Shutdown Kathmandu

I walked, with shorts, an ipod and a bottle of water, from home to office. A distance I covered in 60 minutes. There wasn’t the usual cacophony of traffic, the smoke the vehicles bellows, and the dust the road throws at you. I walked smiling, breathing heartily and enjoying the environment that Kathmandu should have had. It’s Kathmandu Shutdown today, called by the Newars, who are demanding an autonomous Newar state in Kathmandu. Don’t know how that is possible though. Kathmandu’s become a totally mix place, with other communities outnumbering the Newars. But they like to make hue and cry about it. So let them.

In the main junction in Balkhu, a crowd of Newars were making sure nothing passed through, except for ambulances and press vehicles. There job was easy. There aren’t any vehicles on the road at all. They’d all been frightened off.

Towards the end of the walk, my knees buckled, slightly. It’d been almost an hour since I’d started walking, and tackling the uphill climb just before I arrived at my office, I was drained. Still, the old athlete in me kicked in and I arrived in my office in one piece. Now, I’ve got to relax, get the strength back in my old legs and walk home.

I’m thinking of listening to some disco music on the way back. Helps. And I hope streets will still be vehicle free. Sucks to perspire in the filthy air.