Safety Tips in Kathmandu

Stores close between 8-9 pm and when they do, the streets become quite dark especially if there happens to be a power outage at the same moment. Try to be back at your hotel beforehand or if that's not possible, be sure to have a flashlight and have a companion. While KTM is generally safe, it's always best not to tempt fate by making yourself an easy prey for thieves.

This tip also holds true for Pokhara.

I think I need not stress too much on this warning because it is very evident. Unlike in other countries where tap water is not potable though it looks deceptively clear and odorless, the tap water in KTM and Pokhara have a yellow tinge even in 5-star hotels. I don't wish to know (and probably neither would you) why it is so.

So bottomline: drink (and gargle with ) bottled water only!

Sadly pollution in Kathmandu was really bad. The air was filled with the smell of generator fuel and we quickly developed irritating coughs. The smell of this fuel gets on everything your clothes, hair, luggage.

The rivers were also really polluted. I assume rubbish is thrown into them to dispose of it, because at low water level in the dry season when we were there the rivers were choked up with rubbish. Very sad.

Like most tourist places the food is exorbirantly priced. If you are travelling towards Pokhra and stop mid way to have food in the road side restaurants be careful and clarify the rates before you order. If you dont do that they will charge some insane prices so be careful.

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Every time I visit Kathmandu, I find there is a surprise waiting for me. This time, I found the infamous dance bars are closed but there are lots of Massage parlors have emerged in Thamel area. Our Vt friend Basu Thapliya ( Thapliya) and also Mr.Ritwik Das the owner of Tajmahal Restaurant ( Earlier known as Sree Lal Bhojanaya) informed that most of them offer sleaze, in place of genuine massage. These are mostly dens of corruption and illegal in Nepal. They have a modus operandi to inform the police if they feel the customer is wealthy. The police is also hand in glove with them. So they conduct raid at the time the customer is in compromising position and demand money. They also informed a few Indians were arrested in recent past and were released after their family paid hefty sum as bribe.

Those with chicken heart please stay away from these joints, instead go to SPAs, they are safe place for massage after hard walking. Hope I am clear.

Always be prepared in Kathmandu: teh electricty may be switched off for hours at a time - deliberately. this in order to supply other parts of Nepal with electricity. The consequence is that you will need to always be prepared for darkness: good shoes, spare batteries, torches, headlamps, backup batteries for cameras, cell phones, laptops - you name it. it is a hopeless situation, pretty much brought on by the people's elected representatives - the politicians. When the country in the world with the 2nd highest hydropower potential (after Brazil) hardly produ ces electricity, something has gone seriously awry...
There is a load shedding schedule - ask your hotel or hosts when darkness falls so you can plan a little ahead.

This requires an urgent update to your page on Kathmandu.

A friend of mine recently returned from Kathmandu. She was shopping in Thamel and journeyed into a gem shop. The proprietor struck up conversation with her, and gave her his card. He was very nice, and asked if he could sketch a piece of jewelry she had worn into the shop... He said it would only take a few minutes, and asked his assistant to make some tea. My friend agreed, and followed the proprietor into his back office where he proceeded to sketch and
engage her in pleasant conversation. When the assistant brought in the tea, he only brought tea for one... the proprietor declined.

My friend sipped her tea ... but after a few minutes a wave of light headedness washed over her and she felt like she was going to pass out. She immediately knew what had happened, and without a second thought, bolted from the store. She was understandably frightened, unsure whether or not whatever she'd been drugged with was going to cause her to lose consciousness altogether. Apparently, the "assistant" had used too little to render her useless before she was able to escape.

Later, she wondered if she could ever find the shop again... and remembered she had put his card into her wallet. Retrieving the card, she realized he'd given her a business card from Noor Gems, on Durbar Marg - a reputable gem shop in another part of Kathmandu. Hence, even if she wanted to pursue action against this would-be mugger-rapist-human trafficker-murderer (insert your desired law-breaking noun here), she would likely never be able to find him... although given the stories about police in Kathmandu and their attitude about crimes against women, it would most likely be a lost cause anyway. My friend was extremely lucky.

Don't shop alone, if you can help it. Stay in visible, populated areas. Avoid accepting beverages, etc. that are offered to you. Stay street smart... Human trafficking is a very real thing, it is a very big deal ... in a moment of being trusting, open to new experiences in new cultures, and a little naive, your entire life could change - or even end. If you feel like you've been slipped something, don't sit around second guessing... get into a well populated area right away, get something to eat and something to drink. Best bet... stick with people you know, and only travel with people you trust.

It's always better to hire a porter or guide from an agency in Kathmandu or Pokhara (and take him with you) rather than rely on hiring one from a village in the mountains. I have seen trekkers come unstuck when a porter has turned out to be unreliable and either abandons them or lets them down. This happens when the guy regularly gets drunk on the trek or stops off in villages to gamble or doesn't take care of his eyes in snow conditions and become snow-blind. Any of this is liable to spoil your trek.

(Writeon)