[The following post is from the archives of my In Search Of Incredible blog, originally published on 27 November 2012. Minor edits have since been made from the original post to update some links and info.]
18 March 2012, Sunday: India (Delhi) – Nepal (Kathmandu)
Morning Call: 7:00am
Rise and shine, it’s day 10 and our last few hours in India before moving on to Nepal. For breakfast, we headed to Sam’s Café, the rooftop restaurant above our Vivek Hotel, as I had read that the food was quite good. Despite the restaurant being open “24 hours”, we didn’t see anyone around, so we busied ourselves by walking around the small garden and finding a nice spot to sit. After a while, there was still no sign of human presence, so I went to get the menu myself. Finally, after a further five minutes, we decided we had waited long enough, and decided to leave.
Main Bazaar was actually quite pleasant when it was deserted and quiet that time in the morning. We walked down the road and found a relatively new and nice-looking building, Hotel Piorko, which also had a rooftop restaurant that served breakfast. So we went in and were greeted by the friendly counter staff, who directed us to the lift. Once up there, we walked into a much bigger rooftop garden than the one at Sam’s Café. It was prettier too, with many more colourful flowers and potted plants dotting the place.
I guess travellers don’t really wake up early in Delhi, as we were the only patrons once again. Luckily for us, the staff here were attentive and offered us the menu. I ordered a continental breakfast set while XY ordered an omelette with toast. The food itself was so-so, nothing compared to the breakfasts in Sri Lanka for sure! It was quite cheap though – the total bill for both of us was Rs 260 (S$6.80). It might not have been the best breakfast, but at least the rooftop garden was quite nice, much nicer than Sam’s Café.
After breakfast, we went back Vivek Hotel and checked out at 9:10am. We then walked the same way as we did two days ago to the Metro train station, bought our tickets (Rs 80) and caught the 9:43am train to the airport, arriving at 10:05am. After clearing the customs, we somehow found ourselves still hungry and went to grab a bite at McDonald’s. At 12:30pm, we boarded our JetLite flight 9W7055 and departed Delhi for Kathmandu, Nepal.
Closing thoughts on India
For a country as big as India, my four-day journey can only be best described as a stopover. However, I think it was quite sufficient as I met my objective – a visit to the Taj Mahal, and what a beauty it is. It was definitely worth making the trip to Agra to see it, and I think for anyone going to India, it is a must-visit place. My 1.5 days in Bangalore allowed me to see the more modern side of India, while Delhi has been a good capsule or representation of the “real” India – bustling, chaotic, polluted, dirty and frantic all at once.
I think the word I would use to describe India is “Opportunistic”. Every foreigner/tourist is an opportunity for the locals to make money. It’s not really their fault, because life is hard over there, with over a billion people. But I would say they are a tough bunch, and very resilient. As I didn’t have much time to explore India fully, I can’t really judge whether it is beautiful or not. I am sure there are other places within India with more natural beauty, rolling mountains, glorious beaches and lush jungles, and it will take a few weeks, or even months, to explore and do them justice.
Will I visit India again? Quite unlikely, because I have already achieved my aim of visiting the Taj Mahal. And also because in some ways, Singapore is a multi-cultural society so if I want to experience a slice of India, I can simply make a trip to Little India. Of course, I may not be able to taste garlic naan or mutton curry as good as the ones in Agra, but the atmosphere in Little India is quite similar and authentic.
I think more Westerners love India because it is something totally different from their home country, so it is like a big culture shock to them. It is nothing like they have experienced before, so they find it refreshing and stimulating. Having said that, my short four-day stopover in India met my expectations and I fulfilled my dream of seeing one of the most beautiful Seven Wonders of the World, so I’m happy with it.
Nepal: Kathmandu
Time difference: Nepal is 2 hours 15 minutes behind Singapore (15 min less than Sri Lanka and India)
Exchange rate: 1 US Dollar (USD) = 80.81 Nepali Rupees (NPR) / 100 NPR = USD 1.237
USD 1 = S$1.257 / 100 NPR = S$1.56
It was a short flight from Delhi, less than two hours, and we touched down at Kathmandu, Nepal at 2:10pm. That was actually how I planned my itinerary – I wanted to break up the journey from Sri Lanka to Nepal into manageable bites by having short stopovers in India, at Bangalore and Delhi. And they were all along the way, as I travelled northwards from Sri Lanka to Bangalore to Delhi to Kathmandu, so it was quite nicely routed.
Being at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, it’s like stepping back in time. The brown, wood-panelled décor and garish signboards with the old-fashioned fonts are so retro-looking, they’re like remnants of the 70’s (not that I was born then). It’s an old airport, but also very charming in its own way.
Nepal is truly a country for foreigners and it was nice to see so many fellow backpackers at the airport. Everyone seemed to be there with a common purpose, ready for an adventure. Most of them were Westerners, and XY and I were practically the only Asian faces in the crowd.
For foreigners, you’ll need a tourist visa, and the most convenient way is to apply for it at the airport upon arrival. Visa application is done at the same time as your passport is being stamped, so you only need to queue once. The whole process takes less than five minutes so it’s really easy. Be sure to prepare the cash (preferably in US dollars) and a coloured, passport size photograph to speed up the process. The cost of the visa is as follows: US$25 (for a stay of up to 15 days), US$40 (30 days) and US$100 (90 days).
After clearing the customs, we visited a money changer before heading out of the airport. This is the only way to get Nepali rupees because officially, Nepali rupees cannot be taken out of the country, and notes cannot be exchanged at banks in your home country. It’s true because I’d tried all the banks and money changers in Singapore, and even India, but they all do not carry Nepali rupees. The only way is to get them in Nepal itself. US dollars can be used interchangeably with Nepali rupees, but it is still good to carry some rupees around.
Airport pickup was arranged by XY, as I had left the booking of the accommodation in Nepal to her. This is because she and our group of University hostel mates were giving me a little treat as my birthday present – they were going to cover my accommodation expenses in India and Nepal. Thanks guys!
After exiting the terminal, we strode out confidently to look for our driver. Sure enough, we saw a man holding up a piece of paper with our names on it and we went to meet him. He was really friendly and I told him how excited I was to be in Nepal for the first time. He led us to a car and helped me put my bag in the boot. Then things started to turn around quickly.
He demanded tips for the three other guys who were standing around the car, who supposedly “helped” us with our luggage. I asked him if he was from the guest house, and he said “no”, they were just there to help with luggage. I felt a little intimidated as he was very persistent and there were a few of them around. At that point, I just wanted to get them out of my way and settle them once and for all. Unfortunately I didn’t have any small change and I gave them US$15. How stupid I was! I should have given them rupees instead. Satisfied with their loot (they must have been laughing their way to the bank), they left us alone and we boarded the car, which was driven by another driver from the guest house.
We left the airport at 2:43pm and made our way to Thamel in central Kathmandu. I was really pissed during the whole ride, more with myself than anything. I was pissed that I gave them so much tips when they didn’t deserve it, when they had not done anything in fact. They didn’t even carry our bags, they only loaded them to the car. I was pissed at my own stupidity for giving them US dollars instead of rupees. And lastly, I was pissed at how the driver from our guest house allowed those touts to carry the piece of paper with our names and pick us from the gate. He must have been in cahoots with them. It was a bad introduction to Nepal, to say the last.
I sulked all the way till we reached our accommodation, Elbrus Home, at 3:20pm. The hostel itself is located on the fourth floor of the building, and there are no lifts, so you have to climb your way up. The room is quite big and comfy, it’s more like a homestay apartment. It is located slightly outside of the tourist hub in Thamel, so it is quieter and more peaceful. As we had official business to settle, we quickly dropped our luggage and made our way out again.
Elbrus Home
www.elbrushome.com
Address: Galkopakha, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal
From Elbrus Home, we walked about ten minutes and reached the main Thamel area. There were the characteristic and colourful Nepali flags hanging everywhere, and lots of shops selling trekking gear and stuff – North Face knock-offs, jackets, trekking pants, bags, scarves, hats etc. It was buzzing with activity and I loved it immediately. I wished we were staying inside Thamel instead of at Elbrus Home, so we could be in the thick of the action instead of being on the outskirts. At that point, everything felt disappointing and it seemed like Nepal was off to a bad start. Fortunately, it would turn out to be quite the opposite as the next few days unravelled. But first, we had to settle our “official business” – getting to the Adrenaline Rush Nepal office and making our final arrangements for our river rafting and trekking expedition.
Before departing for the trip, XY and I had snooped around the Internet and made our bookings for a white water rafting excursion with this company called Adrenaline Rush Nepal. I had river rafted twice before, once in New Zealand and once in Butterworth, Malaysia, but this was going to be XY’s first time, so she was really excited about it. In fact, I was just as excited as her because my previous two times were extremely fun and it is something I will always want to do again whenever the opportunity arises.
There are plenty of rivers in Nepal where you can do white water rafting, depending on the number of days you would like to raft, and the river grading, i.e. the difficulty level. As this was XY’s first time, and because we didn’t have too many days to spend in Nepal (only six full days), we decided to pick a river that is manageable yet challenging enough, with a mix of grade 3 and 4 rapids.
We picked the Trisuli River, a classic river for beginners and intermediate thrill-seekers. The put-in point (where you start rafting) is located only about three hours away from Kathmandu, so it is a popular river choice for those looking to do it as a day trip, or for those en route to Pokhara, which was where we were heading next. The river distance is not that long, between 30km to 80km, so most people do a 2-day, 1-night rafting trip, or a day trip from Kathmandu.
The Adrenaline Rush Nepal office is located at a side street just off the main road, near the famous Kathmandu Guest House and the popular supermarket. It is a small office, like your typical travel agency with pictures of the famous sights plastered onto the walls. We stepped in at 4:15pm and asked for Nabin, the boss, whom XY had communicated via email prior to our arrival. We paid him US$95 each for our 2-day, 1-night Trisuli River white water rafting package, as agreed beforehand. It included transport, meals, accommodation (a tent) and the river rafting equipment, so it’s all-in.
Nabin is a friendly fellow who speaks good English, and we felt comfortable with him, so we asked him for advice about trekking in Pokhara. We had originally planned to hire a trekking guide only after we were to arrive in Pokhara, but we thought he might be able to offer us some pointers and useful information, since he had been quite accommodating thus far.
From my prior research, there are not many routes suitable for a short three-day trek. Most routes will take at least a week to complete. So my original plan was to do the Ghandruk Loop trek, one of the easiest treks in the Annapurna Region – from Phedi-Tolka-Ghandruk-Phedi. But Nabin recommended us to start our trek at Naya Pul instead of Phedi, and trek to Ghorepani instead of Tolka because the sunrise at Poon Hill (near Ghorepani) would be much nicer than at Ghandruk.
As Ghorepani (2,750m) is at a higher elevation than Ghandruk (1,940m), my main concern was whether it would be physically too demanding for XY and I, since it was our first time trekking in the mountains. Nabin assured us that we would be able to cope with it, and the sunrise at Poon Hill would be well worth the effort. So we took his suggestion and he put together a package for us, even though his company specialised in white water rafting and other water activities primarily, not trekking. He charged us US$55 a day per person, totalling US$165 for the three days, but we bargained it down to US$160.
Additionally, we had to pay for the trekking permits, which go to the relevant authorities, not the travel agent. For trekking in the Annapurna region, you need to obtain two permits – the TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card and the ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) entry permit. The purpose of the TIMS card is to control illegal trekking operations, and ensure the safety and security of trekkers by recording their would-be whereabouts at various checkpoints along the way. The ACAP is a government undertaking established to protect the Annapurna area from increasing pressures of population growth, poverty and tourism, and the income generated from the entry fees are spent to manage tourism facilities and minimise the threat of tourism. It is essential to get these permits because there are several checkpoints along the way, and if you are caught without an ACAP permit for example, you will be charged Rs 4,000, twice the original price.
The ACAP permit costs Rs 2,000 (S$31.20) while the TIMS card costs US$10 if you pay through a trekking company, or US$20 if you’re an individual trekker (FIT). In this case, since we were individual trekkers, and Adrenaline Rush Nepal is not considered a trekking company, it should have cost us US$20 each to get a TIMS card. But Nabin charged us US$25 for it, US$5 more than if we were to get it ourselves. In any case, to apply for the TIMS card, you will need to make a trip to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) office, Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) office or a government registered trekking agency in Nepal. So I shall just treat the extra US$5 as a service charge, for the convenience of saving us a trip to the office to apply for it ourselves. Note that you’ll also need to submit a photocopy of your passport and two passport-size photographs for the application.
So the total cost of our 3-day, 2-night trek was US$160 + US$25 + Rs 2,000 = S$263.75. It included two-way transport to Naya Pul and back, food, accommodation and a guide/porter, so it’s all-in.
In retrospect, I would say it can be cheaper if you don’t go through an agency and do everything yourself, and go without a guide/porter for the trek. The route is well-marked and there are plenty of teahouses along the way, so it is easy to navigate your way around, and find accommodation as you go along. But for the convenience and peace of mind (this being our first time trekking in Nepal), I would say just go with it. You can help contribute to the Nepal economy too. Anyway, S$263.75 is really quite a reasonable amount to pay for three days – about S$88 per day. For the trekking trip, we put down US$100 as deposit, with the balance (US$85 + Rs 2,000) to be paid at their Pokhara office when we arrive two days later.
Having settled the river rafting and trekking packages, we had just one last piece of business to settle – finding another accommodation in Kathmandu for Saturday, after we return from Pokhara. XY and I had intentionally not booked accommodation for Saturday because we wanted to decide only after we arrived at Kathmandu, to look around and see if there were other good places to stay. And having fallen in love with Thamel at first sight, I wanted to stay inside Thamel on Saturday, and not at Elbrus Home again.
So we asked Nabin and he recommended a place called BagPacker’s Lodge (nice pun!), located in the heart of Thamel. We inspected the room and were quite satisfied with it, so we made a reservation for Saturday. It was much smaller than our room at Elbrus Home, but also much cheaper – just Rs 800 (US$10) compared to Elbrus Home’s rate of US$36 for one night. And with that, we were done with all the official stuff, and were free to roam around Thamel.
There were so many shops selling all sorts of interesting trekking gear and apparel, we didn’t know where to start. I picked a shop that is slightly off the main street, thinking it would be less competitive and offered better prices, and I ended up buying quite a lot of stuff there – a set of thermal long-sleeved top and pants, two pairs of “North Face” trekking pants and a pair of “North Face” gloves, all for Rs 4,500 (S$70). Good buy! It was the most shopping I had done thus far, and I would have bought more if not for the fact that I would need to carry all these luggage with me for next few days of rafting and trekking, so I limited myself to only buying the essential trekking gear first.
Do note that you can bargain for prices here, because there are many similar shops around selling the same items, more or less. But do so reasonably, because the things here are already much cheaper than back home (granted, they might be knock-offs but the quality is often just as good as the original ones), and it doesn’t hurt to contribute a little to their livelihoods.
As it was a Sunday, many of the shops closed early. At 7pm, the sky was already dark and the shops were starting to roll down their shutters. So we quickly headed to the supermarket to buy some supplies – bottled water, chocolate and energy bars, which cost Rs 635 altogether. We then went to a place called Food Bazaar for dinner. It was a nice restaurant and they served Tibetan cuisine. I had a bowl of buffalo meat noodles, which was really good. We also had some guo tie (fried vegetable dumplings) and Nepali tea, which was very milky and white in appearance. As I was very happy, I treated XY dinner – Rs 560 (S$8.74) for the both of us.
After dinner, we did some last minute shopping on the way back. We chanced upon a shop that was still open and bought a woollen hat each – mine was a monkey while XY got herself a penguin one. I also bought another woollen hair band that looked very reggae and cool, and it cost only Rs 100 (S$1.56). Satisfied with our loot, we made our way back to Elbrus Home.
The streets outside were quite dark and it did feel a little bit unsafe, especially the further away we walked from Thamel. We got back safely nonetheless and when we entered our room, we discovered that there was a power cut, and they were running on a backup generator. There was only one light in our room and there was no light in the toilet, so we had to use torches. There also was no hot water, so we decided not to shower that night!
One thing about Nepal is that power cuts are very common, especially in the dry season, because there is less water in the rivers to generate hydro-electricity. Nepal does not have significant fossil fuel deposits available due to its mountainous terrain. Most of its energy is generated from biomass fuel, where wood is the main source of energy and will remain so for a long time. This is due to lack of development of other energy alternatives and the poor economy. So energy is scarce and power cuts are common. Thus, it is important to carry a good torch around with you. However, they won’t just cut the power without announcing it beforehand, so you can ask the locals when the next one is going to take place so you can plan ahead, for example, to shower while there is still hot water!
With all the stuff that we bought, it was getting quite challenging to fit everything into our bags. My backpack’s girth increased and became significantly heavier. We packed our bags in semi-darkness and turned in early, feeling super excited about the adventures that were to come the next few days…River rafting! Trekking! I could barely sleep that night.