Consuming Me

Have you ever been to Padanbai ? There two small beaches, a black and a white one, small hotels and guesthouses and NO resorts.
Still a real village with fishermen, cockfights in the evening etc.

When I was in Kathmandu, the first place I stayed in was a proper hostel. Cheap rooms with character, but not one to stay in for long except to sleep.

A bar upstairs with good food, a library of books (okay, many in French) and a common room downstairs. It was run by Europeans, so for sure, they know how to run a hostel. (European hostels are great, except for the prices; however, a eurpoean hostel in nepal has nepali prices). Also had cookery lessons and other things. Lots of people in the bar, willing to talk, friendly staff. ARG! fully booked! too good reputation... They made a big effort to accommodate me, however, by the time they told me they had found some place for me to stay, I had another room booked.

The second hotel had nicer rooms, and internet cafe downstairs, however the TV room was deserted. Noone wanted to stop and talk here, they came to sleep or use the net, then leave. Not nice.

And the resteraunt was closed. If I wanted food, they would go to someone else and get it for me, however, not having a resteraunt means less people around.

I spent a lot more time on the internet or in resteraunts and bars, because I was lonely at the hotel.

In the first hotel, I could lock my stuff inside a wall-closet and leave my door open so people can pop in and say 'hi' without taking risks.

So I moved to a lesser hostel.