A typical atypical day in Kathmandu

Cannot remember if I've already posted a monkey picture. I'll try to get some closer views, but the bigger the monkey, the more aggressive they are. I have already had to fend one off with a golf club; something like "Get the **** away from me Hanuman!"

This is the back garden area at Royal Nepal Golf Course. It's where I sit having coffee each morning.

DO NOT eat the buffalo mo mo from a street vendor. It is the one and only time I've been sick so far. I didn't even eat the whole plate, and I knew I was in trouble after the first one so I took a picture to remind myself of the fun.

This is how I currently live. Some staples of my home life include a jar of peanut butter, a sleeping bag (there's no heat in these rooms), hand sanitizer (because I'm like a little kid touching everything in my way), and a flashlight that doesn't need batteries (I have already used this more frequently than I would like)

It's incredible when the fog and pollution mix in the morning. It creates a nice contrast for the buildings that are close by. What you can't see are the buildings just a couple hundred yards from my window

Finally got a checkbook. I think I'll keep it open even after I leave in case I need to launder money.

So today is my last day in KTM for a few weeks. I'm going to spend it practicing, packing, and having dinner with a friend who will be gone when I get back into the city. I'm a bit nervous about the bus ride to Pokhora, although the playing pros I'm going with assure me it's safe. I'll be staying with the Nepali during the four day tournament and in a different hotel after that. I have informed them that I'll need to hang out with some westerners, if not Americans on thanksgiving. It's interesting how holidays take on a little more meaning while you're over seas.
One good thing that came out of going into Thamel the other night was that I was able to get the number of a Nepali tutor from a German girl who spoke French. Just reading that sentence causes me to shake my head, and that's kind of what this place is like. You never know what is in store, but it's usually something that can either be disregarded entirely (sir, you want hash? you like dance bar?) or something helpful ( Oui, je connais un bon professeur. Son nom est Anita. Voici son nombre.)
When I get back to the city I'll start taking lessons twice a week at a rate of 500 npr per hour, which is approximately $6.50 an hour. I'm not sure that it will ever help me outside of Nepal, but at the very least, it'll help me argue with these taxi drivers who think I'm some 1 week trekking tourist who doesn't know what the prices should be.
Next update from Pokhora !