going Kathmandu (p2) - the arrival

WARNING : Entri penuh drama

The plane was still lingering around. The pilot or even the crew didn’t make any announcement. So, I assumed that they were still waiting for the clearance from the airport. Slowly, the plane descended to land, and I started to see the valley, despite the hazy air of Kathmandu.

Kathmandu Valley from above

Finally, we safely arrived on the soil of Nepal. as usual, as soon as the plane touched the ground, the ‘click’ sound of everybody releasing their seat belt filled the cabin like a bunch of school boys playing the clarinet. If I recall correctly, perhaps, there was no ‘shouting’ scene happened between the AAX crew to calm down the impatient passengers.

Arriving

The plane moved slowly to park. with the announcement from the pilot on our safe arrival, and as the plane stopped, everybody…well..literally, everybody, buck up from the seat and rush-ly opening the compartment above. We just let everybody moved first.While exiting the plane, I saw the ‘tired’ ness on the AAX crew, and felt sorry for them. A ‘terima kasih’ put back a little bit of smile on their frowning face, as I left the plane.

For safety reason, I believe, we were transferred to the international arrival hall of the airport, via bus, despite the short-walking distance between where the plane was parked and the hall. Kudos for that, but then, being in a bus that packed with the 'people', the BO was like on top of everything. 

#Oh..breath ..breath…

The short ride brought us to the entrance of the arrival hall, and we moved quickly to settle the immigration clearance. Important notes, there are 2 arrival documents required for Malaysian:

1. Arrival Card – it was not distributed in the plane. this document is applicable to all visitors. the card is available at the counters next to window as you entered the arrival hall. Bring your own pen, and make sure you pick up the right ones – there are in Nepalese and English. 

#Kalau amik bahase Nepal – selamat la korang nak menulis.

2. Visa Form.You can go download from Nepal embassy website and fill in the form:

o   Submit/apply the application at Nepal embassy in Malaysia. Refer here.

o  Fill-in first, prepare 2 pieces passport size photo (white bground) and a copy of your passport.

o   Usd25 fee for 15days, or more if you wanted to stay longer.

As soon as we entered the arrival hall, I felt everything and everybody was sort of all over the place. My mind exaggerated the situation, and i felt like below. hehehe.

Source : Google

It looked like a chaos, seeing everybody looking for the forms, finding pens and filling the forms at any flat surface they could, even the locals. And bear in mind, we were the passengers from an AirBus only, and yet to be joined by the guests from other airlines that arrived later.

I did prepare my visa form, pictures etc. already, everything…as I am a perfectionist. As I was heading to the Q for the VOA, I just realized friend was actually stopped at one of the counter to fill in his form. What?

I had to wait and then we started to find the Q, and we were sort of lost. There were no officers to guide us where to Q, and I looked up at the signage and saw, people like queuing everywhere. I saw a shorter line, and the people that queued didn’t look like Nepalese, and joined the Q. but then I saw the signage at the counter, mentioning SAARC and got a hunch that we might be on the wrong lane – but all those who queuing didn’t looked Nepalese or South Asian people?...hmm.

We decided to step on the line next to us, and then suddenly a group of passengers arrived. Indian Air just landed and  the people now swarming the place. We were about to move to the next Q, and saw a group of Indian family, moved towards the Q...and they were sort of gathering at the tail of the Q, instead of queuing. WTH? 

Because of the Indian family sort of didn’t pay attention to move when the Q moved..i thought I saw few chinese ladies passing them and queuing in front of the group. And when I looked at in front of me, the 2 queue lines now #dah macam ular kena palu, and people was sort of everywhere. None of the officers came and guide us to queue etc.

Ah..when I looked behind, I saw my friend already behind somebody else. Ah..a chinese lady was holding my bag as if not allowing anyone, even my friend which was actually behind me, to be between it. What the heck people?

I saw the red line on the floor and managed to read – please stay behind the red line until the your turn. – more of less…but people was all over the place..and queuing tightly between each other, never to let anyone take the chance to jump the queue etc. 

#sgt emo ok.

Suddenly, I saw one chinese lady spoke to the Indian group in front of me, and asked how many of them etc. and then counted – until last the member of the Indian family, then said ‘ then it’ll be our group’. WTF? They spoke bahasa among them, and then I knew this group of chinese people – including the monk, were from Indonesia, and from the same AAX flight earlier. (wait..these aunties were actually those who jump the toilet Q in the flight before!)

Me: What? (giving the frowning face to the lady)?

Makcik tua : After this family, it’ll be our group turn.

Me : ape pulak ibu!..saya dah beratur sejam dari tadi belakang mereka ni.

Makcik tua : oh..tapi kami in group. Kepala nya di depan. (surprise as I spoke bahasa with them)

Me : ah..regardless, saya sudah beratur sejam di belakang mereka. Mana boleh jump Q sesuka hati.

Makcik tua : tapi 'kepala' kami di hadapan… ( and the group started to fill in the queue..while giving face at me)

Me : eh..tapi kepala nya juga jump Q tadi..saya nampak.

Makcik tua : (senyap)..but we are in group

Me : apa-apa ajalah…! (kepala kon@k ko kat depan!..yg si sami dua tiga ekor tu…bole pulak terkedip tengok aku gaduh)

They jumped the Q! and see..4 lines for 2 counters

I decided to surrender. But my mouth still mumbling loudly, complaining. Anyway, luckily our cat-fight did not catch the officers attention etc. or else, 

#ntah2 tak masuk Nepal aku.

An officer came and talked to the Indian family in front of me. Ah..it happened that they should have gone through the SAARC lines instead...which was faster and shorter. The family moved to other line. With a split seconds, the Indonesians Chinese group took over the place and started to pass their documents to the ‘kepala’…and then was scolded by the officer ‘one by one!’…so the group treatment was no longer applicable..but since the ‘kepala’ already in front..including the monks..they just jumped the Q, left me with WTF face.

#Mendidih aku tengok insiden neh. Dalam hati..nak jer sound – woiii sami…ko tak belajar dan mengajar ke yang potong barisan tu salah?

And guess what..because of all the chaos…me and friend happened to be the last persons , whose VOA to be processed. Everybody…I mean literally, everybody jumped our queue. Gosh!

Anyway, I could still bare the fact, as the whole process took us 1-hour ++, but the dramas just made me felt it was like forever. Honestly, the officers who processed our application were good and fast..i mean no big fuss or anything…and I think they did things quite fast, considering all the applications processed within 1-hour++. 

Visa

Lesson learnt:

1. VOA can take from a breeze till 2-3 hours. A lady that I met later during the trip told me she waited for 2.5 hours.If you plan to do VOA, prepare the documents earlier..and then quickly head to the immigration counter. Don't forget the arrival card. If you are in group..yeap..bolehla buat perangai macam makcik tadi...kalau korang 2-3 orang and bukan satu bas..and make sure kepala kon@k tu bukan potong Q orang. hehe...

2. the officers etc. were ok and fast (only 3 counters for VOA but many passengers), no big fuss etc. , but there was no people to enforce the rules as simple as to queue, or stay behind the red line etc.  the headache of seeing this imperfection which encourages people to be barbaric, will amplify your stress level when waiting for your turn.

3. Do you visa in KL or your home country, if can!!!!! For a stress free trip. Huhuhu… (the lady that I mentioned, told me she went to Nepal embassy too to apply, but decided to do VOA, because she was shocked to see the office was full of Nepalese people settling their errants and there was nobody to assist or to be asked whereabout etc.). hehe..apapun..buatla visa ye kat KL. Period!

We went down, and then passing the body scanner before arriving at the baggage claim hall. Apparently, the bags were not on the conveyor yet. And while lingering around, and waiting, I saw the group that I had cat-fight earlier, waiting too. 

#Huh..tengok dengan anak mate jer aku jelling…aku rasa nak laser jer..

Source : Google

The bag arrived, and we went out as fast as we could...from the claustrophobic hall…and breathed the (dusty) air of Kathmandu. Ah..finally!!!!...hadoiii. The motivation that eroded because of all the dramas earlier came back. And I kept telling myself – don’t let the drama spoils everything..we still have 8 days to go!!!..huhu.

#So…Kathmandu!..Aku Datang!!!