its cities, made beautifully green by age old irrigation techniques. This is a place where I wish I could stay. I wish I could linger. But I cannot... this is a "long way home," not a expedition meant to find a new home.