Kathmandu Favorites

Favorite thing: One book that is a really good read before visitng Kathmandu is the book called "Tiger for breakfast" by Michel Peissel.
This a book about the ukrainian adventurer Boris Lissanevitch who opended the first hotel ever in Nepal in 1955.
The book gives a really good insight to Nepal and what it was like there before the tourists arrived and it's also an interesting book about a very interesting person.
You can either buy it at home or buy it once you are in Nepal.
It's for sale in most bookstores in Kathmandu that deals with foreign tourists.

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Favorite thing: Be ware that Kathmandu does not have the most reliable electricity supply and you should power cuts for several hours a day.
Because of that i highly recommend that you have little torch or even better a headlamp.
A headlamp is not just for miners, but also very useful for travellers as you can use both hands while it´s always pointing the way you look.
It´s also very good for reading in bed if the power is out.
At first the power cuts can be really annoying, but i suggest that you just take it as part of the adventure and get yourself a little headlamp.
The lamp is also a must if you plan to go trekking, especially if you are camping.
They can be bought easily in Kathmandu in one of the many outdoor stores and the prices are generally lower than you would pay in Western Europe, so i suggest that you buy one once you get to Nepal.

Favorite thing: you well come to my country Nepal. you can come via land from India but not from china. so first if you visit China then it is easy to come Nepal and then trip to India by train/plan/bus.

If you have any question about Nepal just mail me at aasok2061@gmail.com

thank you

Favorite thing: I haven't been back in 8 years but one of these days, I will go there and I know a few things I can do there.

Go Bunjee Jumping, the second highest Bunjee Jump in the world and yeah its all natural. You will see a deep Bhote Koshi River flowing as you fall from the bridge

Go Rafting, this is about 3 hours away from Kathmandu but do not miss this

Go Safari at the Chitwan Park, You gonna see Bengal Tigers, Rhinos from the top of an elephant

Go to Pokhara and don't miss out on the Para Gliding

For hardcore trekkers, Annapurna Circuit is one of the best treks in the world. Mustang is another place I would love to travel to when I go back to Nepal.

Fondest memory: Flying Kites, Smoking up during Shiva Ratri ( Pot Day). Going to Kirtipur and getting hammered. Thamel Nightlife, Bike Trip to Dolalghat and Malekhu. Too Many

Favorite thing: The weather in Kathmandu or Pokhara in November and December is usually plenty of sunny days where you will be in t-shirts but as soon as the sun goes down or you are in the shade then the temperature starts to drop and by the evening you will defiantly need a fleece or jacket to keep warm.

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Favorite thing: I am a retired American that came here in December and fell in love with it. I just started writing a blog and a book on ways to enjoy Nepal for less money. It is really complicated here in a few ways and a few tips can go a long way in saving you money, helping you to be safe in your travels and helping you to have more fun.

The Lonely Planet and everybody says the same things, go here, go there. So I went to a temple that I won't even attempt to spell here and it was great, it was crowded and full of energy; fun. Then I went to another one that looked a lot like it and it was devoid of any tourists other than me. It was truly a sacred space, so peaceful and beautiful. I loved it. I loved both places but this was free, as opposed to 1,100 rupees and it gave me a new thing to see. I'm actually not trying to plug my book, just letting you know that I can help you and when I think about my book I get a bit carried away. What I'd really like is feedback on what others have found at this point.

Please let me know any questions you have, like what to bring, how much thing should cost, etc.

I just noticed that I can post this as a travel tip, so I would like to mention that if people want to bring something for the poor people here please bring children's books and any other book that can be traded or donated to a library (not a lot of libraries here-please bring books).

Here's my blog link: http://frugaltravelsnepal.blogspot.com/

Amanda
FrugalTravelsNepal@gmail.com

Favorite thing: I did the EBC trek same time 2 years ago. I recommend:
1. That you wear your hiking shoes on the plane (everything else you can replace but you won't have enough time if you lose your hiking boots on the place to be able to wear in new hiking boots whilst you are over there)
2. Most of our group used bottled water and that was fine, just make sure you check the seal to make sure it hasn't just been refilled with local water. Tablets are good to have as well.
3. Make sure you don't exchange too much money as you only get 50% when you exchange back at the airport. Exchanging money in Namache Bazaar is fine to do so you can always wait to you get to Namache before making your decision about how much you want to exchange.
4. When we did EBC there was a ban on slaughtering of animals above a certain altitude which meant all meat had to be carried and some for long distances. If this is still the case you might want to think about whether you want to eat the meat above a certain altitude.
5. Outdoor gear is very cheap and in great supply when you get to Kathmandu and Namache bazaar however mainly fakes so you will have no problem getting the equipment that you want when you get over to Nepal, just be prepared to haggle.
6. Make sure you take plenty of hand sanitiser and toilet paper and also supplies of chocolate. The higher you get the more expensive things get. It wasn't uncommon to get a chocolate bar for £2.50 in Gorak Shep.
7. Blister plasters are a good investment and also some good painkillers & imodium etc. There were very few people that were not affected in some way or another.
8. There are 2 very long hiking days, make sure you have enough sleep in the lead up to them.
9. I took a 4 season sleeping bag at the end of March and was pretty glad as it got pretty cold some nights.
10. Try not to over pack your bag as it makes it a lot more stressful packing it each day.
11. Get a good head torch as towards the top some of teahouses (I am presuming your staying in teahouses) have little light at night if none at all.
Lastly have a great time. I had a great time at Nepal and hope you do as well :)
Clare

Favorite thing: As a citizen of a SAARC country (Pakistan), gratis visa can be obtained upon arrival. However, I called the Nepalese Embassy in Islamabad. They advised me it would be better to get the visa in Islamabad from the Embassy, as it takes time and money at the airport upon arrival.