The evidence that I may have ruined my stats for non consumption of alcohol is that the notes suggest I did not wake up until well after 9.00 am. The note says "Hangover". I suppose it was inevitable if I'd had more than two beers. It probably wasn't a terrible hangover; at least nothing a freezing cold "hot" shower couldn't dispel.
I still had an appetite because around 11.00 am I was eating "Special Scrambled Egg etc" at the Nepalese Kitchen. Some of the letters I wrote home have come to light and I can expand on this breakfast. It cost approximately 90p and included a full pot of tea and the special scrambled egg was served on two thick slices of toasted bread.
Oh yes, it was Christmas Day. Just a normal day in Kathmandu as far as I could tell. There were no visible signs of any Christian celebrations anywhere. This was just the way I like it. I have to admit that I have issues with the celebration of Christmas at home. By the time Christmas Day arrives I am usually so tired of it that I can't wait for it to end. This was the kind of Christmas day I liked. No-one cared less. It didn't seem to mean a thing in Kathmandu.
I seem to have had a very relaxing day getting over the night before. It seems I went on to My Place where I finsihed writing a letter to my brother Hugo and wrote a letter to my friend Vincent and his family.
After that it seems I wandered around taking a few snaps (that's what is says in my letter) and later met a couple called Peta and Russell whom I had met in Kashmir. They were the couple who had booked on to the Houseboat Arizona while I was there. I suppose it is not that amazing that I should meet them again at the other end of the Himalayas to where I first met them but I had covered a lot of ground since then. I had been to the southernmost tip of the land mass, after all. The letter I wrote home says we had a coffee and my notes refer to La Cymbali where, says the Lonely Planet Guide "the Italian food may not be the best but it does make cappucino".
Next (in a truly very rare moment of charity) I bought a beggar some bread and cheese
and gave him 5 rupees for some chai. I got myself a sandwich, a piece of Apple Strudel, some tea and sugar and then retired to my room to write letters home. As my letter says "I wouldn't have thought I could have had a better Christmas Day - no presents = no grumpiness".
