We’ve “taken up residence”. I think that’s a more appropriate term for our stay at the Hotel Vajra. It’s not really like other places we’ve stayed. It has a certain home-y quality. With cavernous, beautifully appointed rooms decorated in traditional Nepali art – and the most amazingly hot and powerful shower we’ve had yet, Vajra is an oasis for us.
Because we rely on its high-speed Internet – the best speed we’ve found in Kathmandu – we end up spending most of our workdays at the hotel. But we’re not just cooped up in our room – not that or room is a bad place to stay. The grounds have gorgeous, lush gardens with plenty of table and chairs. One area is adjacent to the main restaurant, so patrons can sit in the garden and order food and drinks. WiFi is broadcast throughout the compound, so we can work anywhere.
We also can spend time at the bar and restaurant on the roof with a view of the Kathmandu Valley below us and the Swayambu Buddhist Temple on the hill above.
There isn’t a bad seat in the house.
Because our room is modified suite, with a small office/annex complete with desk, table and chairs, we have a working space separate from our bedroom. Twenty-foot high ceilings, giant windows, stone floors, beautiful art and hand-woven rugs make our room an ideal place to sit and work.
So we do. Instead of chasing around town for a decent stream of data, we simply stay at our comfortable hotel. It’s a little like resort – only at nothing resembling resort prices.
We have even come to know the incredibly friendly and helpful staff including the owners’ son, Kim, who runs the place. Kim who is a few years younger than us got an engineering degree in Colorado and speaks English as if he were American.
His Lama caste family has clearly done quite well for themselves with Vajra and their hotel in Nagarkot where we will stay. Being someone with an international mindset, Kim interfaces easily with foreign guests, staff and personally ensures quality service and care for the place. We see him everywhere, all the time. It’s truly remarkable.
Vajra has quickly come to feel like home.
Only it’s an unusual change. For the first time in our travels, we don’t go out very much during the day. We’ve had a lot of evening plans and socialize with friends of Emily’s at night. But during the day, our biggest venture has been to the corner Momo (Nepali dumpling) place down the road.
The fact that our hotel is our primary source of Internet has resulted in us being more isolated from our surroundings than anywhere we have been. In Istanbul, we were out and about at cafes in different parts of town. When we were done, we had an area of the city waiting for us to enjoy.
In Patmos, we could have easily stayed in our little studio and enjoyed the view all day, but we wandered out to the numerous cafes to try different angles, places and environments. Despite working, we remained in the middle of everything Patmos.
Vajra, on the other hand is weaving its magic – it’s designed to veil the chaos and roughness of Kathmandu. Vajra is an oasis – our oasis – which in turn is making the Nepal outside the gates seem so distant.
In a sense that which makes Kathmandu possible for us also takes Kathmandu away. Our working and traveling concept has taken a different twist in Nepal.
I’m not altogether upset. Kathmandu is not my favorite city. I like the more historical and cultural sections – but so much of it is the worst kind of urban wasteland. As Emily constantly tells me, it’s not the best of Nepal. She wants me to see the real Nepal.
So, this weekend we’ll go to Nagarkot, a town outside Kathmandu which boasts one of the best views of the Himalaya range. We’ll spend one night, get up early to watch the sunrise – which is renown as spectacular – and then we’ll spend the next two days hiking around the edges of the Kathmandu Valley.
A little greenery and fresh air sounds fantastic.
We’ve learned that when we fly to India on December 2nd, we need to do our research better. We’re contacting hotels asking about their Internet speeds and wireless availabilities. Working in Kathmandu has left us more isolated than I think either of us would like to be in India. So, Region 2 will require more planning than did Region 1. I expect our lessons will pay-off.
In the meantime, we have become consigned to making Vajra our home and office. No complaints. Everyone should be so lucky to spend time in a place like Vajra.
Sent from my iPad
