Maybe Bob Seeger was wrong

After spending 2 weeks in pristine mountains, view of Kathmandu changed a bit. Very dirty city with Tons of smog and dust. Worse than beijing 12 years ago. When i got back to Yak and Yeti, Wanted to send trekking gear home to consolidate bags for next legs of the journey. First stop, the Business center was confused. When they finally understood the request, they said better to do tomorrow because DhL was closed. After prodding, they admitted Dhl didnt close for an hour, and agter making a phone call, someone supposedlybfrom dhl shows up in 30 minutes. We go over the items I seek to send and he comes out with sheet and suggests package will cost about 400 dollars! We go to weigh items, and since he only has 5 kilo scale we improvise and go to health club and step on scale there. We then begin finishing paperwork and confirm the price, now $350. He then asks for cash. I tell him credit card only and when I push, it becomes clear be does not actually work at dhl. He curriers things for the hotel. Not willing to trust him that my package will be sent once cash is given, I tell him lets go to physical location. He then motions for me to try to ride on back of his motorcycle, but with a big bag, no helmet and tenuous nature of Kathmandu streets, we get cab instead. We go to dhl store 5 min drive away. My happiness is short lived, when I find out despite the "visa accepted sign" dominating the entrance, the guy working the desk is new and has nO idea how to work a credit card machine. It's creeping towards 5pm and these guys aRe useless. The new guy suggests an idea though. Go to another dhl location closer to airport, about 30 min aWay. Faced with schlepping my bag to Indonesia, as I was leaving the next am, I got in new cab with currier and set off for new location. We then get stuck in traffic, surrounded by parade or protest, the roads lined with riot police. Our car is at standstill and it's creeping towards 530pm when dhl closes. We then catch a break as the street is cleared by police and we get to dhl with minutes to spare.This location is actually helpful, but they don't have proper tape and must send out for some. In meantime, they need to check each item, and I'm forced to create list and document each pair of shorts, socks, and thermal article. 20 min later, we complete paperwork and I head bAck to yak and yetti. Now have fingers crossed that clothes get back to NYC.

After stay on back end of hike realize that nepal is in serious trouble.

Nepal in mountains is great. Kathmandu not do much. Lights flickering suggest an unstable grid, even in our hotel, where there was No hot water until 5 pm. Tons of riot police everywhere. Country is On verge if descending into chaos and I'm glad I got out when I did. Unsure how long it will last before something drastic happens. When monarchy ended, left huge void and lots of factions trying to pull country and constitution together. Nothing is getting repaired here and no growth like In Indian cities. Currency devalued over 10 pct last week when i was trekking. The Country has lots to offer but concerned Maoists or military will take over soon if the country doesn't get it's proverbial shit together asAp. Never felt like I was in a city on the brink like I did in Kathmandu. Everyone there was so nice though that I hope they fix their issues.