- Goat in the back of the taxi, on a bike, on top of the bus… goat in every odd place (and pose) you could possibly imagine
- 4-member family on a motorcycle
- Policemen with a bamboo stick instead of weapons
- White person on a bicycle in a crazy traffic
- Monkey sitting on a telephone pole
- Awkward taglines on public transportation
- People carrying wardrobe / refrigerator / table / mattress on their back, just strolling down the street (it’s actually very impressive – Nepali people are very strong)
- Shops that sell bags and baggage – thank you very much, I think I have enough of my own baggage; I don’t need to buy yours.
It seems like after staying here for a while, things people do around here and the way stuff functions, is getting less and less odd for me. Stockholm syndrome? Or maybe I am just becoming adjusted, settled, accustomed. Only time will tell. However, I still cannot find a way to accept goats in/on vehicles as something normal. I was in a taxi one day standing at the traffic light while another taxi came to a halt next to mine. I glanced over and I saw 4 people plus the driver sitting in the car. Nothing odd with that. But something seemed off. I glanced again and I realized there was a goat just standing in the trunk. And no one found it odd. Not even the goat. Everyone acted as it was the most normal thing in the world to drive around in taxi with a live goat in the trunk. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh at the sight or call animal control.
Later in the day when I told Mr.B. and some friends about this weird encounter, no one was surprised. All they said was: “Oh, yes, Dasain is approaching”. And that was the end of the conversation. As if that explains everything. Now that Dasain is almost here, it’ll be normal to see all kinds of stunts involving goats, they told me. I am particularly excited to see two guys on a motorbike with one goat in the front of the bike, and the other around the neck of the guy in the back. Apparently that happens too. Nepal gives a whole new meaning to expression “live and learn”.
I had the same feelings when I first moved to China, I considered a lot of things to be odd, but after a while you just get used to it and accept it as part of your life.
Exactly. At first it’s surprising and later on it’s yesterday’s news.
haha your posts are hilarious sometimes! But Dashain time is approaching and here the Eid is approaching.. I don’t like this Eid where there is sacrifical of animals are done, but even in a ultra modern place like Dubai, you sometimes find goats, sheep and other smaller sacrificial animals in the back seat of cars, in the trunk and other odd places. Its cruel. 😦
Yes, it most certainly seems cruel, but I suppose it’s part of a tradition and should be accepted as such. I am happy I get an option of not to participate in it .
lol 🙂 I saw two men and a goat in a rickshaw the other day, thought it was hilarious and odd, but didn’t make the connection with the holiday.
Haha! Hilarious! All the transportation solutions people come up with…
hahah love it, I’ve come to take these things as “normal” in Nepal- well, once i got over the culture shock
I’m getting there but sometimes I can’t help but be dumbfounded by crazy things people do around here.
im a Nepali and now that I look at it from your point of view this is so funny