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It’s been a year since I was on a domestic flight, and then it was only a short one. Actually it’s been quite a while since I have been on a long domestic flight. But this week I flew to Nepalganj. And the longer flights give one the chance to look round at what fellow passengers are up to.

 There usually are several colorful ladies, going to or coming from weddings. There are the selfie takers, the majority of which are said colorful ladies and their travel companions. One girl playing Candy Crush the whole way. The usual hajur amma looking mystified at the whole process, and the cool businessmen making phone calls till the very last minute. Then getting their newspaper out to look very busy and professional.

 Then there are the air stewardesses. Well-groomed young women who barked instructions in English at everyone. Why then do they look surprised when few follow those instructions? Your guess is as good as mine! Both going and coming back this week, I got into trouble for trying to put my bag in the overhead compartment—“sit down and let passengers on first”. Well, if they got the passengers on the plane five minutes sooner, or got us organized into rows (Buddha Air allocates seats on the bigger planes) then we could store our hand luggage without “holding up departure”. Sitting next to me was one man clutching his reasonably large case. No doubt he had been told off before about putting it overhead and has given up ever trying to do that again.

Back in the present day, very noticeable is the ringing of phones immediately on landing

 Another group I had forgotten about is the sweetie hoarders. Those small planes still give out boiled sweets, meant to aid ear pressure when sucked on takeoff and landing. I take one for this purpose. But I have noticed local passengers think these are freebies, to be grabbed by the handful and stuffed into pockets and bags. Probably the original meaning of the sweet giving has also been lost on the stewardesses too. Because, as we know, these ladies are not shy about telling passengers what to do.

 Perhaps they could ask, politely, that people only take one or two? Gone are the days when we got soft drinks on the flight. Now only water is handed out. Even longer gone is the airline Necon Air which I used to fly regularly to Kathmandu from Nepalganj. They gave a small lunchbox of a sandwich and pastry, as well as a fizzy drink, and, on every flight, a lucky draw. Your chance to win a free flight ticket! Not surprisingly Necon Air went bust a long time ago. Those fizzy drinks and goodies come at a cost!

 With reference to the lucky draw—I did actually win that once. Oddly, it was on my last ever flight to Kathmandu from Nepalganj as a resident of the Tarai Region. Perhaps the Universe was talking to me. What it was saying is anyone’s guess as only the next day, the Universe sent someone to steal my handbag (only time ever in Nepal), containing nothing of value. Except that damn free ticket!

 Back in the present day, very noticeable is the ringing of phones immediately on landing. Not turned off or onto flight mode then? I know that message is given in both English and Nepali so why do people not follow instructions? Domestic passengers do seem, give them some credit, to be able to remain seated longer than Nepali passengers flying internationally. On landing I mean. I was quite impressed by that. But then, there is the usual mad scramble to disembark. Same as the scramble to embark because the airport bus or plane might just leave without us! Probably not. Not on the watch of the efficient stewardesses!

If you’re someone who abides by the popular saying “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper,” you’ll love the Best Brew for its all-day breakfast menu. Located at Jhamsikhel (near the famous Herman Helmers Bakery), Best Brew specializes in Italian and Continental cuisines and a set of hearty, heavy breakfast options with freshly ground Nepali coffee.
 

Chef Andy Tamrakar’s kitchen takes the big challenge of creating gastronomical masterpieces at Best Brew— and he manages to do it just right with a visual flair as well. The apple pies, brownies, baked cheesecakes and almost everything on the menu have a picturesque quality to them. Definitely a place to succumb to your gluttonous being and make a few Instagram posts too.

THE MENU

Chef’s Special:

- Best Brew Big

Breakfast

- Gnocchi Pasta

- Jazz special

Opening hours: 7:30 am to 9 pm

Location: Jhamsikhel

Cards: Not Accepted

Meal for 2: Rs 1,200

Reservations: 9818553372

Nabina Khadka, 41, is a rare female taxi driver in Kathmandu. She has met a few other woman taxi drivers but most of them have either already dropped out of the profession or gone back to their village. Before being a cab driver, Khadka, who has been driv­ing for the past one and a half years, ran a liquor-cum-conve­nience store in Baluwatar. She still manages the store when she is not driving.

Born and raised in a village in Dolakha district, she came to Kathmandu to pursue an intermediate-level degree in 1996, when she was in her mid-20s. After getting the degree, she started her store in Baluwatar. Struggling to make her ends meet, it was in 2014 that she gave her first trial for a driving license, but failed. She passed on her second try in the same year. Nabina complains that because of male-bias at the Department of Transport, her licensing took “a lot longer than it would have taken my male counterparts”. Her hus­band, also a taxi driver, sup­ported her decision to drive a cab. Now Nabina supports her family via the income from her store, the taxi and some rooms she rents out.

Despite getting a driving license in 2014 it took her three more years to buy a cab and start driving. “In the beginning, some of my rela­tives objected, but my parents were supportive.” But what motivated her to take up this traditionally male-dominated profession to start with?

“I was inspired by the women of the Tarai who have been earning their livelihood by ferrying passengers in their electronic rickshaws,” explains Nabina. “I also love meeting people from various walks of life”.

She feels saddened by the paucity of women in her profession. Nabina believes women of the 21st century should prove they are as strong, hard-working and conscientious as their male counterparts, if not better than them. She thinks women should break free from their traditional role of home-maker. “Women can definitely do much better if they are given adequate opportunity and freedom,” says Nabina.

Perhaps because she is con­fident in her driving Nabina says her passengers have no qualms being driven around by a woman.

Don’t things sometimes get scary when she unknowingly admits unruly passengers? “I drive night and day. At night, I feel a little afraid of drunkards and criminal-minded passen­gers. But I am picky whom I let in and I avoid going to places I know little about.”

Emphasizing the need to bring taxi fares in line with the increased prices of commodities, she hopes the government creates an environment where “taxi driv­ers can viably support their families in an expensive city like Kathmandu”.

You might know Gokarna Forest Resort as a beautiful 100-room hotel situated within a forest and having its own golf course. Somewhere at the end of a dusty road, passing Boudha Stupa on the way. What you might not know is the Gokarna Protected Forest has been preserved as a kings’ hunting ground for around 500 years. Still home to monkeys and deer, the forest has ancient trees which go back even further than that. Some of these trees appeared (as on location around ancient Lumbini) in Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1994 film Little Buddha, with scenes of Siddhartha’s childhood. And it’s this forest that has always been the appeal for guests, even before there was a resort.

The 6,755 yard par 72 golf course, designed by Gleneagles Golf Developments, Scotland (noteworthy!) was officially opened in 1999. Long before there was a hotel, golfers were attracted to this international standard course.

I first visited Gokarna in 2002 when Jazzmandu held an event in what is now the main courtyard, in those days a grassy area between the trees and the half constructed hotel. Accommodation at that time was provided in what they now term ‘the cottages’ but is actually a two storey building situated a little away from today’s main hotel. Next to it was the Hunters Lodge, once an actual lodge for hunters, but in those early days, the hotel reception and restaurant. Next came the fabulous swimming pool and spa in 2003. Followed by the opening of the main wing of the hotel in 2005.

I know these things, not because I have a great memory, but because while visiting the resort recently I realized there were only two or three familiar faces left. One being Deepak Acharya, Gokarna’s golf pro. He has been overseeing the running of the golf club since its conception and remains one of Nepal’s foremost golfers. And has the memory of an elephant! He went on to explain to me that the current owner, Yeti World Nepal, (aka Yeti Airlines) only took over the lease of the resort in 2010.

Another ‘old timer’ of 20 years, Janak Ghimire, Outlet Manager, and I sat overlooking the golf course to reminisce about the time before Yeti owned the property. I had completely forgotten the hotel was once part of the Le Meridien Group. But I do remember when it was part of the Starwood Group as I was the ‘secret guest’ then. By complete chance I was asked to become someone who would appear to be just another guest to the staff but who in fact was reporting back on their efficiency, friendliness, and making recommendations as to what could be improved in the facilities and service. That was a job I loved! Meantime, Ghimire was always a friendly face, based mainly in the Golf Club, my favorite location then, and now.

Over time there has been many changes at Gokarna. The 2015 earthquake took the Hunters Lodge; the hotel grew from its original 16 to 100 rooms, losing some of its feeling of a getaway resort, and sadly, the grass in the main courtyard has been replaced with paving stones, and access to those ‘famous’ trees has been somewhat blocked off. But many things remain constant. The swimming pool and spa is still an oasis (never busy during the week); the forest, deer, and extremely cheeky monkeys remain the same. Having a whole, untouched piece of chocolate cake swiped by an agile primate is a reality!

For those looking for a short break not far from the city, or for those who enjoy golf, Gokarna cannot be recommended highly enough. Yes, it has become more service oriented and less ‘rustic’ over the years, but there are still a few smiling faces like those of Janak Ghimire and Deepak Acharya to remind you of simpler times.