my friend ben.

visit ben's website.
he's the other half of the servant team.
he's very informative.
and very technological.

namaste.

ajaa mero janmadin ho.
that's nepali for "today's my birthday."
i am 25 today.
i know it's not the 28th yet in america,
but whatever.
don't worry, i'm not sad about
the numbers getting bigger.
i'm not scared.
i'm only thankful.
i'm only amazed.
and there is only joy.
i'm not going skydiving
and i'm not dying my hair.
this morning i'm having banana pancakes
and a cup of Nepali tea (basically chai)
with my new friends here.
then we're going to visit a leper colony
on the outskirts of the city
and the home that Mother Teresa
started here for the dying.
wow.
it's raining outside.
pretty much always assume
that it's raining here.
my feet are really dirty.
i tried bathing in the little bucket
in my room this morning.
it was kind of complicated.
sometimes you just have to laugh.
yeah, God is good.
it is good to be here.
my cup runneth over.
namaste.

today

tonight i walked home in the rain
and got completely soaked.
i had a cup of chai with
a shopkeeper and his friend.
earlier i learned how to play this
Nepali boardgame with tigers and goats.
we passed a man on the street.
and he wanted us to pay him
because he was carrying a snake.
i would never give someone money
just because they were holding a snake.
we took Saroj to the dentist today to get
two teeth pulled - Saroj has been living on
the streets using drugs most of his life
and has been clean now for several months.
i went to language class and tried not
to laugh at Ben when he mispronounced things.
i tried not to.
today i learned how to tear my bread and dip
with one hand.
i almost bought a bag today.
i had hummous for dinner.
i chatted with a dealer for a while
on the street while i was waiting for Ben.
and i bought a sandwhich for two little boys.
i almost bought hand-made paper today from
a guy who was helping me with my Nepali.
i told him when i did buy paper
i'd buy from him.
my friend asked if i was going
to buy an umbrella tomorrow.
and i said i'd think about it.
i walked home in the rain tonight
and got completely soaked.

the monkey temple.

yeah, so here i am in kathmandu. i admit i was a bit hesitant about hiking up to the monkey temple because i still haven't gotten my rabies shot and this friend of Brooke's was definitely bitten by an infected monkey the other day. but Brook assured me I'd be ok as long as i wasn't waving peanuts around in my hands or something. so we explored around up top and had a nice, long walk around the bottom of the hill. we talked about the irony of having this temple be significant to both Hindus and Bhudists. and then i saw a fruit stand and i had to buy some bananas because i'd been wanting to try some local produce. i love bananas. after one bite, out of the corner of my eye, i noticed two large monkeys running towards me as i was waving my bananas around in my hands. it's funny how quickly we forgot about the risky situation we were in, strolling through the monkeys' territory. i had a moment of local bliss in my mouth and then we were throwing the bananas in the air and running in the opposite direction. kind of scared, but mainly laughing.

LAX

hmm, you love it, you hate it
why do you keep coming back for more?

i've had so many good times in this city.
but really i hate it.
hmm, i don't use that word much.
i don't know, i guess the beauty is
that my friends must be that incredible
because i keep coming back.
there's beauty in sacrifice.
and sometimes it's nice to wade in the water
even if it's dirty and even if you hate it.
there's beauty in the breakdown.

night train to kathmandu.

I think Im going to katmandu.
Thats really, really where Im going to.
If I ever get out of here,
Thats what Im gonna do.
K-k-k-k-k-k katmandu.
I think thats really where Im going to.
If I ever get out of here,
Im going to katmandu.

I got no kick against the west coast.
Warner brothers are such good hosts.
I raise my whiskey glass and give them a toast.
Im sure they know its true.
I got no rap against the southern states.
Every time Ive been there its been great.
But now Im leaving and I cant be late
And to myself be true.

Thats why Im going to katmandu.
Up to the mountains where Im going to.
And if I ever get out of here,
Thats what Im gonna do.
K-k-k-k-k-k katmandu.
Thats really, really where Im going to.
If I ever get out of here,
Im going to katmandu.

Ive got no quarrel with the midwest.
The folks out there have given me their best.
Ive lived there all my life; Ive been their guest.
I sure have loved it, too.
Im tired of looking at the tv news.
Im tired of driving hard and paying dues
I figure, baby, Ive got nothing to lose.
Im tired of being blue.

Thats why Im going to katmandu.
Up to the mountains where Im going to.
If I ever get out of here,
Thats what Im gonna do.
K-k-k-k-k-k katmandu.
Take me, baby, cause Im going with you.
If I ever get out of here,
Im going to katmandu.

I aint got nothin gainst the east coast.
You want some people where they got the most!
And new york citys like a friendly ghost;
You seem to pass right through.
I know Im gonna miss the usa.
I guess Ill miss it every single day.
But no one loves me here anyway!
I know my plane is due.

The one thats going to katmandu.
Up to the mountains where Im going to.
If I ever get out of here,
Thats what Im gonna do.

K-k-k-k-k-k katmandu.
Really, really, really, going to.
If I ever get out of here,
If I ever get out of here,
If I ever get out of here,
Im going to katmandu.

~thank you, Bob Seger