It is an amazing feeling to be back home. But every time we land at our only international airport TIA Kathmandu we get some mixed feelings. Excitement of coming home is always there but besides that how we really feel? Here are those odd 8 feelings from blogger’s point of view.
1 ‘KATHMANDU MEIN AAP KA SWAGAT HAI’
The worst part of coming home is not getting an opportunity to come by our own airline. Hence, flight attendants welcome us in foreign language in our own land; first in airline’s national language followed by English. It really feels bad. Hope our national flag carrier will have more international flights and we could fly our own carrier. Had it been our own airline it would have been wonderful to hear ‘Kathmandu ma tanpailai swagat chha’ instead of ‘Kathmandu mein aapka swagat hai’ while flying from popular transit New Delhi.
2 NO GREENERY, NO OPEN SPACE, NO PARKS
When we peep through window to have a glance of our beloved city, Kathmandu looks really horrible with no greenery, no open space and no trees. If you see any other big cities of the world you would see planned areas, greenery, wide roads and what not but in Kathmandu what you see is only building buildings and more buildings, unfortunately those buildings also look so ugly and unmanaged. Our own poor Kathmandu.
3 NEVER SMILING STAFF UNDER THOSE WOODEN TABLES
Once you queue for immigration at airport, you will be amazed to see never smiling immigration officers behind those wooden tables. You wonder why they look so depressed.
4 LUGGAGE BELT
You managed to pass the immigration and now waiting for luggage at baggage claim. Oh God, you feel so bad to see our loving country’s only international airport’s condition. Sometimes you wish you had never seen those airports at foreign land. You feel really bad but you know you can do nothing. It hurts our country see like this.
5 NO ARRIVAL LOUNGE AT COUNTRY’S ONLY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT?
You know your family and friends are excited about your arrival and they all are at airport to receive you. But little did you know that they all have to stand for hours waiting you. You may also want to get freshen up after long flight so that you don’t look very tired. But you have no option as our airport is one of those in the world which has no arrival lobby. Thank God, we are going to have it soon, in June 2015 by latest.
6 GETTING A TAXI
Now you are out, excited and happy to be at own country after don’t know how many years. You missed your country and your people so bad. But the taxi drivers’ bargain just outside airport can totally change your mood. Well, we all have been there.
7 REAL KATHMANDU JUST 200M AWAY
You had been to airports abroad and you had seen them. How bad the city might be at least they have wide roads, planned area and green belts near airports. But our Kathmandu is different. Immediately after arrival gate you will see the real Kathmandu at Sinamangal, Gaushala, Pashupati.
8 DESPITE ALL THAT WHAT AN AMAZING FEELING
You don’t care anything. Now you smell the soil, you know you belong here and you are happy to be back. Because there is nowhere like home.
There is arrival lounge with TVs where you can see the passengers. Others are true. Toilets are in a pathetic condition. You dont need any sign to see cos they smell so bad.
What hurts more is the grammar in this article. Ouch!
The toilets are pretty good now. Wifi is free. (no free at Dubai).