Today will be a very long day of travel. Unfortunately, my route takes me 1,000 back southeast to Bangkok only to follow the same route back to Turkey. Thanks, Star Alliance. Seems I could have flown to Dubai or Cairo directly from here but this was best although backtracking. It actually gets in earlier than the other routes. Oh well - I'll enjoy the Thai Air service back to Bangkok and then Turkish Airlines (for the first time!).
An uneventful morning. Apparently there are more strikes and protests in Kathmandu. The newspaper is full of the riots. The people are really, really angry with their politicians. Does this sound familiar?
Had a big breakfast, finished packing, and checked out mid morning. I enjoyed being in the Presidential Suite at the Hyatt Regency Kathmandu - although the "standard" is a bit different than what one would expect. But I had double security - you had to get into a secure door to get to my room. The entire top floor has the Presidential Suite but it can be divided up into 3 rooms - so I had one of the 3. It was a special touch and didn't cost me that much. In fact, doing the upgrade gave me free internet, free breakfasts, free airport transfers, and free cocktails and "snacks" (which usually became dinner) every evening. So that was good.
I checked out and used the rest of my very, very ratty Nepalese ringetts. The money was really nasty.
The hotel shuttle bus took me to the airport - not far - and there was very little traffic out due to the continuing strikes.
The Kathmandu airport security was something else. I went through 3 x-ray machine screenings and 5 body pat-downs. They also make the men take one line and the women another for screenings. Of course, here there weren't many women travelling so the mens' line was always huge. At the last security screening, the guard completely unpacked my carryone luggage. He was confused with my stack of $1 US bills that I use many times for tips - I had 100 of them but he saw the big stack and thought I had a lot more. That caused much confusion.
I waiting in the Royal Silk Lounge and then waited in the last large security line. I understand they have all of this security to employ people. The checks were not that great except for the one guard who was really going through my bags.
I got excited as we took off. The pilot took off to the south headed to Bangkok, but then he turned and we did a 360 around the area as we climbed up. And out in the distance, there it was - - - Mt. Everest!!!! At least the distinctive peaks sticking up above the clouds higher than any of the other mountains. I was excited. I got to see Mt. Everest! YEAH!
Watched a movie and had lunch on the Thai Air flight to Bangkok - we arrived right on time and I went to the Royal Silk Lounge for my layover. May try to nap as this is an overnight flight and I probably won't sleep much.
A great experience in Asia. Until next time . . . Now off to Eastern Europe and Turkey.
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