The Night Train to Kathmandu

The medallion will guide you

to High Sanctuary, my son.

From there, the Holy One will direct you

to the great city called Kathmandu.

But this you must never forget,

your path is written in the jade.

Your destiny is not.

Can you see any mountains yet?

Mmm-mmm.

It's too dark.

But I think we're climbing.

Oh, I can't believe it. Nepal.

Did you ever think we'd get here?

We worked hard enough for it.

Speaking of work,

we'd better hit these course materials again.

Have you checked the section on mythology?

Some pretty weird stuff in here.

Dinner's just as lousy as lunch.

I know what you mean.

There's almost the sense,

I mean, in the way it's presented,

that it's fact, not fiction.

Hello.

Hello, dear. How was dinner?

It tasted like doot.

Andrew.

What was that, young man?

I said dinner tasted like doot.

Yeah. I heard what you said.

Well, it did.

That's enough, Andrew.

He's right.

That's exactly what it tasted like.

Lily!

What is going on here?

We've been on this train for 12 hours

and we've only seen you twice.

Oh, Lily, I'm sorry.

We've been so preoccupied

with all of this.

Try to understand, dear.

Daddy and I have worked so long

for these exchange professorships.

Now we've been given the opportunity

to do the most important work of our lives.

Be patient with us

long enough so we can do it right.

Please?

You and Andrew go to your compartment now.

When we get to Janakpur very early in the morning,

then we have a long, hard bus trip into Kathmandu.

Go and get some sleep. Okay?

Yeah. I'm pretty tired anyway.

Good night.

Good night. Good night.

Hmm.

Andrew?

Hmm?

Are you asleep?

Yes. You?

I wish.

In my own bed instead of on this train.

Not me.

Don't you miss your friends?

What about school?

School?

Are you kidding?

I don't know.

This whole trip just came at the wrong time.

My friends,

ball games,

dances...

Jimmy?

Okay, okay. Jimmy.

I mean, it was so great.

The last semester, it was like...

So great.

You know what I mean, Andrew?

Andrew?

Do you smell the jasmine, miss?

What?

The night flowers.

The jasmine.

I asked if you could smell their perfume.

No...

No, I...

I smell smoke.

Smoke from the engine.

Ah, well. We choose what we wish to choose.

Who are you?

I am Shri Nan.

You might say I am a teacher.

And you, miss?

Lily McLeod.

Lily.

Ah, another flower.

You're a Brahmin, aren't you?

A holy man.

So, you know something of our culture?

I've been reading.

We're moving to Nepal and...

And you do not wish to go to Nepal.

Is it not so, Lily McLeod?

You seem to know so much, Shri Nan.

I mean, to understand.

Knowledge is easy.

Understanding,

that is difficult.

You know, for example, that you're feeling unhappy.

You may even think you know the reasons.

But still, you do not understand.

And without understanding,

I think you will remain unhappy.

The answer is within you.

Do not search for it outside.

Perhaps, Lily,

understanding is like the jasmine's perfume.

The jasmine's perfume?

You chose to smell

the smoke from the locomotive.

I chose the scent

from the night flowers

that bloom on these hillsides.

In life, Lily McLeod,

there are many choices.

Ah!

Who are you? Who's he?

Who am I? Who are you?

She's the one that owns that bed that you're in.

That's who.

Um, it... It was empty when I found it.

When you found it?

When you found it?

Are you crazy?

I've got a ticket. Do you?

Let's see your ticket.

I do not know what this is. A ticket?

You can't get on a train without a ticket.

But I am on the train.

Well, you certainly can't be in my bed without a ticket.

Not even with one.

I am sorry. I did not know of this ticket.

How may I receive such a ticket?

You buy it.

You can buy one from the conductor. Do you have any money?

Well, I do not have the currency of this land,

but I have this.

Will it do?

Are these diamonds?

That is the English word, yes.

Is this enough for a ticket?

Let me see one.

Um, I do not know much about the railways.

I came to this room purely by chance.

What's your name?

Johar.

Well, listen, Johar.

Any one of these stones can buy you 100 tickets.

If you know what's good for you, you'll put them away.

Don't show them to anybody.

But how then will I obtain a ticket?

I must get to Kathmandu.

Stay out of sight until the train stops.

He can hide here. No, he can't.

Now, uh, you have to find your own hiding place now.

There's the door, okay?

Good night, okay?

Get up, you son of a swine.

What are you doing in first class?

Let me see your ticket.

Take back that name.

I'll teach you to be so insolent with me.

Johar?

What's going on?

I am sorry for the disturbance, miss.

It seems you know this boy?

Yeah.

Uh, he's...

My servant.

Your servant?

Yeah, my servant.

A thousand pardons, miss.

Get in here.

Oh, honey. MAUREEN: Jeff.

Oh! Do you believe this?

This over here.

I can't believe it. Come on, honey.

Jeff, what about the kids?

Fantastic, isn't it?

Except for the cars and buses,

we could have stepped back a hundred years.

Hello. Professors McLeod, I presume.

Welcome to Kathmandu.

Harry Hadley-Smithe, Professor of Ancient History,

here at your service, ma'am.

Oh, please call me Maureen.And I'm Jeff.

Ah, yes, of course you are.

I've seen your resume.

The tickets are pretty cheap.