Nepal 3. Katmandu domestic airport Quotation Christine Vine Why do we do it? Cos we love it!!!!!! No one should leave this earth without an encounter with Kathmandu domestic airport. The wooden complaints box is sited on a post in the checkin area. It looks like it has never been used. As a daily traveller now to this airport, tomorrow morning will be our third attempt to fly out, I can see why. Passengers simply have no idea where to start their attack, if indeed it were ever read. The approach to the terminal is a bluster of confusion, noise and complete disregard for human safety. The elderly, infirm and disabled have to be determined to escape this capital city for to attempt such an intrepid journey would surely secure them an early demise. Although wheelchairs are available they are situated inside the terminal building. It still remains a mystery to me how they would bridge the gap from car to chair. Luckily for us, as our taxi pulled into the car park, at least 3 over enthusiastic Nepalese entrepreneurs materialised, keen to carry our rucksack for the dollar reward. Dilemma, they were all smaller than the oversized bag required to facilitate the needs of two middle aged women trekking towards the summit of the world. This did not hinder our boys and we, of course were just relieved we could leave them to it! Off we all set, it was raining so we sort shelter along the tarpaulin covered walkway. This for some reason, only known to the architect, ended 100 metres short of the terminal building. The area then became a treacherous building site. Relieved we were wearing out Himalayan trekking boots, we cautiously stepped out into the mire. Bewildered by what we saw before us, we quickly realised we would, in fact be far safer, short of oxygen on the summit of the world. People, monkeys, stray dogs were all paddling in the swamp caused by hours of rain with no drainage solution. Thoughtfully one of our three porters took us through part of a building site, which for a few feet was covered, to help shelter us from the rain. The next obstacle was corrugated iron that had thoughtfully been left as a make shift a pavement to the entrance. This evoked nostalgic memories of Guildford high street after a snow storm where the snow had settled and then frozen overnight. The authorities in their wisdom omitted to salt the pavements in preparation for the commuters the next morning! Carnage. Passengers, monkeys, stray dogs and the Nepalese entrepreneurs were all accelerating across the makeshift walkway with no obvious way of breaking or even slowing down! Which begs the question Why leave the wheelchairs inside the terminal building. Think of the chaos an out of control wheelchair could cause, sliding through the centre of the mayhem? How we arrived unscathed is a mystery, soon dispelled for inside we faced a scene reminiscent of the evacuation of London during the blitz. Even pigeons we flying inside to authenticate the scene. Much of the equipment in use, Im sure predates the second world war. Unattended bags some labelled, some not lay everywhere. We made it through security, frisked behind a cob web draped, concertina security screen into the fray. Thankfully a new guide arrived, to aid us through the pandemonium, these tips would surely cost us more than the flight! At least we had a guide. Queues didnt really exist, everyone crowded the check in desk awaiting information that at the very least was a vague guess at reality. At one point during the morning the information board stated our flight was to leave and was on time at 9.45am. Marvellous we thought, except it was now already 11 oclock! That was 2 days ago and we still have to hope our flight will leave for Lukla tomorrow. At least today we entered the tiny plane that will fly us onto the worlds most dangerous runway and made it as far as the corrugated roof control tower before we were advised that Lukla was again closed due to bad weather. Not all bad though, on our way back to the terminal building, we did manage to chat to our rather handsome captain and were last off the plane. Disappointingly his co-pilot was female, dont think Chris was giving up the pilot. And.......tomorrow we try again!!!!
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 19:50:21 +0000
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