Nepal and Kathmandu

Incredibly, Nepal is home to eight of the World’s fourteen peaks above 8000 metres. Along with Tibet, it is the point of access for Mount Everest.

It is obviously a popular destination for adventure travelling. Aside from trekking and mountaineering, there is first class white water rafting through rivers such as the Sunkoshi. The Terai, in southern Nepal, is an area of rainforest jungle and a treasure trove of wildlife. The Kathmandu Valley is home to three connected cities: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. The historic monuments in each city are spectacular.

Nepal is the second largest Hindu nation, but is also home to Tibetan Buddhist communities. There are many small ethnic communities, including the Kingdom of Mustang.

The Journey Begins

Return to Nepal, at last, albeit with doubt about my timing. It had been ten years since I had explored the fascinating, colourful, and friendly regions of Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Annapurna. This time, I was nervousness about the precarious political situation and regular bombings that had been occurring lately in Kathmandu, as well as outside of the city.

I had lived in Kuwait just after the first Gulf War and for the first few months mines were often washed up on the beaches, and for some time there was still the threat of invasion. My journeys have taken me to places that are often considered dangerous, such as: Iran, Syria, Kashmir, Nicaragua, Honduras. Bombings have occurred in several places that I have visited, and I never felt worried. Yet, my gut feeling for the upcoming summer journey to England, and then onto Nepal and Tibet, was one of ill-ease.

A Horrendous Surprise

I flew into London on July 6th 2005 to spend a few days with family and friends before heading off to Nepal. The next morning, I woke to a call from my partner who had just heard the report of the horrendous terrorist attack on the London Underground and bus service. All that worry over bombings in Kathmandu; it just didn’t occur to me that something on that scale could happen in London.

Arrival in Kathmandu

After fifteen hours, I arrived in Kathmandu blurry-eyed but buzzing from the excitement of a new journey, but a return to Nepal. I grabbed a taxi and headed straight for a hotel listed in my trusted Lonely Planet guide. It was still a time when turning up at a guesthouse or hotel without a reservation was normal practice. Inconvenient, if there were no rooms, but with a great sense of flexibility and freedom as you moved on when you chose. No pre-booking, no fixing you to a time limit, no pushing you towards tick lists and itineraries, and no rush.

The rooms were shabby, but as promised there was a beautiful and well-kempt garden. The next morning, a little more rested, I stumbled upon a true gem of a hotel nearby. It was built in the Newari style, typical of the Kathmandu Valley, with the usual neatly laid, small, red bricks, and intricately carved wooden windows. It was still under refurbishment, but the owner, Pujan, offered me a room at a very competitive price. I moved in.

Thamel – ten years before

Diwali was over and Thamel came back to life with full force. It has the feeling and the amenities of a tourist resort. The streets are cleaner and better maintained than most other areas of central Kathmandu. Restaurants serve Western cuisine for those who need a fix. Several well-stocked bars offer cocktails to the sound of rock music. Agencies plaster their windows with adverts for tours, organised treks and whitewater rafting. Shops abound, specialising in trekking equipment, books, jewellery, Buddha statues, antiques, and ethnic looking clothing – which the Nepalese don’t wear. Most travellers to the city pack the area making good use of these welcome creature comforts. Locals ply the streets selling tiger balm, wooden chess sets, knives, …., but with no heavy sales pressure. The bars are also popular with local, young men. Their fashion – long hair, jeans, and rock band T-shirts.

Returning to Thamel

Thamel’s commercial district had now grown hugely. The sales pitch on the street had become a little more intense. The fashion had changed for both foreigners and Nepalese. The laid back vibe of the music of The Doors resonating from restaurants and bars had been replaced by the more aggressive electro-dance music (which, ironically, I also like). I felt nostalgic for the Thamel I had known before.

Following a good recommendation, I entered another beautiful Newari building, The Thamel House Restaurant. Unlike many surrounding buildings, it was neatly constructed with revealed beams, wooden floors and finely-laid red brick walls. It was smart, comfortable and traditional; like the hotel I was staying at, it was a fine example of a sympathetic reform to high standards. The food was local and the flavour was Newari. A very positive start for my return to Nepal.

Kathmandu – Durbar Square

Around Kathmandu

Go to Patan