Traveling to Write: Nepal

NAMASTE: I BOW TO THE DIVINE IN YOU

The country draped in prayer flags

by Stephanie Enslin

December 2015

Nepal really does offer the best of multiple Asian worlds. The people are friendly and helpful and, in general, like South Korea and Malaysia you don't have to fear being taken advantage of. Unlike Indonesia you can bargain for a good price, but only up to a point, which means you won’t be pestered by hawkers. You aren't accosted on every corner by child beggars like Cambodia (though the whispered offers for hashish get a bit much). There is the unsafe drinking water of India, but not the dirty and abject poverty. The tour operators are up for bargaining but prices don’t vary much so you don’t feel you are getting as ripped off as in Vietnam. The driving is as bad as any southeast Asian country where oncoming traffic must wait for you and hooting warns others of your presence. Taxis are free and plentiful, the complete antithesis of Beijing, but is the one place you might get ripped off (though R30 to R50 difference for us doesn’t mean as much to us as to them). And most of all, the prices are a lot lower than places like Hong Kong...even cheaper than SA with a two person dinner and drinks in a western style restaurant costing just over R100. And thankfully...like most of Asia...a service charge is included in the bill so there is not a strong tipping culture.

Nepal really does offer something for everyone. For the less adventurous there are fancy hotels, safe airplane flights ($100) between cities and the safety of the tourist districts (Thamel in Kathmandu with its numerous quaint international restaurants, cover bands, curio shops and cheap knock-off winter gear). Even a 20 minute walk from Thamel through the busy streets to Durbar square will give you a feel for local life and allow you to stumble across numerous Buddhist and Hindu Temples closely surrounded by everyday life...offering a spiritual journey for anyone seeking it. For those more adventurous who don’t mind twisty roads with sharp drops alongside, and want to see a bit of the country side there are tourist buses (literally, they have big stickers across the front windscreen saying as much). A trip to the second largest city in Nepal, Pokhara will take you 7 hours and cost $10, with heating/fans, coffee and toilet stops and free bottled water. The other option is a local buses with lots of people and lots of stops, but lots of character (make sure you have a lock on your bag if it goes on top of the bus or so I am told). Pokhara really is the Cape Town of Nepal to Kathmandu's busy JHB feel. From Pokhara you can chill by the lakeside sipping Masala tea or hot honey lemon or brows the curios offered by Tibetan refugee sellers along the shore. For the adrenaline junkies you can brave a drive up the closest hill to paraglide over the lake ($85, or river rafting in the summer).

Pokhara is also the starting point for a trek into the scenic Annapurna mountain range. You can do these treks solo or go through a company with a guide and porter who will organize your permits and accommodation (food is usually included) and set a good pace. The cheapest and easiest of these was a four day/four night guided trek up to ~3000 m for $300. The word 'easy' might, however, is not the Nepalese term for a gentle stroll, expect lots of uneven stone steps up and down (a common form of trekking in other places like South Korea). So bring along strong knees and hiking poles to help. Longer treks can be organized, though several are closed during the December winter. This is the low season for tourists, but the best time for clear views, less people and lower prices. The most popular are the teahouse treks from one basic village hotel to the next. If trekking at this time of year, make sure your package includes down jackets and sleeping bags, and for any time of year consider taking slip slops for the communal showers and a torch for any sunrise hiking. Once you get back numerous massage places line the roads for your aching muscles. Though eastern massage businesses never quite live up to the high standards set by Sorbet, so I set my standards as low as possible and went for a message at the corner barber shop while my husband got a shave. Turned out the gentleman studies massage in India under a French gentleman...and was possibly one of the most effective shoulder massages I have ever had.

Just in case you are worried about feeling homesick, Kathmandu’s winter temperatures and elevation are very similar to JHB. The constant power cuts will make Eskom seem efficient, though there is actually a schedule that is followed in Nepal, and every decent establishment has a backup generator. In winter the price of your hotel will determine whether you get a heater in your room (>$30 a night) or not (<$25), though everywhere has amazing warm blankets. And, I actually think the Wi-Fi is faster and more accessible than in SA, though you will need to ask for the password. Like South Africa many of Nepalese young people also head abroad to study or work but then send money home...about 90% of our flight over from Kuala Lumpur were male laborers returning home. Nepal is an even new democracy (2006) than South Africa, with the government being made up of an ever changing balance of democrats, Maoists and communists. I do hope that Zimbabwe never learns of some of the creative ways they tried to get people out to vote and/or run for office during the turbulent times before democracy (e.g., offering free life insurance).

One things South Africa’s, with our big hearts, need to be careful of when travelling to Nepal is the danger of irresponsible voluntourism, Nepal has been hard hit by child trafficking, fueled by well-meaning foreigners. Rings bring in kids from rural areas, offering their parents a better life for their child for a fee, and set up orphanages. Tourists come in to help and invest money, but the profits ultimately get pocketed and the kids live in appalling conditions once the tourists leave. So only use reputable organizations if going over as a volunteer.

One thing you learn traveling in Asia though is that aesthetic beauty is not everything to them (compared to our sanitized western bubbles). So as long as you can look past the litter and the unpainted buildings and the chaos you will see the beauty behind, and you will be blown away. The tea is safe, as is any “dodgey” looking corner store frequented by locals…and pull up a chair and soak in the vibes. Nepalese love to ask were you are from, and at the mention of “Cricket World Cup” will tell you more about the Proteas than you every knew.

For more photos visit http://kwetsa.blogspot.com