Garbage in Kathmandu

So the other day we were in the car and driving across town to a friends house and I had my camera with me and we just happened to see two garbage trucks FILLED with trash. This is not an unusual site but not something I would think to take a picture of but then I realized that many of you would love to see what our disposal system is here in this lovely country ! Sometimes it is funny to me that we even have garbage trucks here because everyone just throws their garbage on the street. If you are walking with a friend and they finish their bag or chips or juice box, they will just throw it on the side of the road wherever they are walking. Also, when people take the trash out from their homes it is only sometimes in a bag. Other times they just take the big pile of it and put it out in front of thier house. Most people though, do put their trash from their homes in bags and put it outside. Then, a smaller garbage truck (actually a large three wheeled tricycle with a bed to store trash on) comes through the neighborhoods and blows a whistle and then someone from the house brings the bags of trash outside (if they aren't already out there). Then, I guess, the small tricycle guys bring their load to these big trucks and to be honest, I don't know where it goes from there. (Also, I have been told that the trash guys get paid by the weight of the trash so that is more incentive to pick up all of the stuff people just toss along the side of the road) All I know is that the trash here STINKS (as does all trash I realize) but sometimes the trash collectors go on strike (it actually happens WAY too much) and then there are just HUGE piles of trash around the city just sitting in the hot sun and doing all it can to be stinkier than it was when it was first put outside. The (truly) saddest part about the whole thing is that all through the evening and night street kids and beggers pick through the nasty trash left out in the street. I always feel so badly for them. Most of them are just small children. I really never thought I would do a blog post on trash before but I guess never say never. Also, the next time you are pulling your trash bins to the side of the road (for those of you who live in America or other countries where they have systems like that) try and be thankful for those amazing guys who come by with the big nice trucks and haul it away (I know I will try to when I am back in the states). It's a dirty job but somebody has to do it...THANKFULLY!