Monday (yesterday) was just one day packed with meetings. And I have never spent so much money on taxi travels as then. But now it feels almost like home here in Kathmandu. I know my way around between different governmental departments, INGO’s and many more.

  It all started with a meeting at 9.30 at the LDTA (Local Development Training Academy) where I had a meeting with a German CIM-expert who Sascha had put me in contact with. LDTA is a governmental project for improving and strengthen the capacity amongst rural areas when it comes to administration and planning, and all other things they might need help with. As I want to show on how different actors work within the areas I’m focusing on, I felt it could be wise to include them in one corner of my work.

  After that.. of to Helvetas, the Swiss aid organisation, that have helped DoLIDAR (Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads) with producing maps. These maps where supposed to be available in digital form to work with. Helvetas HQ directed me to their TBSSP (Trail Bridge Sub-Sector Project), which where some kilometers away, so I just continued to walk. And Helvetas do not have a door adapted for tall people. Banged my head straight into it when leaving. Found their TBP and there they said I needed a letter of approval from DoLIDAR that I could use the maps before they could give them to me. So back to LDTA almost, as DoLIDAR office is next to theirs. The boss was in a meeting so I wrote a request letter and then headed of to another meeting.

  At Department of Survey they have a GIS-project called NGIIP (National Geographical Information Infrastructure Project) who sell maps that people can use. So I bought the sheets covering the Kaski district. The buying procedure included that I went to the bank and paid cash there. So I got a taxi and of to the bank. There I had to find an ATM, which wasn’t the easiest thing. And then I experienced the art of Nepali bank handling. Interesting. Into a taxi and back to NGIIP, gave them their bank papers and they gave me the maps. The easiest way to spend 17000 NR’s. And I think the maps can be very useful for me, so it’s worth it.

  After that I took a taxi back to DoLIDAR to see if I have gotten a reply for my request, but no I hadn’t. Then just a taxi up to New Baneshwor area where the UDLE (Urban Development through Local Efforts project), which is a Nepalese governmental project together with the German government. Had a nice talk there and got some interesting perspectives on things.

  That’s my day. And now it’s morning, my last day here in Nepal, and I will after this eat breakfast, check out from the hotel and take a taxi to my friends in Maitidevi-area. There I will leave my luggage and then take a taxi down to DoLIDAR to see if I have my approval. If I have that I go to Helvetas TBSSP to see if they will give me the maps. I cross my fingers.

  Ah, yes, and about the taxi driver scam then? Well, from UDLE I took a taxi back to the hostel/hotel, and the driver was the first one ever to ask if I wanted to use the meter. So I said yes, and right away noticed that it was rigged. The day before I experienced a police control of taxis as I wrote you, and then understood that it should be 200 seconds between the moments when the price is increasing with 4,40 NR’s. In this taxi it was sometimes 12 seconds, sometimes 30, so yes, it was rigged. But I ended up with 200 NR’s for the price, and that was what I would have proposed to pay anyway, as I don’t have the energy to insist on using the meter all the time.

  And tonight, I’ll be leaving Nepal for this time.