Getting Lost and Losing Stuff Super Bowl Edition

Okay, Becks is supposed to arrive around 10;30 this evening, so my blog posts could become a bit more sparse as I ease into my vacation time. My Super Bowl adventure was a huge success thanks mainly to my new buddy Brian Smith. He is an engineer with New England roots although he has done a ton of traveling. I was able to get a cab at 4 in the morning and I was also able to pay about triple the normal rate thanks to the early hour. (SHIT..just realized I left my vest at the cafe and I am now freezing cold. Some things never change.) Anyway, Brian came out to the northeast corner of the palace wall to meet me and we made our way back to his apartment where he had nachos and buffalo wings prepared for the game. He's opening a restaurant/sports bar in Kathmandu and if the food is even half as good as the wings, it'll definitely be a success. We traded stories about the culture differences we face in our respective businesses and laughed about the fact that we were about to watch the game on a ten inch netbook. Although the fact is, we were both happy to be surrounded with Americana for a few hours. It was an extremely odd feeling watching the game at 5 am on a Monday morning, waiting for load shedding to start. You see, there are about 12 hours a day without electricity at this point. Luckily he has a generator so while we were without many lights, we still had the game. The streaming was choppy and it we checked the gametracker on ESPN.com frequently. However, we were able to watch most of the key plays as they unfolded, and I am probably a lot happier about that than he is. After the game I wandered around, got lost (like I said, some things never change), and eventually made it back to my tiny hotel room and passed out.

Wings and Nachos during the Super Bowl!

This is my current room, two huge bugs live in the TV

This is the room at the nice hotel. Thanks, Moon!

 On a side note, one of the great benefits of doing something like this is that I no longer get bombarded by ESPN espn. Wait...I want a job at grantland, which is part of ESPN...Sorry fellas, c'mon just gimme a shot! Hey, remember all those other great posts I've written? go check them out while I upload some pictures for my many many readers......

One of the many streets I walked down after the game trying to get home

Garden of Dreams and Breaking Bad

I did like the place settings though

Okay folks, I'll be waking up around 3:30 am tomorrow morning in order to catch a cab to my new friends apartment to watch the Giants beat the patriots in the Super Bowl. With that in mind, this post may be a bit shorter than most, as I am sure nobody wants to hear about how excited I am. So let's look at some of the particulars of getting this party accomplished instead. I have never actually met Brian Smith in person. I came across his blog while relentlessly searching for somewhere to watch this thing. We have exchanged emails and texts, and I have a google earth map of where he lives. I'm not positive cabs even run that early. Sounds like a fool proof plan, right? Well, it's all I've got at this point, so wish me luck.

Calming

Awful Photographer

 

Pretty

Nice

As far as what I accomplished today....I finally went to The Garden of Dreams, which is only a short walk from where I get coffee a few times a week. It costs 160 rupees to get in, and the menu is absurdly overpriced. There were a lot of couples wandering around making out and holding hands, which is not really something you see in any other public place in Nepal. It actually made me a little bit sick to my stomach to see so much PDA. It was like a high school exploded and all of the hormones got sprinkled on everyone in the place. Hand holding, kissing, picture taking, blechhh. So as I sat there in disgust while trying to eat my asparagus soup I began plotting the rest of my day. I had already been to the golf club and decided against going back as I'm not looking to actually "play golf".


So here's how it unfolded...I purchased a candle holder for my Nepali teacher since Tuesday will be our last lesson for a while and she has been incredible. I bought a welcome to Nepal present for Becks, and followed that bit of spending up with a nice haircut. Disclaimer - Haircuts for me these days involve me sitting down, saying "No massage please, do you have electric clippers? Good, put it on zero. Here's 250 rupees." I then purchased seasons 1-4 of Breaking Bad for less than $8.
Want a golf update? I'm still negotiating with the Fulbari Hotel for management rights over the Yeti course (should be very soon!), and the Faldo agreement is in the hands of the people at Gokarna Forest Resort. Next!

The Truth About Golf

    Okay, why in the world would you ever play golf, let alone read a blog about golf? Well the second part is easy to answer. By reading my blog you feel can feel safe and secure while I battle through non-drinking related blackouts, typhoid shots, and taxi drivers from hell. It probably makes you feel good to say, "Hey I know some crazy dude who is in Nepal teaching golf and creating a junior golf empire." Plus, as you must admit, I am a fantastic writer (please tell Grantland.com how great I am).  And then you can go back to your business of raising kids, cleaning up dog shit and whatever else it is my friends do.
     The first part of the question is what really deserves some digging. Why play golf? I wish I could make an argument for it. I wish I could claim it builds character and fosters honesty among friends. I wish I could say it has some type of redeeming quality that sets it apart from other sports, that it has a history so rich that it can't be ignored among the giants of the world. Well, it doesn't. Have. Any. Of. This. It's history includes discrimination, deceit and gambling to the point of homelessness. What it has is power hungry lunatics, liars and cheats who will kick their ball out from the woods the minute you go to light a cigarette, and alcoholics who will drain a bottle of gin before you can even make a decent martini.

     Now is the part where I reverse course, highlight all the good things that have occurred because of golf, and basically discredit myself in the process, right? Wrong. These alcoholics, gamblers, and power hungry people are who make up my list of friends. They are the ones who stand by be me when I need it, and at the same time they are the ones who would cheat me out of a dollar just to see if they could. I don't know why I stay in golf. I think it's because I'm in so deep (I'm in Kathmandu running golf clinics, for the the love of god) I can't get out. I'm like a gambler who thinks his next bet will hit, or an drug addict who is positive heroin is doing something good for him. I'm so utterly involved in golf that last night I had a dream involving me hitting my wallet out of a bunker. The wallet hit me and as I looked up to see if anyone saw the infraction Greg Norman was sitting there, legs crossed telling me that it wasn't even a penalty. Go ahead try to understand that. I can't quit golf. I want to, I really do. Somebody help, it's ruining lives.......Now for the pictures of kids learning this magnificent game...

It's a 7 mile walk the kids must complete before the martinis are distributed

I had 13000 rupees on this shot making the green. On a side note, can I borrow 13000 rupees

Adding up scores and deciding who buys drinks

"Mark me down for a 3"

Future industry leader

Leg Tickler Effect and the 1994 MLB Season

Okay kiddos, What a day that was. Let's get business out of the way first. The only business i did today was to amend the Yeti Golf course lease and remained in touch with Ayush Amatya, the business director for The Fulbari Hotel and Resort. He is a very pleasant Georgetown graduate with whom I am forging an excellent partnership. He actually quit junior golf at age 15 in part because there was no competition and really nowhere to play. So he clearly understands the need for growth of junior golf in Nepal. I am more hopeful than ever about getting to work soon on the Yeti Course in Pokhara thanks to him. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I am moving ahead with the idea of holding the first ever tournament of the NJGT (Nepal Junior Golf Tour) on February 24th. I am hoping for sponsors and Sachin is working very hard at getting some money in our corner. Despite this, I will begin inviting media and I will actually buy the tee times myself if we are unable to convince any course to host the tournament, which will take about three hours on a Saturday afternoon. There's still time to donate folks, you could have your name in Nepali lights! Yes I am actually begging for donations for these kids. If they never get the chance to actually play golf, why in the world would they keep coming to clinics? Answer - because their parents force them to. That's all fine and good, but what happens when they start telling their parents "no"? Well, then golf in Nepal dies a little bit more. Speaking of which...Who remembers this? It was a dark time in baseball history, though I would argue the steroid era is much worse. Anyway, I issued my own strike today and didn't go to the RNGC at all today. Keep in mind I have no issues with any of the Professionals, nor with any of the people who have helped me acclimate to Nepal. As discussed in a previous post, I was not pleased with the information given to me, basically third hand, that said no more lessons on the course. So I went on strike. Not from trying to get more for the kids, but from giving any lessons not involving the kids. Instead,I went to the mall!!

It was really clean and heartless. Like any good mall should be.

It also offered sales, mainly 30% off winter clothing

Ready to be sad about an 8D movie? They wouldn't let me buy a ticket because I would have been the only person watching. I don't know what to make out of this so I'll just make Becks go with me when he gets here

At least the view from the food court was pretty solid. Also, they have a bar. Not bad.

If the "leg tickler effect" is someone below me tickling my feet I will come here every day for a month. Or I will never go to the movies again. We'll see how it plays out.

I don't think Kenny Loggins has anything on this

Bad Ass

Let's begin with the good news, I was able to extend my visa in near record time thanks to Sachin and a few extra rupees to the guy who was expediting my extension request. It took only about half an hour, and I didn't even have an extra passport sized photo with me, which is apparently required. Seriously, I thought that was going to be an entire day spent in line(s). Check out some photos of that mini adventure while I try to calm down....

Now you can join me in the back of a cab. Exciting, no?

This is the road to perdition away from the Sinamangal

Apparently this is a chicken store.

This is a tough choice. I don't like the fact that the Danger sign is permanent

Waiting  with Sachin for my passport to come back to me with a fresh Visa. Why do I always have that look? And by "that look" I mean awesome.

It took me a few moments, but now I don't feel like breaking every club I have  I am breathing normally and not (quite) as frustrated. "Just get to it!" You may be yelling at your computer screen. First of all, lets add in some more good news. I had an excellent meeting with the business director of The Fulbari Hotel and Resort. We went over some of my needs as far as the golf course lease is concerned and had some tea while we were basically pleased with ourselves for agreeing so easily that this is going to be a win-win situation. They will get professional management of a golf course that had basically been ignored for years, and we will get, well, a golf course. There is enough space for a driving range, we will be allowed to manage it autonomously, and there will be ample course time for the kids. It really was the highlight of my day. Think about how this worked out this morning - I was optimistic about the day, got the visa quickly, stayed positive, had a great meeting, and then went back to Royal Nepal Golf Course. I had lunch, talked with a friend for a while about how things were going, and was leaving the course an hour or so later when I was stopped outside the clubhouse and directed to a sign posted in ENGLISH on the message board. It basically said that there was to be no more practicing on the course, and that when playing, you were not allowed to play more than one ball per hole. This is clearly aimed at me. The juniors, as well as anyone I teach need short game practice more than anything else. They also need to be able to practice hitting woods and hybrids. You are not allowed to do any of this at the driving range. Previously I would take my lessons to the course, take video from a couple different angles, show them multiple shots from around the green and from fifty yards and in. Seems like practice. Seems like they were getting better. And now it seems like that whole "becoming a better golfer" thing is gone. "Here, teach our kids and get them ready for competition, oh but you can't use the course." That's great. That's like telling a musician to prepare for a recital in front of the President, but oh by the way, you can't actually use any instruments while you're getting ready. If and when these kids fail at tournaments in other countries it won't be their fault. As I've been saying, I can't wait to get to Pokhara...Now a few happy pictures of a cafe I found away from the noise and traffic of KTM...

It's not a real head, so relax!

Can I just live here?

Indio in Nepal and a Stimulating List

Paperwork exists here too.

Okay kids, short entry today. Basically it took me a few hours to get 60 pages printed and put into a folder. Can you imagine if you went to Staples and they said, "60 pages? that will be four hours." Well, imagine that and then imagine Staples is actually broken up into four different stores each about a mile apart. Anyway the proposal for the NJGT is compete. Sachin and I now have some ammo to go into presentations with. I am actually holding my breath because this whole thing could be paid for within a few weeks, but I don't wanna say anything else about it just yet. I'm actually pretty tired tonight and don't have the energy to even write this blog, despite having a very full day. You'll have to pardon me for one day. Tomorrow should prove to be great fodder though, as I will be dealing with the immigration office for what I can only imagine will be around 18 million hours.
I just can't bring myself to give an below average blog post to the people who have been following me. Average is fine, but below average? NEVER. Wait, are we at average yet? No? Shit...

The budget overview in rupees

An entire paragraph in Nepali without help!

Can I not get away from Indio? Jiskeko (just kidding)

 Maybe typing over here will help. I have found an American who is a New England Patriots fan and who is also streaming the superbowl at 5am at his house onto his computer. Unfortunately there is load shedding going on, so we can't hook up a projector, but he promises buffalo wings, so I'm in. It's been a while since I had a beer at 5am, McConnell will remember when I had that meltdown, and I plan on having a few that day. Hey, does anyone know if cabs run in KTM at 4:30 am? Ya know, I'm not even feeling the writing thing tonight. So I will leave you with a list of pretty cool spots to go read something that may stimulate your brains...
1.) Stimulation level 1 out of 5
2.) Stimulation level 2 out of 5
3.) This guy really is insufferable 3/5
4.) You get the ratings by now, and is this really what I'm stimulated by right now?
5.) Probably the best thing on the internet 5/5!


Thanks for reading and goodnight. Also, to an unnamed source, thanks for the Yoga inspiration!

Doing Yoga. I look like garbage.

You thought your ride home was difficult...At this point we swerved onto the dirt to avoid a few slow moving buses. By the way, that's an average day.

Carlos Torres is a Gambling Addict!

Okay, since CBS is blocking my attempt at accessing The DiMaggio League website, I guess I'll spend my precious internet time reaching out to the people who really matter - King, Klosterman, and Simmons. That's right, I'm holding out hope that one day Bill Simmons will stumble across my website and decide that Grantland.com really does need a golf writer. C'mon Bill, I'm even plugging your site, how can you not hire me? I mean Carlos Torres is not walking through that door. He may not even fit through that door and he chose Mays over Ruth!

I found a place that boils the water before making ice. The result is Fruit Smoothie for Witko

As far as golf news goes today was a pretty solid day, although it may not sound too exciting, but here goes...I finished writing a lease for The Yeti Golf Course up in Pokhara and set up a meeting for tomorrow with the owners son. Why not the Owner? Well, he's in Pokhara and I'm in KTM, so as usual it is baby steps here in Nepal. Secondly, I sent the contract for the Faldo Series Tournament to a few contacts that will hopefully be able to push this thing through with a somewhat aggressive start date of October, 2012. Thirdly, I have finished putting together a sponsor proposal packet to hand out to anyone with a few thousand rupees and a desire to see golf grow in Nepal. This, of course, is for the creation of the Nepal Junior Golf Tour. I figure it will take about npr 75,000 per tournament. If you feel like donating, just email me and I'll be happy to put your name up in lights, or at least on any signage we put together. The next steps are to get the money, set a start date and alert the Media. I will be inviting all media, as well as any foreign Ambassador that wants to see the genesis of something amazing. I even have a Camera crew and anchor from a Korean all news station that may be willing to give us a hand. Go big or go home, I always say. Okay I don't always say that, but I am this time.
Today was also Nepali lesson day. I can now say what I like, what I need, and even explain how any house looks. Pretty sweet. Go, me! And thanks for reading. I wouldn't be blogging without you. Or Al Gore. That joke was too lame to leave out. Peace!

I miss you, Pohara. You're so lazy and clean. If you were a roommate you'd be great.

That's right, only 52 hours until I have this movie downloaded. *update-it went up to 64 as I was writing this.