Part Two: 尼泊爾, 和四國男生的那些事兒
原創: Original. By Mö 小斗笠和她的沙發主 I
06-03-2019
小斗笠
Mö
陪你一起在路上
With you on the journey
——————————————————
(一) 加德滿都 。Thamal。
(2) Thamal.Kathmandu
Thamal。夜晚十點。
狹小的道路上燈火通明。各個商鋪販賣著極具 尼泊爾 特色的商品， 尼泊爾 羊毛地毯、手工vitange背包、帶有異域色彩的首飾亦或是一應俱全的登山器械。時不時經過喧鬧的酒吧，放著時下流行的音樂，穿著性感吊帶連衣裙的 尼泊爾 女生三三兩兩結伴嬉笑著從身旁經過，她們好奇卻又略帶羞澀地看著來自世界各地的旅客。如果把Thamal擁窄的街道比作加都夜晚細密的血脈，躁動的游客正如一股奔騰不息的年輕血液，那一盞盞明亮的白熾燈為Thamal的夜晚勾勒出了一個撩人的輪廓。
Thamal. Ten o'clock in the evening.
The narrow roads are brightly lit. Every shop sells goods with Nepalese characteristics. For example, the Kashmir (wool carpets), the handmade vintage backpacks, the exotic jewelries or the complete sets of trekking equipment. We pass by bars, which are playing the most popular music. A couple of Nepalese girls wear tight skirts and gaze at tourists from all over the world with both curiosity and shyness. The various narrow streets of Thamal are like the veins of Kathmandu’s nightlife, with restless tourists acting as a surging stream of blood, free but also wild. Meanwhile, the countless bright incandescent lamps flirtatiously outline Thamal's night.
. Bar streets in Thamal
Reason見我還未吃晚飯，便帶我去了一家當地的 尼泊爾 餐館。餐館里清一色都是膚色黝黑 尼泊爾 男子。見我入門，時不時向我投來好奇的眼光。坐下，身旁的兩位 尼泊爾 男子泰然自若卻又極其享受地用手吃著飯。見狀，我輕聲地問坐我對面的Reason,是不是眼前的客人來自 印度 ，因為在我的認知體系里只有 印度 人用手吃飯。Reason聽罷笑著卻也輕聲答道，不，他們是 尼泊爾 人，我們也是用手吃飯的。╰(*°▽°*)╯
尼泊爾 ， 尼泊爾 ，你總是用你獨特的方式給到我驚喜。我強掩心中的驚恐，笑著問他，稍後我也要用手吃飯嗎？Reason壞笑道，你點的手抓飯(Dal Bhat)就是要用手吃的。Reason見我一副被五雷轟頂的傻樣，補充道，你是外國人可以用勺子吃。此時， 尼泊爾 特色之一的美食Dal Bhat也隆重登場了。Dal Bhat 是米飯（Bhat）配上扁豆糊（Dal）和咖喱蔬菜（Tarkari)。一旁的服務員熱情地提醒，菜品吃完可以免費添加。配著印有”Super strong beer”(超級強力啤酒)的 尼泊爾 Ice啤酒，我和Reason聊起了有趣的話題。
Reason takes me to a local Nepalese restaurant for dinner. The restaurant is full of extremely tanned Nepalese men. As soon as I walk in several sets of eyes glance at me curiously. We sit down at a table next to two men who are eating with their hands in a calm but enjoyable way. I then quietly ask Reason about the two men sitting opposite us, “Are they from India?”. In my mind, only Indians eat with their hands. Reason laughs and whispers, "No, they are Nepalese. We also eat with our hands.” ╰(*°▽°*)╯”
Nepal, Nepal, you always surprise me with your unique ways. I try to hide my embarrassment and ask him with a smile, “Shall I eat with my hands later?” Reason responds with a bad laugh and says, “The Dal Bhat you just ordered needs to be eaten by hand.” Reason sees my worries and says,“ As you are a foreigner, please feel free to use a spoon.”Upon hearing this, I reply “Give me a break, I don’t need a spoon. After a short moment, Dal Bhat, which is one of Nepal's specialties, is served. Dal Bhat is rice (Bhat) served with lentil paste (Dal) and curry vegetables (Tarkari). The waiter nicely reminds us that we can add more food to our table at any time free of charge. As we gulp down a couple of Nepalese ‘Super Strong’ beers, I start to have an interesting conversation with Reason.
. Dal Bhat with Super Strong beer 
. Smiling Reason
Reason邊喝啤酒邊說道，“你是我第一個女沙發客。之前30多個沙發客都是男生。”
我答，“為什麼不接待女沙發客呢？在30多個男沙發客中遇見過什麼特別的經歷嗎？”
Reason笑著解釋道，“因為感覺女生很複雜，不像男生那麼簡單。印象最深刻的是一個 美國 沙發客，目前還在 印度 上班。他總是在凌晨睡覺的時候驚聲尖叫，時常把我給驚醒。而且他自己處於不知情的狀態。更神奇的是他每天4點準時起床，無論颳風下雨都會背起重達10公斤的背包開始晨跑一小時。我覺得他可能是打過仗，受到過精神創傷。哦，還有一個 德國 沙發客在我這兒獃了一個月，不過是很好的人呢！”
聽著Reason講著這些有趣卻又奇怪的故事，我不禁噗嗤笑出聲來。“哈哈，你覺得女生複雜，那你為什麼願意嘗試接待我呢？那你又喜歡什麼樣的女生？”
Reason答道，“你看起來似乎沒那麼複雜。其實我也好奇其他國家的女生是怎麼樣的。至於喜歡的女生。我比較感興趣 亞洲 其他國家的女生。 尼泊爾 女生思想還是相對保守，她們總是在20歲左右甚至更小的年齡就覺得應該結婚了。結婚的費用在 尼泊爾 也是相當大的一筆開銷。”
我打趣地問道，“為什麼不嘗試 歐洲 的妹子呢？她們相對在精神和經濟上獨立。”
聽罷，Reason一本正經地解釋說，“因為她們只會和你睡覺卻不想和你談戀愛。”
我驚愕於他的回答且不贊同的他的想法，我說，“這個要因人而異。如果只是在 尼泊爾 旅游，換做一般人都不會輕易去開始一段感情。為什麼不在有限的時間去好好享受呢？況且西方本來就是受世俗文化影響，性與愛是可以分開的。哪怕是在 中國 的一些 大城 市，這類差異也在縮小。在我看來，這是一個基於 亞洲 和西方文化觀念的上的差異，但具體還是得看你面對的個體。 比如 我認識的一些 歐洲 異性朋友們就更願意去瞭解約會的女生。”
Reason沒幾下就把一瓶啤酒下肚，點頭同意我的觀點。這的確是一個很有趣的觀點，從一位 尼泊爾 男人的角度去看待西方女人。無論如何，找到幸福和愛的方法有很多種。畢竟，人們最終都渴望得到愛和信任。
. Nepalese girls 
. Nepalese guys
“You're the first female couchsurfer I’ve hosted”, Reason says as he takes a sip of his beer. “Before you, I hosted over thirty male-only couchsurfers."
"Why don't you usually accept female couchsurfers?” I ask him. “Have you had any unique experiences during your time hosting those thirty male couchsurfers?”
Reason explains with a smile, "Girls are complicated and they are not as simple as guys. The most memorable one was an American couchsurfer who is currently working in India. He always screams when he’s sleeping, but he himself doesn’t realize this happens. He woke me up several times. The funny thing is he gets up at 4 A.M. every day on the dot, no matter if it's rainy or sunny outside. The other thing is that he takes a 10-kilogram backpack and runs for an hour every morning. I think he may have saw combat during his time in the military and suffer from PTSD. Oh, there was another German couchsurfer who stayed with me for a month, and he was a very nice person! "
Listening to these funny but strange stories, I couldn't help laughing. "If you think girls are so complicated, why did you accept my request? What kind of girls do you like?”I ask Reason.
Reason answers, "You don't seem so complicated. Actually, I'm curious about girls from other countries. However, I’m more interested in girls from other Asian countries. Nepalese girls are still relatively conservative. They always feel that they should get married around the age of 20 or even younger. The cost of marriage is relatively high in Nepal.”
I jokingly ask, "Why not try European girls? They are generally more free-spirited and economically independent.”
"Because they only want to sleep with you but they don't want to fall in love with you", Reason explains solemnly.
I am quite surprised by his answer and I disagree with him. I say, "It depends on the individual. If people are only travelling in Nepal, normally they wouldn’t easily start a new relationship. Why not simply enjoy yourself in the moment? Moreover, western countries usually have a more ‘secular’ culture when it comes to love, in which sex and love can be separated. Today, this way of thinking is even becoming more common in big cities in China. In my opinion, this stems from the differences between Asian and Western cultures, but it really depends on the individual you are facing. For example, some of my female or male friends in Europe would prefer to get to really know their date before taking that next step.”
Reason finishes a bottle of beer quickly and nods in agreement. It is quite an interesting perspective from a Nepalese guy on the western female. Anyway, there are many ways to find happiness and love. After all people just want to be loved and trusted in the end.
. Gifts shop in Thamal 
. Street snap with the Nepalese girl
回到住宿地已是凌晨1點。稍加洗漱我們便各自睡去。
不知是是凌晨幾點，我被一陣陣響亮的窸窸窣窣聲弄醒。朦朧中起初以為是風吹著窗戶紙的聲音。再後來聲音穿梭在地板和牆面上。我困惑不安地去拿手機照明，向著聲音發出的地方，藉著手機屏幕的光亮在地面上投射出一隻碩大的蟑螂。我本能驚恐地捂住嘴巴，深怕自己驚聲尖叫。見到光，蟑螂間隔2秒順勢停下，隨後便依舊肆意爬行。通過不同的聲音方向，你可以想象房間里有數只蟑螂。有那麼一瞬間想去叫醒熟睡的Reason,但是想到Reason並不能解決蟑螂問題且會讓他感到尷尬，我便重新回到床上。
此時，已是睡意全無。在沙發衝浪里，我睡過沙發，睡過客廳地板，睡過自帶泳池的別墅，也睡過擁有一個獨立房間的公寓。卻從來沒有與蟑螂們共處一室。內心也不禁沮喪起來。想到今天是來到 尼泊爾 的第一天卻也強烈感受到了基礎設施建設及其落後的 尼泊爾 ，塵土飛揚的加都，以及那些淳樸善良卻又貧窮的 尼泊爾 人。
It's 1 A.M. when we arrive back at Reason’s place. Both of us are tired and we go to sleep separately.
At some point during the night, I’m awakened by a loud rustle. In the hazy night, I originally think it’s the sound of the wind blowing on the paper on the window. The sound suddenly shuffles through the floor and walls. I confusedly go to get my cell phone to light up the place where the sound is coming from. All of a sudden, a huge cockroach is projected on the ground. Instinctively, I cover my mouth in fear of screaming. When the cockroach sees the light, it stops for a few seconds then continues to crawl. I imagine that there are several cockroaches in the room in all the different directions from which I hear the same sound. For a moment, I want to wake up Reason who is asleep, but thinking that Reason could not really solve the cockroach problem, I fear I would just embarrass him. I decide to go back to bed again.
However, I can’t relax and am still wide awake. Based on previous couchsurfing experiences, I usually sleep on the sofa, on the living room floor, in a villa with a swimming pool or in an apartment with an independent room. So far, I have never shared a room with cockroaches. I can't help feeling depressed. It’s my first day in Nepal, and I not only caught a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the construction of modern Nepal, but also a look at the dusty, yet captivating Kathmandu, and the impoverished, yet kind-hearted Nepalese.
. Crazy riding with Reason 
. TIMS Registration Office for the trekkers
忽地，這讓我想起了自己為什麼執著沙發衝浪的原因。並不是無法承擔青旅或是酒店的費用，而是想更深入的去瞭解每一個國家的人和文化。旅游也不再是僅局限於美食和風景，而是通過和當地人的交流，試著站在他們的立場去感受當下並且思考。人們總是習慣去接觸和接受和自己思維價值體系相似的人事物。而我希望自己在一次次的游歷中去感受差異，去感受不同，去培養思考的能力以及逐漸形成自己的價值體系。因為我相信存在即合理。異國的人、事、物只是和我們習慣的社會體系所賦予我們的認知所不同，不去否定，不去輕易地評定事物本身，而是試著去理解與感受。
眼前糟糕的住宿環境只是暫時，只是我沒有那麼幸運。
但它不應該成為我去抱怨 尼泊爾 的藉口，或是任何影響我對Reason看法的因素。
我看向另一張床上依舊酣然入睡上的Reason，均勻的呼吸聲連綿起伏。窗沿上一片傾瀉的月光。
Suddenly, I’m reminded of why I persist in using couchsurfing. It's not because I can't afford a hostel or a hotel, but rather simply because I’m eager to learn more about people and cultures from different countries. In this way, travelling is no longer confined to food and scenery. It is expanded through interaction with locals and trying to put yourself in their shoes as you exist in every present moment and as you look to the future. People are always used to being around and accepting other people and ideas which are similar to themselves and their own ways of thinking. Through my travels, I hope that I can part from this habit and really feel the different ways of life I encounter. From this, I can then cultivate the ability to think freely and gradually form my own system of values. I believe that existence is reasonable. People and things just appear foreign as they are different from the mainstream society in which we belong and have grown accustomed to. In my personal opinion, we should not deny or easily judge those we deem as “foreign”, but rather try to understand them and to truly feel them.
The unfortunate accommodation is temporary and perhaps due to my own bad luck.
It should not be an excuse for me to complain about Nepal or affect my view of Reason.
I look at Reason on the other bed, sleeping soundly, the sounds of his breaths fluctuating. Looking through the window, the moonlight pours down.
. Nepalese walk clockwise for praying 
. Kathmandu is going to rain
次日早晨。
Reason笑著問我昨晚是否睡得安穩。我答，一般。因為每換一張床身體都會在第一晚去適應。我並未提與蟑螂先生們“共度良宵”的美好經歷。(*￣︶￣)
The next morning.
Reason smilingly asks me if I had a good night’s sleep last night. “So so. My body always needs time to adapt to the new bed on the first night.”Of course, I do not mention the wonderful experience of spending the night with Mr. Cockroach.(*￣︶￣)
說罷，我提起浴巾和手電筒去共用衛生間沖澡。由於共用衛生間沒有燈泡，我便借來了Reason的手電筒。手電筒的光芒撐起了衛生間光明的一角，當我滿心歡喜的脫去衣服，擰開花灑水龍頭時，只見一小股水流從眼前滑落，隨後便靜寂無聲。之前已經被Reason告知 尼泊爾 平常人家不用熱水洗澡，我可以接受用冷水洗澡，畢竟10月份的 尼泊爾 沒有那麼冷。但是早上竟然停水，赤身裸體的我站在共用衛生間，不信任何宗教的我開始禱告，請上帝或是活佛賜予加都郊區小山坡的洗手間有充分的冷水。我想，這一定是我人生中另一幅極其有趣的畫面。
不肯輕易放棄的我等了約10分鐘。卻也只能重新穿上衣服回到屋內。
和Reason說了情況，他前去查看，又和鄰居詢問情況，說是早上停水。他一臉真誠地看著我，說，如果我想洗澡，可以帶我去另一個地方。
我笑著搖搖頭說，沒有關係。這隻是又一個毫無防備的驚喜。
Soon after, I take a bath towel and a flashlight to the shared bathroom. As there is no light bulb in the shared bathroom, I borrow Reason's flashlight. The light of the torch illuminates a corner of the bathroom. I take off my clothes with joy and turn the shower handle and I soon see a small stream of water falling down, but no water ends up coming out of the shower head. I remember Reason said that Nepalese normally don't use hot water to take a bath. Honestly, I can bear not having hot water to take a bath. After all, it's not so cold in Nepal in October. However, he never mentioned that in the morning there’s a good chance there won’t be any water. I stand naked in the shared bathroom. Despite being the kind of person who doesn’t believe in any religion, I begin to pray. I pray to God and Buddha to give me enough cold water in this shared bathroom in the hills of suburban Nepal.I imagine this being a moment in my life that I’ll look back on and laugh.
I wait for about ten minutes, unwilling to give up easily. After finally admitting defeat, I put on my clothes again and go back to the room.
I tell Reason about the water stopping and he goes to check. He also tries to ask his neighbors. His neighbors say there was no water this morning. He looks at me sincerely and tells me if I want to wash up, he can take me on his motorbike to a place where I can shower.
I smilingly shake my head and say, "It’s okay. It's just another unprepared surprise.”
-To be continued-
English version editing: By Sean
Photography: By Mö
Instagram: moandhercshosts
06-03-2019
Mö
陪你一起在路上
With you on the journey
——————————————————
(一) 加德滿都 。Thamal。
(2) Thamal.Kathmandu
Thamal。夜晚十點。
狹小的道路上燈火通明。各個商鋪販賣著極具 尼泊爾 特色的商品， 尼泊爾 羊毛地毯、手工vitange背包、帶有異域色彩的首飾亦或是一應俱全的登山器械。時不時經過喧鬧的酒吧，放著時下流行的音樂，穿著性感吊帶連衣裙的 尼泊爾 女生三三兩兩結伴嬉笑著從身旁經過，她們好奇卻又略帶羞澀地看著來自世界各地的旅客。如果把Thamal擁窄的街道比作加都夜晚細密的血脈，躁動的游客正如一股奔騰不息的年輕血液，那一盞盞明亮的白熾燈為Thamal的夜晚勾勒出了一個撩人的輪廓。
Thamal. Ten o'clock in the evening.
The narrow roads are brightly lit. Every shop sells goods with Nepalese characteristics. For example, the Kashmir (wool carpets), the handmade vintage backpacks, the exotic jewelries or the complete sets of trekking equipment. We pass by bars, which are playing the most popular music. A couple of Nepalese girls wear tight skirts and gaze at tourists from all over the world with both curiosity and shyness. The various narrow streets of Thamal are like the veins of Kathmandu’s nightlife, with restless tourists acting as a surging stream of blood, free but also wild. Meanwhile, the countless bright incandescent lamps flirtatiously outline Thamal's night.
Reason見我還未吃晚飯，便帶我去了一家當地的 尼泊爾 餐館。餐館里清一色都是膚色黝黑 尼泊爾 男子。見我入門，時不時向我投來好奇的眼光。坐下，身旁的兩位 尼泊爾 男子泰然自若卻又極其享受地用手吃著飯。見狀，我輕聲地問坐我對面的Reason,是不是眼前的客人來自 印度 ，因為在我的認知體系里只有 印度 人用手吃飯。Reason聽罷笑著卻也輕聲答道，不，他們是 尼泊爾 人，我們也是用手吃飯的。╰(*°▽°*)╯
尼泊爾 ， 尼泊爾 ，你總是用你獨特的方式給到我驚喜。我強掩心中的驚恐，笑著問他，稍後我也要用手吃飯嗎？Reason壞笑道，你點的手抓飯(Dal Bhat)就是要用手吃的。Reason見我一副被五雷轟頂的傻樣，補充道，你是外國人可以用勺子吃。此時， 尼泊爾 特色之一的美食Dal Bhat也隆重登場了。Dal Bhat 是米飯（Bhat）配上扁豆糊（Dal）和咖喱蔬菜（Tarkari)。一旁的服務員熱情地提醒，菜品吃完可以免費添加。配著印有”Super strong beer”(超級強力啤酒)的 尼泊爾 Ice啤酒，我和Reason聊起了有趣的話題。
Reason takes me to a local Nepalese restaurant for dinner. The restaurant is full of extremely tanned Nepalese men. As soon as I walk in several sets of eyes glance at me curiously. We sit down at a table next to two men who are eating with their hands in a calm but enjoyable way. I then quietly ask Reason about the two men sitting opposite us, “Are they from India?”. In my mind, only Indians eat with their hands. Reason laughs and whispers, "No, they are Nepalese. We also eat with our hands.” ╰(*°▽°*)╯”
Nepal, Nepal, you always surprise me with your unique ways. I try to hide my embarrassment and ask him with a smile, “Shall I eat with my hands later?” Reason responds with a bad laugh and says, “The Dal Bhat you just ordered needs to be eaten by hand.” Reason sees my worries and says,“ As you are a foreigner, please feel free to use a spoon.”Upon hearing this, I reply “Give me a break, I don’t need a spoon. After a short moment, Dal Bhat, which is one of Nepal's specialties, is served. Dal Bhat is rice (Bhat) served with lentil paste (Dal) and curry vegetables (Tarkari). The waiter nicely reminds us that we can add more food to our table at any time free of charge. As we gulp down a couple of Nepalese ‘Super Strong’ beers, I start to have an interesting conversation with Reason.
Reason邊喝啤酒邊說道，“你是我第一個女沙發客。之前30多個沙發客都是男生。”
我答，“為什麼不接待女沙發客呢？在30多個男沙發客中遇見過什麼特別的經歷嗎？”
Reason笑著解釋道，“因為感覺女生很複雜，不像男生那麼簡單。印象最深刻的是一個 美國 沙發客，目前還在 印度 上班。他總是在凌晨睡覺的時候驚聲尖叫，時常把我給驚醒。而且他自己處於不知情的狀態。更神奇的是他每天4點準時起床，無論颳風下雨都會背起重達10公斤的背包開始晨跑一小時。我覺得他可能是打過仗，受到過精神創傷。哦，還有一個 德國 沙發客在我這兒獃了一個月，不過是很好的人呢！”
聽著Reason講著這些有趣卻又奇怪的故事，我不禁噗嗤笑出聲來。“哈哈，你覺得女生複雜，那你為什麼願意嘗試接待我呢？那你又喜歡什麼樣的女生？”
Reason答道，“你看起來似乎沒那麼複雜。其實我也好奇其他國家的女生是怎麼樣的。至於喜歡的女生。我比較感興趣 亞洲 其他國家的女生。 尼泊爾 女生思想還是相對保守，她們總是在20歲左右甚至更小的年齡就覺得應該結婚了。結婚的費用在 尼泊爾 也是相當大的一筆開銷。”
我打趣地問道，“為什麼不嘗試 歐洲 的妹子呢？她們相對在精神和經濟上獨立。”
聽罷，Reason一本正經地解釋說，“因為她們只會和你睡覺卻不想和你談戀愛。”
我驚愕於他的回答且不贊同的他的想法，我說，“這個要因人而異。如果只是在 尼泊爾 旅游，換做一般人都不會輕易去開始一段感情。為什麼不在有限的時間去好好享受呢？況且西方本來就是受世俗文化影響，性與愛是可以分開的。哪怕是在 中國 的一些 大城 市，這類差異也在縮小。在我看來，這是一個基於 亞洲 和西方文化觀念的上的差異，但具體還是得看你面對的個體。 比如 我認識的一些 歐洲 異性朋友們就更願意去瞭解約會的女生。”
Reason沒幾下就把一瓶啤酒下肚，點頭同意我的觀點。這的確是一個很有趣的觀點，從一位 尼泊爾 男人的角度去看待西方女人。無論如何，找到幸福和愛的方法有很多種。畢竟，人們最終都渴望得到愛和信任。
“You're the first female couchsurfer I’ve hosted”, Reason says as he takes a sip of his beer. “Before you, I hosted over thirty male-only couchsurfers."
"Why don't you usually accept female couchsurfers?” I ask him. “Have you had any unique experiences during your time hosting those thirty male couchsurfers?”
Reason explains with a smile, "Girls are complicated and they are not as simple as guys. The most memorable one was an American couchsurfer who is currently working in India. He always screams when he’s sleeping, but he himself doesn’t realize this happens. He woke me up several times. The funny thing is he gets up at 4 A.M. every day on the dot, no matter if it's rainy or sunny outside. The other thing is that he takes a 10-kilogram backpack and runs for an hour every morning. I think he may have saw combat during his time in the military and suffer from PTSD. Oh, there was another German couchsurfer who stayed with me for a month, and he was a very nice person! "
Listening to these funny but strange stories, I couldn't help laughing. "If you think girls are so complicated, why did you accept my request? What kind of girls do you like?”I ask Reason.
Reason answers, "You don't seem so complicated. Actually, I'm curious about girls from other countries. However, I’m more interested in girls from other Asian countries. Nepalese girls are still relatively conservative. They always feel that they should get married around the age of 20 or even younger. The cost of marriage is relatively high in Nepal.”
I jokingly ask, "Why not try European girls? They are generally more free-spirited and economically independent.”
"Because they only want to sleep with you but they don't want to fall in love with you", Reason explains solemnly.
I am quite surprised by his answer and I disagree with him. I say, "It depends on the individual. If people are only travelling in Nepal, normally they wouldn’t easily start a new relationship. Why not simply enjoy yourself in the moment? Moreover, western countries usually have a more ‘secular’ culture when it comes to love, in which sex and love can be separated. Today, this way of thinking is even becoming more common in big cities in China. In my opinion, this stems from the differences between Asian and Western cultures, but it really depends on the individual you are facing. For example, some of my female or male friends in Europe would prefer to get to really know their date before taking that next step.”
Reason finishes a bottle of beer quickly and nods in agreement. It is quite an interesting perspective from a Nepalese guy on the western female. Anyway, there are many ways to find happiness and love. After all people just want to be loved and trusted in the end.
回到住宿地已是凌晨1點。稍加洗漱我們便各自睡去。
不知是是凌晨幾點，我被一陣陣響亮的窸窸窣窣聲弄醒。朦朧中起初以為是風吹著窗戶紙的聲音。再後來聲音穿梭在地板和牆面上。我困惑不安地去拿手機照明，向著聲音發出的地方，藉著手機屏幕的光亮在地面上投射出一隻碩大的蟑螂。我本能驚恐地捂住嘴巴，深怕自己驚聲尖叫。見到光，蟑螂間隔2秒順勢停下，隨後便依舊肆意爬行。通過不同的聲音方向，你可以想象房間里有數只蟑螂。有那麼一瞬間想去叫醒熟睡的Reason,但是想到Reason並不能解決蟑螂問題且會讓他感到尷尬，我便重新回到床上。
此時，已是睡意全無。在沙發衝浪里，我睡過沙發，睡過客廳地板，睡過自帶泳池的別墅，也睡過擁有一個獨立房間的公寓。卻從來沒有與蟑螂們共處一室。內心也不禁沮喪起來。想到今天是來到 尼泊爾 的第一天卻也強烈感受到了基礎設施建設及其落後的 尼泊爾 ，塵土飛揚的加都，以及那些淳樸善良卻又貧窮的 尼泊爾 人。
It's 1 A.M. when we arrive back at Reason’s place. Both of us are tired and we go to sleep separately.
At some point during the night, I’m awakened by a loud rustle. In the hazy night, I originally think it’s the sound of the wind blowing on the paper on the window. The sound suddenly shuffles through the floor and walls. I confusedly go to get my cell phone to light up the place where the sound is coming from. All of a sudden, a huge cockroach is projected on the ground. Instinctively, I cover my mouth in fear of screaming. When the cockroach sees the light, it stops for a few seconds then continues to crawl. I imagine that there are several cockroaches in the room in all the different directions from which I hear the same sound. For a moment, I want to wake up Reason who is asleep, but thinking that Reason could not really solve the cockroach problem, I fear I would just embarrass him. I decide to go back to bed again.
However, I can’t relax and am still wide awake. Based on previous couchsurfing experiences, I usually sleep on the sofa, on the living room floor, in a villa with a swimming pool or in an apartment with an independent room. So far, I have never shared a room with cockroaches. I can't help feeling depressed. It’s my first day in Nepal, and I not only caught a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the construction of modern Nepal, but also a look at the dusty, yet captivating Kathmandu, and the impoverished, yet kind-hearted Nepalese.
忽地，這讓我想起了自己為什麼執著沙發衝浪的原因。並不是無法承擔青旅或是酒店的費用，而是想更深入的去瞭解每一個國家的人和文化。旅游也不再是僅局限於美食和風景，而是通過和當地人的交流，試著站在他們的立場去感受當下並且思考。人們總是習慣去接觸和接受和自己思維價值體系相似的人事物。而我希望自己在一次次的游歷中去感受差異，去感受不同，去培養思考的能力以及逐漸形成自己的價值體系。因為我相信存在即合理。異國的人、事、物只是和我們習慣的社會體系所賦予我們的認知所不同，不去否定，不去輕易地評定事物本身，而是試著去理解與感受。
眼前糟糕的住宿環境只是暫時，只是我沒有那麼幸運。
但它不應該成為我去抱怨 尼泊爾 的藉口，或是任何影響我對Reason看法的因素。
我看向另一張床上依舊酣然入睡上的Reason，均勻的呼吸聲連綿起伏。窗沿上一片傾瀉的月光。
Suddenly, I’m reminded of why I persist in using couchsurfing. It's not because I can't afford a hostel or a hotel, but rather simply because I’m eager to learn more about people and cultures from different countries. In this way, travelling is no longer confined to food and scenery. It is expanded through interaction with locals and trying to put yourself in their shoes as you exist in every present moment and as you look to the future. People are always used to being around and accepting other people and ideas which are similar to themselves and their own ways of thinking. Through my travels, I hope that I can part from this habit and really feel the different ways of life I encounter. From this, I can then cultivate the ability to think freely and gradually form my own system of values. I believe that existence is reasonable. People and things just appear foreign as they are different from the mainstream society in which we belong and have grown accustomed to. In my personal opinion, we should not deny or easily judge those we deem as “foreign”, but rather try to understand them and to truly feel them.
The unfortunate accommodation is temporary and perhaps due to my own bad luck.
It should not be an excuse for me to complain about Nepal or affect my view of Reason.
I look at Reason on the other bed, sleeping soundly, the sounds of his breaths fluctuating. Looking through the window, the moonlight pours down.
次日早晨。
Reason笑著問我昨晚是否睡得安穩。我答，一般。因為每換一張床身體都會在第一晚去適應。我並未提與蟑螂先生們“共度良宵”的美好經歷。(*￣︶￣)
The next morning.
Reason smilingly asks me if I had a good night’s sleep last night. “So so. My body always needs time to adapt to the new bed on the first night.”Of course, I do not mention the wonderful experience of spending the night with Mr. Cockroach.(*￣︶￣)
說罷，我提起浴巾和手電筒去共用衛生間沖澡。由於共用衛生間沒有燈泡，我便借來了Reason的手電筒。手電筒的光芒撐起了衛生間光明的一角，當我滿心歡喜的脫去衣服，擰開花灑水龍頭時，只見一小股水流從眼前滑落，隨後便靜寂無聲。之前已經被Reason告知 尼泊爾 平常人家不用熱水洗澡，我可以接受用冷水洗澡，畢竟10月份的 尼泊爾 沒有那麼冷。但是早上竟然停水，赤身裸體的我站在共用衛生間，不信任何宗教的我開始禱告，請上帝或是活佛賜予加都郊區小山坡的洗手間有充分的冷水。我想，這一定是我人生中另一幅極其有趣的畫面。
不肯輕易放棄的我等了約10分鐘。卻也只能重新穿上衣服回到屋內。
和Reason說了情況，他前去查看，又和鄰居詢問情況，說是早上停水。他一臉真誠地看著我，說，如果我想洗澡，可以帶我去另一個地方。
我笑著搖搖頭說，沒有關係。這隻是又一個毫無防備的驚喜。
Soon after, I take a bath towel and a flashlight to the shared bathroom. As there is no light bulb in the shared bathroom, I borrow Reason's flashlight. The light of the torch illuminates a corner of the bathroom. I take off my clothes with joy and turn the shower handle and I soon see a small stream of water falling down, but no water ends up coming out of the shower head. I remember Reason said that Nepalese normally don't use hot water to take a bath. Honestly, I can bear not having hot water to take a bath. After all, it's not so cold in Nepal in October. However, he never mentioned that in the morning there’s a good chance there won’t be any water. I stand naked in the shared bathroom. Despite being the kind of person who doesn’t believe in any religion, I begin to pray. I pray to God and Buddha to give me enough cold water in this shared bathroom in the hills of suburban Nepal.I imagine this being a moment in my life that I’ll look back on and laugh.
I wait for about ten minutes, unwilling to give up easily. After finally admitting defeat, I put on my clothes again and go back to the room.
I tell Reason about the water stopping and he goes to check. He also tries to ask his neighbors. His neighbors say there was no water this morning. He looks at me sincerely and tells me if I want to wash up, he can take me on his motorbike to a place where I can shower.
I smilingly shake my head and say, "It’s okay. It's just another unprepared surprise.”
-To be continued-
English version editing: By Sean
Photography: By Mö
Instagram: moandhercshosts
