While frantic this afternoon in the back of a taxi, I realized I wouldn't have ended up in this mess had we not moved a second time. We were lost somewhere on the Ring Road and the driver was obviously frustrated by my lack of Nepali and the persistent nagging of his lady friend in the front seat which I can only assume had something to do with the fact that he had decided to pick up this clueless bideshi who couldn't even find his way home. I too was frustrated but less about being lost and more about the outrageous 1000 rupee charge he was planning on collecting (the one thing I could understand.)
I ended up in this taxi because I felt upgrading our battery and inverter was the only sensible thing to do. The current setup in the new flat was supposed to be sized to handle a couple of energy efficient light bulbs and a laptop or two for 4-5 hours when the power was off (which it is about 12 hours a day in Kathmandu.) Well, a couple of nights ago I had a light on in the kitchen and living room and had plugged in our new router when everything shut off. It was only about 8:15.
It seemed to me that a taxi was the easiest way to transport my newly purchased battery and inverter. The battery itself probably weighs 40 or 50 lbs and the UMN compound where it was delivered is 2 or 3 km from the flat. The guy that was able to order the equipment for me at cost also encouraged the use of a taxi (though I soon found out the 400 rupees I paid him was merely his service fee for flagging one down, not to include the taxi fare itself. This too can be attributed to my inability to speak the language.)
The backup power at our last flat was nearly always sufficient. So why did we move into a new place with a dinky battery, practically no kitchenware, spotty hot water and a smaller bed?!
The simple answer is that it was deemed unsafe. There wasn't as much a concern for our personal safety as there was for us losing our stuff. Multiple friends had commented about the deficiencies (flimsy front door, bar-less windows, etc.) Finally, I contacted our UMN security advisor for his opinion. A brief walk-through revealed "we should move out right away!"
Of course this left poor Leona quite uneasy. She shook me awake at least once that I can remember to check out noises elsewhere in the house. We started hiding valuables in extra creative places in case something were to happen. To top it off, the landlord decided he wasn't interested in making the suggested upgrades.
The good news is that we found a new home that's not as well equipped but all agree is safer. Not only are there plenty of locks and bars but the place also includes an ugly, white "guard dog" named Pluto. Leona is sleeping better and I have felt more at ease about leaving her and Jack at home when necessary. It really only cost me a new battery and inverter. And a crazy taxi ride somewhere on the Ring Road.
I ended up in this taxi because I felt upgrading our battery and inverter was the only sensible thing to do. The current setup in the new flat was supposed to be sized to handle a couple of energy efficient light bulbs and a laptop or two for 4-5 hours when the power was off (which it is about 12 hours a day in Kathmandu.) Well, a couple of nights ago I had a light on in the kitchen and living room and had plugged in our new router when everything shut off. It was only about 8:15.
It seemed to me that a taxi was the easiest way to transport my newly purchased battery and inverter. The battery itself probably weighs 40 or 50 lbs and the UMN compound where it was delivered is 2 or 3 km from the flat. The guy that was able to order the equipment for me at cost also encouraged the use of a taxi (though I soon found out the 400 rupees I paid him was merely his service fee for flagging one down, not to include the taxi fare itself. This too can be attributed to my inability to speak the language.)
The backup power at our last flat was nearly always sufficient. So why did we move into a new place with a dinky battery, practically no kitchenware, spotty hot water and a smaller bed?!
The simple answer is that it was deemed unsafe. There wasn't as much a concern for our personal safety as there was for us losing our stuff. Multiple friends had commented about the deficiencies (flimsy front door, bar-less windows, etc.) Finally, I contacted our UMN security advisor for his opinion. A brief walk-through revealed "we should move out right away!"
Of course this left poor Leona quite uneasy. She shook me awake at least once that I can remember to check out noises elsewhere in the house. We started hiding valuables in extra creative places in case something were to happen. To top it off, the landlord decided he wasn't interested in making the suggested upgrades.
The good news is that we found a new home that's not as well equipped but all agree is safer. Not only are there plenty of locks and bars but the place also includes an ugly, white "guard dog" named Pluto. Leona is sleeping better and I have felt more at ease about leaving her and Jack at home when necessary. It really only cost me a new battery and inverter. And a crazy taxi ride somewhere on the Ring Road.
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