So if you’ve read any of our blog at all you’re well aware that monkeys just don’t like me. They give me the evil eye, follow me around, try and sneak up on me and just generally give me a hard time. One of the first ones we saw tried to steal my camera, which I almost drop as I almost fell down 1000 steps as I shrieked and jumped back (that was before I realized how out to get me they were). I tried to scare the next one off and it came back at me with vengeance… He said, and I quote “You want a piece of me???” (in Nepali of course) as he showed me his teeth and raised his hand as if to backhand me… And no I didn’t get a picture. Even the guy dressed up like hanuman (the Hindu monkey god) outside the temple was heckling me.
Backstory compete.
So Liz and I are minding our own business walking around the park next to the temple in Pashupatinath, just checking out the sites. We had eaten some fruit for lunch and, being the good citizen that I am, had the trash in a little pink bag and was looking for a trash can (not really something that have many of in Nepal). The same pink bag that our fruit had come in… That all fruit and most anything purchased on a street in Nepal comes in. Again I’m not looking for trouble.
Out of nowhere this big old monkey and his crew start coming at me. The big one, he’s up to my shoulders standing on his hind legs giving me those, now all to familiar, evil eyes, like he’s looking into my soul and wants to steal it. I know that look, it’s trouble. So as he starts to walk circles around me I wise up and start circling around to match him. I’m not letting him get behind me. I know what’s up. He wants the granola bars in my backpack and it’s not happening. I’ll fight a monkey.
BOOOOOOM!
Blindsided out of nowhere his crew hits me from behind… A little one jumps up and grabs my pink bag right out of my hand and then punches my now empty hand with his other paw just to insult me. Then all 5 of them run off together to split up their spoils.
Jokes on them though… Bag was full of trash.
But still, word to the wise, watch out for monkeys, especially of they look like they are making plans to attack you, they probably are.