February 22 - Bangkok to Kathmandu

We all woke up early again, giving us plenty of time to pack for the next leg of our journey. The Hotel car took us to the airport where we checked in and then met up with Dr Erica and her family, with whom we will be travelling with for the rest of the trip. It was a fairly quick 3 hour flight to Katmandu, but we unfortuntely had to wait another hour to land due to air traffic congestion - not something I would have expected in Nepal. The exit formalities were insane involving multiple forms - although what used to be three different lines has not fortuntely been streamlined into a single line. Once we got to the front we learned that Owen needed to be in a different line since he was under 10. Somehow we got through, payed our Visa fee, and got the visa and our passport stamp. An hour later we left the airport and took the van to the Hotel.

Immediately on leaving the airport it became obvious to everyone that Nepal was very different from California (or even Bangkok). Streets were narrow and dusty, mostly unpaved, and filled with people, traffice, carts, dogs, cows, and anything else you could imagine. Sammy asked me if they had different traffic rules in Nepal, and I replied that they did not have any rules. I didn't see a single traffic light, although cars just plowed through intersections with barely a concern. There were policemen everywhere, some direcly traffic, and some just walking around.

In the afternoon we met with the World Wildlife Fund who were going to be our hosts for the Chitwan visit. I am very impressed with this organization - most think of their purpose in terms of saving endangered species, but they are also firmly commited to improving the lives and health of the people. They are strongly pushing the use of biofuel stoves for cooking, which over the years has prevented the destruction of countless acres of forest. Areas that were once barren have now been reforested, and WWF has been able to use the carbon credits from this to fund new projects. They have also been trying to create corridors connecting the national parks so that the animals can freely move around rather than being imprisoned in one area.

Back at the Hotel Owen had fallen asleep again so Cathy and Owen had a light dinner in the room while Sammy and I and the others ate at the buffet. Again we all fell asleep really early.