I've been in Nepal over 2 months now so I've gotten over the initial shock of being in an Asian country for the first time. Many fellow travellers that I have met on my journey have told me that Nepal is one of the most beautiful countries in the continent and although I don't have the experience to give my opinion on the matter, I can happily say that it has satisfied all my expectations. Nepal is sandwiched between China and India and although both have had their influence, Nepal has managed to maintain most of it's own personality. The streets of Kathmandu are rife with a carcophony of colours, sound and smells and lets not forget the constant smog that is the pollution that has doused the city in more recent years. From the plane, it looks like a heat haze and in my jet-lagged state, I wondered how it could be so hot in winter.
Before I get too distracted in my ramblings, I would like to quickly mention some things about Kathmandu airport. The first thing is prepare yourself for a long and strenuous wait when claiming your baggage and aquiring your visa. It is possible to buy your visa beforehand however I would not advise this as it is more expensive and you have to wait in the same queue as everyone else anyway so it wont really save you any extra time. One thing that will save you some time though is bringing several passport photos of yourself and a pen. They do have machines to electronically fill out your visa form but they are very slow and then you have to queue again to get them checked. Your visa must be payed for in cash as they do not accept credit card. Transport to and from the airport is very easy but don't be fooled by the 'set prices' because it's a load of crap. There is no such thing as a set price in Nepal, everything can be negociated. I have been perfecting my haggling over the last few months and I'm slowly getting better at it. The secret is to be firm but polite. The minute they see that you're not just another stupid tourist, they will respect you for it and give you a fair price.
Although taxi is the most comfortable and safe way to travel through the streets of Kathmandu, it is definitly the most expensive. Most Nepali people either have their own car or take the bus so the taxis are basically reserved for tourists and the drivers know this and adjust their prices accordingly. There are buses that can take you just about anywhere in Nepal for a fraction of the price however, I would strongly disadvise this mode of transport to anyone with claustrophbia. In general, I will only get on the bus if there are seats because the concept of no more space does not exist in the Nepali psyche. People will not hesitate to sit in your lap or cram you into someones armpit and as long as the goats and chickens are on the roof, the driver is cool with it. Don't let this deter you from giving it a go though. I think in order to truly experience Nepal, at least one grueling bus ride in indepespensible.
Thamel
Now lets get to the most important part. The food. Despite the fact that the streets are pretty manky, there are some seriously awesome places to eat. As I have only been here a few months and have been on a pretty tight schedule, I havn't had the opportunity to eat out as much as I would have liked but I will give you the low down on my initial impressions. There are three main areas in the city that host western standard restaurents; Thamel, Patan and Boudanath and each have their own unique flair to offer. Thamel is the main shopping area of Kathmandu and therefore the most modern with wide avenues and touristy shops selling overpriced cashmire and all sorts of others items that you don't need. However, if you dare venture down the little streets past the felt bags and oolong tea, you will find beautiful little markets selling fresh fruit, soft fabrics and an enormous aray of spices. You can find freshly butchered meat that is very exiting to look at but I wouldn't advise you eating it unless you have an insane immune system. You can also find cute little cafés to have cup of milk tea and a sel roti (the nepali interpretation of a donut) or if you feel the yearning for something more Europeen you can go to himalayan java and have a cup of freshly brewed deliciousness from coffee beans grown here in Nepal. They even grind their own beans in the cafe. Although it's quite expensive and not as good as my Italian roast at home, its smooth and delicate and the atmosphere of the place is quite pleasent. They have wifi and even little plugs set into the tables to charge your electronic devices, a serious blessing in nepal as electricty is sparce and without a voltage stabilizer, the plug will probably fry your device. The food is ok, not as good as the coffee and quite expensive for Nepal. The sandwiches are quite soggy but the breakfast is quite good. The muffins are soft and have personality when it comes to flavour and you can get actual bacon which is an essential addition to any breakfast in my opinion.
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| The view of the Garden of Dreams from the café |
I'd say the best part of Thamel is the Garden of Dreams a small oasis away from the bustling streets. The garden costs 200 rupees to enter but it's well worth the fee. If you have some free time on your hands, It's the perfect place to read a book and enjoy a cool lemonade. It was originally the private garden of Kaiser Sumsher Rana, completed in 1920 and regarded as one of the more sophisticated private gardens of it's time. The more recent renovations were sponsored by the Austrian government. Going to the garden is like stepping back into another time. I mean they actually cut the grass by hand! There are really cozy cushions to recline on in the grass but beware of the squirrels. They are not remotely afraid of humans and will readily steal your snacks on the sly.
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| A sneaky squirrel steals my sour cream and onion crisps |
There is a restaurant upstairs where you can have dinner. It supports western prices but the food is nice and they have quite a large wine selection which is rare in Nepal. It's also a safe place to eat meat. The Kaiser library next to the garden of dreams was also origionally owen by Kaiser Sumsher Rana. The huge building has shelves upon shelves of everything from theasurouses to fairy tales. The library is full of students who have encrusted themselves in every niche reading endless tomes, perfecting essays and some even drawing cute cartoons of elephants. And the musty smell gives it a the classic personality that all great libraries have
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| One of the many rooms in the kaiser library |
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| Browsing the shelves at the Kaiser library |
Boudanath
Everyone has heard of the iconic stupa sporting the buddha's eyes but even after all the artistic photos on Instagram that I scoured before coming here, nothing could prepare me for the sheer splendor of it. It is revered by buddhists and hindus alike and there is a constant stream of people circumbulating the stupa at all hours of the day and night. Boudanath is the perfect place to buy tibetan singing bowels, post cards and beautiful hand-painted Thankas (tibetan art depicting buddhist dieties). Although there are plenty of shops around the stupa, the small allies have the same products at a much smaller price.
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| View of the stupa from the ground |
There are so great places to eat around the stupa. My favourite place so far is the arya cafe. They have some mean Oreo cheesecake and delicious cappuccinos. If you're looking for something more substantial, there is the happiness vegetarian. Everything there has a sufficient amount of spice and is reasonably priced. I had the vegetarian tofu balls and there were devine mixture of crunchy and soft. They serve huge potions so I would advice sharing a plate unless you're really starving then go for it. Eating there is an adventure because you never know what you're going to get. If you're planning on spending time in Kathmandu, I would recommend that you stay in one of the many guesthouses that are scattered around the area. Although they are a little more pricy than the ones in Thamel, they are so much quieter and theres nothing better than getting up in the morning to the sound of mantras and the smell of insense.
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