The mountains just before we landed.
Our Qatar Airways plane landed around noon in Kathmandu. 
We went into the terminal filled out the immigrant papers and were in a slow like for our visas when the building shook a little. There was construction going on outside so it seemed like a big equipment thing but then it escalated to the building moving maybe about three inches side to side up and down so while a few ran out of the building most of us hunkered down beside the huge 2' square pillars. It lasted a minute or so and stopped. We stood up and looked around. The room looked ok and they started processing us again. After about 20 minutes and a couple aftershocks they moved us outside into the Tarmac. I could see the walkway bucked in one place and cracked in several. A decorative wall was crumbled. Look closely. 
We waited there about an hour. One huge plane landed while we were there so the runway must be ok. You can see the huge plane on the other side of the building. 
They say a tower was damaged but will reopen tomorrow.
We eventually got through the visa line. By then many of the workers were gone and they would not let us get our checked bags even though we could see them. They have go go through security and security was down. Our guide, Binoy went back to get them later in the day and everything is there. They must have a disaster protocol that they were following. It seemed orderly for the most part.
We rode to our hotel, The Kathmandu Guest (KGH) house in a van. Here are street scenes. Walls are crumbled and electricity was down in places. No code here! See the pole leaning in this picture. 
Crumbled wall. 
Street scenes on the way to the hotel. 
We ended up walking to the hotel. Somehow we couldn't drive on it. Maybe the van is too big but we walked the last 1/2 mile. 
Entrance to Kathmandu Guerst house. Locked gates but the guard was very nice and let's us in and out without any hassle. I think we look like we belong inside the gates. We waited around. There were people who were supposed to check out, and us to check in but and the city was chaos. The streets were just full of people with big crowds in places. I think where buildings had collapsed.
These bike taxis were everywhere.
You can see how there could be electrical problems. This is the norm for their electric lines throughout the city.
We went to a nearby cafe. There was a crumbled wall and leaning pole to squeeze through to get to the bathroom. The old bathroom saga without running water of back in the day.
Almost all the shops were closed with sliding metal doors like a garage door pulled down tight. Other Trekkers we met told how they were in a shop and everything went flying off the shelves and out into the street. They said the shopkeepers cleaned it all up and closed the doors very quickly. I suppose there could be looting but I haven't seen anything of it.
I ended up walking with some of our team down the street. We found Internet in a cafe and checked in at home. Fried rice is the meal of the day. The menu was down to one thing only. Our hotel, KGH I'll call it now served free fried rice to the guests. We didn't go hungry. 
We got checked in about 7 PM. There is a 10:45 hr time difference. We are tomorrow already.
John checking us in. Harold and Patricia looking on. Harold says he was in another earthquake in Peru once so he's taking the blame for the bad luck here.
Out room is pretty good. We swapped out our own towels and wiped up the bathroom a bit but can't complain. I suspect the housekeepers might be home digging their friends and families out of the rubble. I slept hard till now and will try to sleep some more. The time difference makes it tricky. Good night.
No comments:
Post a Comment