I'm a bit hungover today

I ended up drinking 'til about 3am with a load of people, including some British Embassy staff. They were the loudest (and last) table left in the bar. As we were leaving I noticed a Scottish accent and went over to say hello. Needless to say the table contained two drunk weegies, among others. We joined them and drank more toasts to loktantra (democracy) while they annoyed the waiter and sang out of tune. Ah, her majesty's finest, it makes you proud to be British.

I woke up very thirsty with a hurting head and I keep coming to and noticing I've been staring into space pointlessly for 20 minutes. Ah well, it's not everyday you see people win their fight for democracy against a despotic regime, I reckon that's worth a bit of a hangover.

Today everywhere is back to normal - everything open, streets very busy. It's weird - everywhere looks different! There'd been curfews or strikes to some degree the whole time I've been here. Now I miss turnings or can't find places because shop goods on display (or the millions of people) are obscuring things I used to navigate by.

The mysterious cows

But what I really want to know is, where did all the cows go? All of a sudden there are cows wandering down the street, grazing on rubbish piles, as you expect on the subcontinent. But they haven't been there during curfews and bandhs. Where have they been? Did they know about the curfews and hang out in some cow hotel garden? Were they joining the protests out on the Ring Road? Do they actually belong to people, who kept them at home, out of harm's way? I've always thought that the sacred cows didn't belong to anyone, but maybe they do. I shall have to ask someone.

Bangladeshi Roads, take me home

I discovered a strange fact last night. I was talking to this Canadian guy who plays the guitar. He takes it travelling with him and was saying that he's started learning to play the standards, because people always ask you for a song and want certain songs - the Beatles or whatever - which he never knew how to play. He said it was funny what songs were popular in different places. That in Bangladesh there was one particular song that everybody wanted, 'Some John Denver song'. About five minutes later 'Country Roads' came on the stereo and he went, 'That's it! That's the song they always wanted in Bangladesh!'

Sarah is obviously the reincarnation of a Bangladeshi! At the very least she should go travelling there - forget the Sinai my dear, Bangladesh is your spiritual home!

*For those of you unacquainted with my friend Sarah, Country Roads is her favourite song, so much so that we had to sing it instead of a hymn at her wedding.

Surprise!

Another thing which is quite weird at the moment is that there are still people returning from treks. Some of the treks last three weeks, so there are people who left before it all started, or just at the beginning, before anyone knew how big it was going to get, arriving back in Kathmandu and going, 'What the Fuck?'

Can you imagine what that's like? Probably better than for the people who were getting back a few days ago to find the bustling city they'd left turned into a locked down police state, I suppose. I was talking to a guy last night who'd been away for ten days - so he knew things were kicking off before he left - but he said it was still pretty weird. And that while they were in the mountains there was hardly any news - no internet, very few radios (and because of the mountains you can only get local fm stations, which didn't seem to be operating many places). And I thought not knwing what was going on was frustrating here...

Ah, shopping

Anyway, I have of course started buying clothes. They have amazing skirts here. Like an in-your-face gypsy who liked primary colours would wear. Not like the gypsy skirts that everyone's been wearing at home at all - no tiers, just rough cotton in bright colours with embroidery or patches round the bottom. They look fantastic! I have restricted myself to one so far but the rest of them are calling to me.

Obviously your judgement is skewed by the fact that everyone here is dressed like a hippy, and when I get home these skirts will probably look ridiculous. But fuck it, I often look ridiculous anyway, no point worrying about it now. I'm also being drawn to fancy belts with shells and mirrors on. I'm mentally calling the outift gypsy pirate queen. It's the look I was born for! You'll all refuse to sit next to me on public transport when I get back...

Other stuff I've been meaning to tell you about...

The store cupboard

Did I tell you about my civil unrest preparations? You know how I mentioned my 'be prepared' keyring. I also, naturally, had stocked up on 'in the event of a prolonged siege' supplies. Namely, two packets of bombay mix, two packets of sultanas, one of mixed fruit and nuts, two bars of chocolate, two large packets of biscuits, several large bags of crisps (unfortunately only 'masala' flavour available - they looked at me like I was mad when I asked if they had plain) and 3 litres of orange juice.

I also have iodine (for endless supplies of safe water that tastes like shit), lots of books and a fully stocked iPod.

I never really expected things to get that bad, but there was a point where I started thinking, 'you know, if there really was a mega-curfew and no food left, you'd feel really stupid if you'd not stocked up on anything'. I'm not sure this would really have helped. But it was probably enough to keep hunger at bay for three days and I'm sure the Embassy would manage to evacuate us in that kind of timescale. Well, I was until I met the Embassy staff.

Actually, that's not very fair. A friend of a friend of Maria's, a British lad, was one of the tourists arrested after the 'tourists' demonstration'. Poor lad wasn't even participating, just standing nearby, and he had red hair. Poor old gingers. The UN and the Nepali Red Cross were supposed to be sorting it out and informing the Embassies, but they did fuck all. Maria and the guy's mate found out where they'd been taken and went to see him. Obviously western prisoners were being kept in much better conditions than political prisoners usually are, but still, the poor guy was in Nepal for a three week holiday and had only been here two days. He was pretty freaked out. The mate phoned the British Embassy and they had all the tourists (non-Brits too) out in half an hour. Hurrah!

Anyway, now I've got piles of high-calorie, non-perishable food that I need to eat up. But let's see what happens on Friday. I may end up needing it after all.

Curfew entertainment

Everyone's been making jokes about the situation during the curfew. People would say, 'how was your curfew today?', and 'Have a nice curfew!'. One recurring theme has been that if it got really boring we should put on concerts, in the guesthouse garden, or the New Orleans, to relieve the curfew boredom. It always conjured images of the Sound of Music crossed with Tenko. All jolly hockeysticks and British pluck.

I picture myself played by Penelope Keith, for some reason. But then, what little girl doesn't dream of growing up to be Penelope Keith? Oh, I see, just me then?

Better than being the Julie Andrews character, surely?

Well, that's it for now. Have fun kids. And raise a glass for people's power tonight!